Offering Number: 00269/00311/01586

Course Code: HMC1

Time and Schedule:
Course Description: Risk Management as Applied to Safety, Security & Sanitation

Week 2: Topic: The Basics of Food Safety

Introduction:
Food sanitation is more than just cleanliness. It included all practices involved in protecting food from
risk of contamination, harmful bacteria, poisons and foreign bodies, preventing any bacteria from
multiplying to an extent which would result in an illness of consumers; and destroying any harmful
bacteria in the food by thorough cooking or processing. The primary tenet of food-service sanitation is
absolute cleanliness. It begins with personal hygiene, the safe handling of foods during preparation,
and clean utensils,equipment, appliances, storage facilities, kitchen and dining room. Control of the
microbial quality of food must focus on the preparation of food itself, food handlers, facilities and
equipment. The quality of food depends on the condition when purchased and the time temperature
control during storage, preparation and service. Personal hygiene and cleanliness of the facilities and
equipment also contribute to food safety

Definition of terms:
Food – Any substance whether simple, mixed or compounded that is used as food, drink,
confectionery or condiments.
Safety – is overall quality of food fit for consumption.
Sanitation – is a health of being clean and conducive to health.
Cleanliness – is the absence of visible soil or dirt and is not necessarily sanitized.
Microbiology - the branch of biology that deals with microorganisms and their effect on other
microorganisms.
Microorganisms - organism of microscopic or submicroscopic size. (bacterium , protozoan). Food
Infection - microbial infection resulting from ingestion of contaminated foods.
Food Intoxication - type of illness caused by toxins. Under favorable condition certain bacteria
produce chemical compounds called toxins
Food Spoilage - means the original nutritional value, texture, flavor of the food are damaged, the food
become harmful to people and unsuitable to eat.
Foodborne Illness – A disease carried or transmitted to people by food. 2
Foodborne Outbreak – An incident in which two or more people experience the same illness after
eating the same food.
Contamination – The presence of harmful substances in the food.
Time-Temperature Abuse – Food that has been exposed to temperature favorable to the growth of
foodborne microorganisms.
Potentially Hazardous Foods – Food in which microorganisms can grow rapidly. It is often moist,
high protein, slightly acidic.
Cross Contamination – Occurs when microorganisms are transferred from one surface or food to
another.
Personal Hygiene – Sanitary health habits that include keeping the body, hair, teeth, clothes and
washing hands regularly.
Temperature Danger Zone – temperature range (41⁰F -140⁰F) food borne bacteria grow and
reproduce
Food Safety : A Top Priority
More and more people are eating away from home each year, some due to convenience or recreation
and others due to necessity. Whether dining in a fast food restaurant, a school foodservice, a hospital
cafeteria, or a fine dining restaurant, people expect safe food and a clean environment.

Food safety is the responsibility in every person who is involve in food service.Serving safe food is the
top priority for every food service employee. Providing safe food requires careful attention by both
management and employees. Since foodservice operations are characterized by high turnover rates,
employee training often poses a challenge to managers.

The High Price of Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness costs lives and money. Millions of people become sick each year and thousands die
after eating contaminated or mishandled foods. Children, the elderly and people with weakened
immune systems are especially vulnerable to foodborne illness.

A foodborne illness is a disease transmitted to people through food. An illness is considered an

outbreak when:
● Two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food.
● An investigation is conducted by state and local regulatory authorities.
● The outbreak is confirmed by laboratory analysis

Challenges include:
1. Time and Money 5. Unapproved supplier
2. Culture and Language 6. High risk customer
3. Literacy and Education 7. Pathogens
4. Staff turnover

1. Dangers of food borne illness

 a. Individual – Food borne illness are the greatest danger to food safety.It could result to illness or
diseases to an individual that would affect their overall health, work and personal lives. 
● Loss of family income  ● Cost of special dietary needs 
● Increased insurance  ● Loss of productivity, leisure and travel
● Medical expenses  opportunities 
● Death or funeral expense

b. Establishment – Food borne illness outbreak can cost an establishment thousands of

pesos, it can even be the reason an establishment is forced to closed. 

1. Loss of customer and sales 5. Lowered employee morale

2. Loss of reputation 6. Lawsuit and legal fees
3. Negative media exposure 7. Staff absenteeism
4. Increased insurance premiums 8. Staff training

Who is at Risk?

