Home > Food Handler Learning Objectives

Food workers are expected to know this information to obtain their food handler card.

The concept of foodborne illness will be introduced. The training will address personal hygiene, contamination, and temperature control to reinforce the food handler’s behaviors, which can prevent foodborne illness.

Employee Illness:

• The food handler will know to call the person in charge at the food service facility when ill with diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, or fever with sore throat.
• The food handler will know not to work in the food service facility while ill with these symptoms.
• The food handler will know to not work in food service for 24 hours after symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting have gone.
• The food handler will know not to handle food with an infected boil, cut, burn, or sore on the hand or wrist. Food may be handled if the injury is covered with a clean bandage and a latex-free glove.

Handwashing:

Workers will understand elements of good handwashing.

1. The food handler will be able to identify the correct technique for handwashing:

• Use running warm water and soap
• Scrub hands and rinse thoroughly (approximately 20 seconds)
• Dry hands with single-use towel, or air dryer

2. The food handler will be able to identify situations when food handlers must wash their hands:

• Before starting work
• After using the toilet and again when entering work area
• After handling raw food and raw animal products
• After handling dirty dishes
• After handling garbage
• After cleaning or using chemicals
• After blowing nose, sneezing, coughing, or touching eyes, nose or mouth
• After smoking, or using tobacco products
• After eating or drinking
• Before putting on food service gloves

4. The food handler will know that a double handwash means to lather hands with soap and warm water for approximately 20 seconds, rinse, and repeat a second time. Dry hands with paper towels or air dryer.
5. The food handler will be able to identify situations when food handlers must wash their hands twice (double handwash):

• After using the toilet and again when entering work area (double handwash)
• After blowing nose, sneezing, coughing, or touching eyes, nose or mouth (double handwash)
• Before starting work (double handwash)
• Anytime hands come into contact with body fluids (double handwash)
• After smoking, or using tobacco products (double handwash)
• After eating or drinking (double handwash)

6. The food handler will know that food service gloves are capable of spreading germs and are not substitute for proper handwashing.
7. The food handler will know that smoking, eating, and chewing tobacco is prohibited in food preparation areas, including food and utensil storage areas.

Your Role in Helping Prevent Foodborne Illness:

1. The food handler will be able to describe five major mistakes that often cause foodborne illness:

• Inadequate handwashing
• Employees working while they are ill
• Cross contamination
• Inadequate cooking temperatures
• Inadequate temperature control (allowing foods to be in the danger zone)

2. The food handler will be able to describe the activities performed by food handlers that prevent foodborne illness from happening. Activities preventing foodborne illness include:

• Proper handwashing every time hands may have become contaminated
• Food handlers working only when healthy
• Storing and handling of foods in a manner to prevent contamination
• Cooking each animal product to its required internal temperature
• Maintaining hot and cold temperatures (keeping foods out of the danger zone)

The Role of Management in Helping Prevent Foodborne Illness:

1. The food handler will know that the manager sets the tone of what food safety activities occur or don’t occur within the facility.
2. The food handler will know that the food service management is responsible for training and ensuring that food handlers practice activities that prevent foodborne illness.

Foodborne Illness:

1. The food handler will be able to describe foodborne illness as an illness resulting from eating contaminated food.
2. The food handler will know that food contaminated with organisms (germs) does not always look, smell or taste different from non-contaminated food.
3. The food handler will know that symptoms vary and may include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, cramping and nausea.
4. The food handler will know that depending on the cause, symptoms may develop in a few minutes to several days. Some symptoms may last several days and can result in death.
5. The food handler will know that foodborne illness is caused by organisms (germs), chemicals, or toxins.

Temperature Control:

Workers will understand why hot and cold holding temperatures are important factors in preventing illness.

1. The food handler will be able to identify potentially hazardous foods as food that will support bacterial growth when held at temperatures in the danger zone.
2. The food handler will be able to identify the danger zone as any temperature between 41 degrees F and 135 degrees F.
3. The food handler will be able to identify that food being cooled or heated must move through the danger zone as rapidly as possible.
4. The food handler will be able to identify 135 degrees F or hotter as the proper temperature for hot holding potentially hazardous food.
5. The food handler will be able to identify 41 degrees F or colder as the proper temperature for cold holding potentially hazardous food.
6. The food handler will know that you cannot make food safe to eat when food has been in the danger zone for four hours or more.

Final Cooking Temperature:

Workers will understand why cooking foods to proper temperatures are important for preventing illness.

The food handler will be able to identify that cooking foods to the recommended temperature will kill disease-causing germs.

Contamination and Cross Contamination:

Workers will understand why cross contamination is dangerous and know ways to prevent it.

1. The food handler will be able to define and identify physical contamination as foreign objects accidentally introduced into food. Food items may arrive already contaminated with dirt and pebbles.
2. The food handler will be able to define and identify cross contamination as happening when microorganisms are transferred from one food or surface to another food.
3. The food handler will be able to identify methods to prevent cross contamination such as washing, rinsing, and sanitizing utensils, work surfaces and equipment between uses.
4. The food handler will be able to identify storage conditions that will minimize the potential for cross contamination:

• Store raw meats below and completely separate from ready-to-eat food in refrigeration units
• Store chemicals, cleansers and pesticides completely separate from food, utensils, and single service items
• Properly label all chemicals, cleansers and pesticides

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