Safe Food Handling-An Over View

Four Principles of Safe Food Handling:

1. Temperature Control
2. Preventing Cross-contamination
3. Good Personal Hygiene
4. Proper Cleaning and Sanitizing

Temperature Control

• Most food poisonings are caused by temperature abuse of hazardous foods. This includes both hot and cold holding, cooling, reheating and cooking.
• You cannot determine the food temperature by color, steam or by touch.
• The only way to accurately measure food temperatures is by using a calibrated thermometer.

Thermometer Calibration

Ice-Point Calibration

1. Fill the container with crushed ice.
2. Top up the ice with cold water to create a slurry.
3. Stir the mixture.
4. Place the thermometer in the slurry with the sensing area completely submerged, do not let the stem touch the bottom or sides of the container.
5. Hold the thermometer in the slurry for at least 30 seconds.
6. When the dial stops moving, if it does not read 0o C/ 32o F, keep the stem submerged and adjust the thermometer to read 0o C/ 32o F.

Procedure for using your probe thermometer:

• Clean and sanitize the probe after each use and before inserting it into the next food item.
• Check the stem of the thermometer for an indentation or “dimple” that shows the end of the sensing device. The probe must be inserted the full length of the sensing area (usually 2 to 3 inches).
• The probe must be inserted into the thickest part of the food. Make sure the probe does not touch bone or the container.
• If measuring the temperature of a thin food, such as a hamburger patty or boneless chicken breast, the probe should be inserted through the side of the food so the entire sensing area is positioned through the center of the food.
• It is recommended to record cooking, storage (hot and cold) and reheating temperatures in a log book.

Temperature Danger Zone

• Time and Temperature abuse is the cause of most food borne illness.
• The Danger Zone is the temperature between 4°C/40°F and 60°C/140°F; this is the optimal growth temperature for most pathogens.
• Keep hot food hot (60°C/140°F or above). Ensure that any hot holding apparatus is capable of maintaining this temperature.
• Keep cold food cold (4°C/40°F or below). Ensure that all refrigeration units can keep hazardous foods at or below this temperature.
• Move hazardous foods through the Danger Zone as quickly as possible during cooling and reheating. Do not allow hazardous foods to be in the Danger Zone longer than 2 hours (total cumulative time).
• Hazardous foods at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should not be eaten. It should be discarded.

Cross-Contamination:

• The transfer of pathogens, chemicals or unwanted items onto food that may make it unsafe to eat.

Cross-contamination can occur in 3 ways:

1. Contaminated food/water to food. Example, liquids from raw chicken dripping onto salad in refrigerators.
2. Infected person to food. Example, preparing foods before washing hands.
3. Contaminated equipment to food. Example, using the same knife to cut raw meats and vegetables.

Prevention of Cross-Contamination

• Ensure you clean and sanitize all equipment after coming in contact with hazardous food (knives, cutting boards, tongs etc.).
• Store cooked or ready to eat food on a shelf above raw food or in a separate refrigerator.
• Label chemicals and pesticides and store them in a separate area away from food.
• Practice good personal hygiene

Personal Hygiene:

All food shall be protected from contamination and adulteration.

• Food handlers must wear clean clothing and change aprons as often as necessary.
• Food handlers are not to handle food if they are ill with diarrhea and/or vomiting.
• Food handlers must not handle food with bare hands if they have open cuts on their hands.
• Food handlers must have trimmed nails and wear no jewellery when preparing food.
• Food handlers must be aware of their personal habits such as biting nails, touching their face especially around the mouth, nose and eyes.
• Food handlers must wear headgear that confines the hair.
• Employees must not smoke in the kitchen area.

Sanitary Facilities

• Washrooms, toilets, lockers and change rooms must be kept clean, sanitary and in good repair at all times.
• You must provide a constant supply of hot and cold running water, liquid soap in a dispenser and paper towels or a hand dryer.
• A garbage container must be provided.
• Provide a sign clearly identifying the sex for which the washroom is intended.

Handwashing Basins

• Handwashing basins are required by legislation.
• They must be located in each food preparation area and easily accessible so employees can wash their hands conveniently.
• They are to be used for handwashing only and not for dishwashing or food preparation.
• They must be supplied with hot and cold running water, soap in a dispenser and paper towels. Washroom basins are not a replacement for handwash basins.
• All food service employees are required to wash their hands when returning to the kitchen.