Healthy adults normally recover from foodborne illnesses in a couple of days to a couple of weeks.
Vulnerable populations are at an increased risk for complications resulting from foodborne illness.
Examples of vulnerable populations are:
Children (5 and under)
Elderly (65 and over)
Pregnant Women
Immune Compromised
Individuals (such as those on
immune suppressing drugs
and chemo-therapy patients)

Types of Food Safety Hazards

Foodborne illness is caused by eating contaminated foods or beverages. Foods can become unsafe
by things you cannot see, smell or taste. There are three main types foodborne hazard: Physical,
Chemical, and Biological.

Biological hazards –A microbial contaminants that may cause a food-borne illness. It Includes
bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites.
● Bacteria – germs which can grow in food and produce toxins if time, temperature, and
cleanliness rules are not followed. (ex. E. coli or Salmonella)
● Parasites – normally tiny worms which can live in fresh fish and meat or one cell organisms.
(ex. Giardia or roundworms)
● Viruses – very small germs and it only takes a few to make a person sick. Often spread through
poor or no handwashing. (ex. Norovirus or hepatitis A)

To protect your guests from biological food safety hazards, pay special attention to storing foods at the
correct temperatures, cook all foods to proper temperatures, use approved sources of water, do not
work while sick, wash hands correctly, use gloves or utensils when handling ready-to-eat foods (foods
which will not be cooked after you are handling them before being eaten), and wash, rinse, and
sanitize all equipment.

Physical hazards – Any foreign object in food (e.g. hair, nail/metal fragments, dirt, etc.). Prevent your
food from coming into contact with physical food safety hazards through proper storage procedures. It
is also important for all staff to maintain proper personal hygiene so that they do not transfer physical
food safety hazards to raw, cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
Chemical hazards – A chemical substance that can cause food-borne illness. It occurs when
chemicals enters the food and is ingested. It includes toxic metals, pesticides and certain chemical
compounds in foods. Kitchen staff should also be wary of handling chemicals such as pesticides and
cleaning products. Chemicals must be stored away from food. One of the example of chemical hazard
in food establishment is food additives.

How Food Becomes Unsafe

These are the top five food-handling mistakes or risk for foodborne illness:
1. Purchasing food from unsafe sources
2. Failing to cook food correctly
3. Holding food at incorrect temperature
4. Using contaminated equipment
5. Practicing poor personal hygiene

The four main factors, except for Purchasing food from unsafe sources are:

Time an Temperature Abuse Cross-contamination

Poor Personal Hygiene Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing

1. Time and Temperature Abuse

A leading cause of foodborne illness is time and temperature abuse of TCS/PH (food requiring time
and temperature control for safety) foods. Time abuse refers to the fact that at a certain point, bacteria
will start to grow in cooked foods such as meats, fish, pork, and poultry that have been left out at room
temperatures. In about two hours, these bacteria can make food unsafe, potentially causing food
poisoning if a person consumes it.

Temperature Danger Zone

When food has stayed too long at temperatures good for pathogens to grow. Food has been time-
temperature abused when:
● It has not been held or stored at correct temperature
● It is not cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens
● It is not cooled properly

According to most food safety experts, the best way to prevent time and temperature abuse and
ensure that food is safe to serve, is by use of thermometers that are regularly checked. Fortunately,
many different types of refrigerator and cooking thermometers have been developed; among them are
the following:

1. Hanging thermometers: These should be installed in the warmest part of the refrigerator,
usually near the door, as well as at the coldest point, generally at the back.
2. Bi-metallic stem thermometers: These thermometers measure temperatures from 0 degrees
(F) to 220 degrees (F). They typically have a read-out dial and have been shown to be accurate to
within plus or minus 2 degrees. To be used correctly, the entire sensor should be in the center of the
food.
3. Digital (tip) thermometers: These are similar to stem thermometers, but the sensor is located
near the tip. Because only a tip must be inserted into the center of food, these thermometers can be
used to measure temperature in both thick and very thin food such as hamburger patties as quicker.
4. Oven thermometers: These should be placed next to the food item being cooked. If the dial
setting on the range is set at 350 degrees, the oven thermometer will indicate if the temperature inside
the oven is indeed 350 degrees.
5. Infrared thermometers: These thermometers use infrared technology to determine temperature
readings of food. One of their significant features is that they help reduce any risk of cross-
contamination. The unit never is in contact with food. However, the accuracy of infrared thermometers
can vary for a variety of reasons. Because of this, most food service professionals advise that these
systems should not be used to measure "final" temperatures of food being cooked.

Thermometers
Accurate thermometers are necessary for safe food preparation and storage. All facilities must have
enough thermometers on site for food temperatures to be checked. This includes metal stem
thermometers for measuring the internal temperature of foods being cooked, cooled, or reheated, as
well as thermometers to measure the temperatures of refrigerators.
● Each refrigerator should have a thermometer inside where it is easy to see when the door is
opened. The thermometer should be checked regularly and should always read 41°F or colder.
● Metal stem thermometers should be used to check the internal temperatures of foods when being
cooked, cooled, and reheated. These can be either dial or digital thermometers, although the
digital thermometers are better for measuring temperatures in thin foods as they give a quicker
reading. The dial thermometer works well for thick foods. For both types of thermometers the stem
must be inserted into the thickest part of the food and the reading allowed to stop changing before
the temperature is taken.
● Thermometers must be cleaned and sanitized in between uses.
● Accuracy of thermometers should be checked regularly. This can be done by placing the
thermometer’s sensor in a cup full of crushed ice which is then filled up with water. The
thermometer should read 32°F. If the thermometer does not it may need adjusting or replacement.

2. Cross-Contamination
When pathogens are transferred from one surface or food to another. Cross-contamination can cause
foodborne illness when:
● When contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooking.
● Ready to eat food touches contaminated surfaces.
● A food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready to eat food.
● Contaminated cleaning cloth touch food contact surfaces.

Types of cross-contamination
There are three main types of cross-contamination: food-to-food, equipment-to-food, and people-to-
food
.
1. Food-to-food
Adding contaminated foods to non-contaminated foods results in food-to-food cross-contamination.
This allows harmful bacteria to spread and populate

Raw, undercooked, or improperly washed food can harbor large amounts of bacteria, such as
Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Listeria
monocytogenes — all of which can harm your health if consumed. For example, adding unwashed,
contaminated lettuce to a fresh salad can contaminate the other ingredients. This was the case in a
2006 E. Coli outbreak that affected 71 Taco Bell customers.What’s more, leftovers kept in the fridge
too long can result in bacterial overgrowth. Therefore, eat leftovers within 3–4 days and cook them to
proper temperatures. If you plan to mix leftovers with other foods, the new meal should not be stored
again as leftovers.

1. Equipment-to-food
Equipment-to-food is one of the most common yet unrecognized types of cross-contamination.
Bacteria can survive for long periods on surfaces like countertops, utensils, cutting boards, storage
containers, and food manufacturing equipment. When equipment is not washed properly or
unknowingly contaminated with bacteria, it can transfer large volumes of harmful bacteria to food. This
can happen at any point during food production — both at home and in food manufacturing. A
common example of this occurring at home is using the same cutting board and knife to cut raw meat
and vegetables, which can be harmful if the vegetables are then consumed raw.
Preventing cross-contamination by using different cutting board
● Blue cutting boards: raw seafood.
● Red cutting boards: raw red meat.
● Green cutting boards: vegetables and fruits
● Yellow cutting boards: poultry
● Brown cutting boards: cooked meat
● White cutting boards: dairy and breads (also for universal if no other board is available.

2. People-to-food
Humans can easily transfer bacteria from their bodies or clothes to food during many steps of food
preparation. For example, a person may cough into their hand or touch raw poultry and continue to
prepare a meal without washing their hands in between. Other common examples include using a
cellphone that’s loaded with bacteria while cooking or wiping your hands with a dirty apron or towel.
These practices may contaminate your hands and spread bacteria to food or equipment.

How To Avoid Cross- Contamination?

Cross contamination can happen when germs from raw food or contaminated surfaces gets onto
foods. There are many ways to avoid cross-contamination:
Food purchasing and storage
● Avoid purchasing food close to its expiration date, unless you intend to eat it right away.
● Store raw meat in a sealed container or plastic bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to
prevent juices from leaking onto other foods.
● Use separate grocery bags for raw meat and eggs.
● Use refrigerated leftover food within 2–3 days and cook it to proper temperatures.
Food preparation
● Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching raw meat, petting an
animal, using the washroom, coughing or sneezing, using your phone, or related instances.
● Wash your utensils, countertops, cutting boards, and other surfaces with soap and warm water,
especially when handling raw meat.
● Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables.
● Use clean sponges and dishcloths.
● Cook foods to their proper temperatures by using a food thermometer.
Finally, be sure to stay up to date with food recalls by visiting the website of your country’s food and
disease control board, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United
States.