Handwashing

Handwashing practices are important in food service. Thorough handwashing is needed at the following times:

• before starting work or preparing foods
• when switching from working with one food to another
• when switching activities from non-food tasks to food preparation tasks
• after working with raw food products that may contain bacteria such as raw meats, poultry, eggs and egg shells and vegetables
• after touching contaminated surfaces such as cutting boards, dirty dishes, bags or garbage containers, mop handles, etc.
• after using the toilet
• after sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose
• after smoking
• after playing with pets
• after any activity that may result in contamination of your hands

Rules for Glove Use

Follow these rules for the safe and appropriate use of gloves when handling food:

• Glove use does not replace handwashing!!!!
• Wash hands before putting on gloves and after taking them off.
• Change gloves when they become soiled or torn.
• Change gloves after handling raw meats and before handling cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
• Change gloves when leaving your task. (For example, if you have to answer the phone while making sandwiches, follow these steps: remove the gloves, answer the phone, wash your hands, put on a fresh pair of gloves and then return to your task.)
• As long as direct hand contact with food is limited as much as possible, frequent and thorough handwashing is the easiest way to prevent contamination.
• Gloves must be worn if you have a cut, open sore or skin diseases on your hand.

Cleaning and Sanitizing:

Clean:                   To remove oil, grease, dirt and debris using soap and water

Sanitize:               To kill 999 out of 1,000 pathogenic microorganisms

• Utensils, multi-service articles, equipment and food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after each use.
• Regulated Sanitizers
  • Chlorine (bleach) 100 p.p.m.
  • Iodine 25 p.p.m.
  • Quats 200 p.p.m.
• Sanitizer test strips are to be used to verify the concentration of the sanitizer.
• Vinegar is NOT a sanitizer.
• Contact time for sanitizers is based on manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when mixing solutions and allowing for contact time.
• Use 2 mL (1/2 tsp) of liquid chlorine for every l litre of water to make a disinfection solution of 100 mg/L or 100 p.p.m.
• When used in a bucket, make sure tot change the solution at least every 2 hours.
• When use in a spray bottle, make sure to change the solution at least everyday.

Clean in Place Method

• Use the Clean-in-Place Method for all equipment which come into contact with food, but are too large to fit and therefore cannot go in the dishwasher or the 2 or 3 compartment sink.
• This method is also used for equipment and utensils that can not be moved from their location.
• Use the Clean-In-Place Method for equipment such as a meat slicer (after the blade has been removed), a soft ice cream machine, or large soup kettles.
• WASH, RINSE, SANITIZE.
• Sanitize using double the strength – chlorine at 200 p.p.m., iodine at 50 p.p.m. and quats at 400 p.p.m. Ensure all parts that come in contact with food are fully disassembled and exposed to the sanitizer. Allow at least 45 seconds contact time or see manufactures recommendations.

Housekeeping

• Clean floors using damp mops at least once daily.
• Keep walls, ceilings and light fixtures clean and in good repair.
• Remove dirt from under equipment, in corners and in hard-to-reach places.
• Store all supplies at least 15cm (6 inches) off the ground to allow for proper cleaning, to help reduce pest problems and to prevent cross-contamination.
• Keep equipment clean and in good repair.
• Clean and disinfect all tables, counters and work surfaces before and after food preparation or service. Routinely clean mechanical ventilation hoods, filters and vent pipes that remove heat, steam and odours.
• Wash and sanitize empty food bins and containers before refilling them.

Mechanical Ventilation

• Removes heat, steam and odours from the kitchen.
• Found over cooking equipment, dishwashing equipment and in each washroom.
• Must be maintained so that it is not a health hazard, therefore clean regularly.

Pest Control

• Eliminate all nesting areas by removing unused equipment and by keeping all areas clean, especially behind equipment and shelving.
• Keep pests out by screening doors and windows.
• Caulk and fill all holes with steel wool.
• Inspect deliveries for infestations.
• Eliminate all food and water sources.
• It is recommended to have a licensed pest control company on contract.
• Poison bait must be labelled and stored in an area separate from food.
• Store garbage in pest proof containers and keep these areas clean.

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