3. Poor Personal Hygiene

Food handlers are carriers of disease causing bacteria. Food service personnel can contaminte food.
Poor personal hygiene can cause a foodborne illness when food handlers:
● Fail to wash hands correctly after using the rest room.
● Cough or sneeze on food.
● Touch or scratch wounds and then touch the food.
● Work while sick
A food handler should never work while sick. A sick person can spread illness by touching food,
dishes,counters, utensils, other surfaces, other people or by coughing and sneezing. The following
guidelines should always be followed to determine if an employee should be excluded from certain
duties or not be allowed to work.
1. Symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea.
If at work:
a. Stop work immediately.
b. Report to management.
c. Go home and return no sooner than 24 hours after the last vomiting or diarrhea
symptoms have ended.
 If the symptoms occur before you arrive at work:
a. Notify the manager by telephone.
b. Do not report to work until at least 24 hours have passed after the last vomiting or
diarrhea symptoms have ended.
2. If you are not feeling well and your skin or eyes turn yellow:
● Report the symptoms to the manager immediately and seek medical attention. The manager
shall notify Lake Region District Health Unit.
● Do not return to work until after receiving clearance from a health practitioner.
3. Infected wound or cut on hand or arm:
■ Report the wound or cut to the manager.
■ Properly clean and cover the area with a waterproof bandage and a single-use glove (for
hand wounds), before returning to work.
4. Sore throat with fever:
● Report the illness to the manager.
● Manager should limit your activities to reduce the risk of transmission. You should not work
with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, or unwrapped single-service articles.
● If you work in an establishment serving a highly susceptible population (i.e. hospital, nursing
home, or preschool) then you should stop work until a health practitioner has cleared you to
return.

Personal Cleanliness
If you work with food you must always be aware of how your own personal habits can affect food
safety. The
following guidelines should be followed:
1. An appropriate level of bathing as well as clean clothing or uniform is
required.
2. Fingernails should be trimmed and maintained without fingernail polish or
artificial fingernails.
3. Jewelry should not be worn while preparing food.
4. Tobacco should not be used in any form during food preparation, service,
or in any area which could contaminate equipment or food.
5. Food and drink should only be consumed in areas designated for employee
dining. Employees can drink from a closed beverage container as long as a
cover and straw is used and it is not stored over preparation areas.
6. Hair restraints should be worn to avoid contact with exposed food or
sanitized equipment.
7. Personal items (coats, bags, medication) must be stored in a designated
area away from food, dishes, or other supplies.

4. Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing

No matter how carefully food is cooked, without a clean and sanitized environment, pathogens can be
quickly transferred to both cooked and uncooked food.

How cross-contamination can occur?

Pathogens can spread to food if equipment has not been cleaned and sanitized correctly. This can
happen in the following ways;
● Equipment and utensils are not washed, rinsed and sanitized between uses.
● Food contact surfaces are wiped clean instead of being washed, rinsed and sanitized
● Wiping cloth are not stored in a sanitizer solution between uses.
● Sanitizer solution was not prepared correctly.

How and When to Clean and Sanitize

Any surface that touches food such as knives, stockpot, cutting boards, and preparation tables must
be cleaned and sanitized. To clean and sanitize the surface follow these steps;
1. Scrape or remove food bits from the surface
2. Wash the surface
3. Rinse the surface
4. Sanitize the surface
5. Allow the surface to air-dry
All food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after they are used; before food handler start
working with a different type of food, any time food handlers are interrupted during a task and the
items being used may have been contaminated, and after four hours if items are in constant use.
Potentially hazardous foods
In Standard 3.2.2 potentially hazardous food is defined as food that has to be kept at certain
temperatures to minimise the growth of any pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in the
food or to prevent the formation of toxins in the food. Potentially hazardous foods are also referred to
as ‘temperature control for safety (TCS) foods’.

Potentially hazardous foods have certain characteristics that support the growth of pathogenic
microorganisms or the production of toxins. Factors affecting microbial growth include the nutrients,
moisture, acidity (pH) and gas atmosphere of the food. If the combination of these factors creates a
favourable environment and the food is not kept under temperature control, microorganisms can grow
and form toxins. If the levels of pathogenic microorganisms or toxins reach unsafe levels, foodborne
illness may result.

While toxin formation is generally associated with the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, it can also
result from food decomposition. For example, the amino acid histidine, present at various
concentrations in fish muscle, can be broken down by certain bacteria to form scombrotoxin
(histamine) if the fish are not rapidly chilled shortly after capture.

What food is potentially hazardous?

Potentially hazardous foods are generally moist, nutrient-rich foods with a neutral pH. Examples of
foods that are normally considered potentially hazardous include:
• raw and cooked meat/poultry or foods containing raw or cooked meat/poultry; for example
burgers, curries, kebabs, pâté and meat pies
• foods containing eggs (cooked or raw), beans, nuts or other protein-rich food, for example batter,
mousse, quiche and tofu
• dairy products and foods containing dairy products, for example milk, dairy-based desserts,
bakery products filled with fresh cream or with fresh custard (yoghurt is not included here as it
is an acidified product)
• seafood (excluding live seafood) and foods containing seafood, for example sushi
• sprouted seeds, for example of beans and alfalfa
• prepared fruits and vegetables, for example cut melons, salads and unpasteurised juices
• cooked rice and both fresh and cooked pasta
• foods that contain any of the above foods, for example sandwiches, pizzas and rice rolls.

Notes:
1. Some of the types of food listed will not be considered potentially hazardous if they have
been processed in certain ways; for example, if a food contains certain additives or has been
commercially sterilised (see below).
2. Many of the products require refrigerated storage to prevent food spoilage or achieve the stated
shelf life.
If it is uncertain whether a manufactured food is potentially hazardous, advice should be sought from
the manufacturer.

What food is not potentially hazardous?

If a food does not contain pathogens, or does not support the growth of a pathogen or toxin
production, then it is not potentially hazardous.
Some foods (e.g. foods that are naturally acidic) in their natural state do not support pathogen
growth because their intrinsic properties create an unfavourable environment. Other foods may
have been processed in a way (e.g. dried, salted, acidified) that minimises microbial growth or has
eliminated microorganisms in the food (e.g. commercially sterilised food). In addition, the use of certain
chemicals additives (e.g. nitrites, sulphites) or specialised packaging may minimise microbial growth in
food.
The water activity (aw; related to moisture content) and pH of a food are two critical factors affecting
microbial growth. Tables listing pH and water activity levels that will prevent microbial growth are
provided in the Business Sector Food Safety Risk Priority Classification Framework (Food Regulation
Standing Committee 2007) . Foods with water activity or pH levels below these critical values are not
potentially hazardous foods.
Examples of food types considered to be not potentially hazardous:
• biscuits and crackers • bottled marinades
• bottled pasta sauces • bottled salsas
• confectionary • dried fruit
• dry goods • fermented dried meats
• fruit cake • fruit juices
• hard cheeses • honey and jam
• nuts in the shell • peanut butter
• pickles • plain breads and bread
rolls
• plain cakes • raw whole fruit and vegetables
• salad dressings • sauces — asian/soy, ketchup style
• salted dried meats • unopened canned foods
• yoghurts
Note: that the foods listed as not potentially hazardous might become potentially hazardous when the
food is opened or altered in some way; for example, opening a can of soup, cutting up a whole melon,
slicing cured meat, or reconstituting dry foods. Any food that contains a potentially hazardous
ingredient must also be considered a potentially hazardous food. For example, sushi rice correctly
prepared with vinegar may be acidic enough to prevent pathogen
growth, but adding fillings such as fish, chicken or vegetables would make the end product potentially
hazardous.

Whole uncracked eggs might have pathogens present on the shell that can contaminate the
inside contents when they are cracked. As such, raw egg pulp and foods containing raw eggs
(e.g. aioli, tiramisu) are considered potentially hazardous unless they have been appropriately treated.
Some foods might contain certain pathogenic microorganisms but not support their growth.
Although by definition such foods are not ‘potentially hazardous’ they can still be a food safety hazard.
For example, food containing viruses such as hepatitis A or norovirus can cause foodborne illness
even if the pathogen has not multiplied in the food.

Ready-to-Eat Food
Ready to eat food is food that can be eaten with out further; preparation, washing and cooking. It
includes cooked food, washed fruits and vegetables, deli meat, bakery items, sugar, spice and
seasoning. Ready to eat foods can be refrigerated, shelf-stable, require minimal heating or are served
hot. Ready to eat foods have specific guidelines to ensure that there is no contamination or chance of
bacteria forming after the foods have already been prepared.

Baked Goods
Baked goods, such as bread or doughnuts, served at room temperature or frozen are considered
ready to eat as they can be consumed as is or with minimal heating. Because the product has already
been heated to a temperature to kill bacteria, the primary concern for food safety is to ensure that it is
not contaminated after the fact. Proper food handling techniques, such as the use of gloves, sterilized
serving utensils, and hand sanitizer use, are strictly regulated.

Meat and Animal Products

Any meat or meat products considered ready to eat do not require additional cooking to be safely
consumed. An example of a refrigerated ready to eat animal product is cheese, which can be served in
a number of ways, including sliced, whole or cubed.
For cooked meats, such as precooked chicken, the food must be stored at temperatures considered
safe to prevent bacteria from developing after cooking. If left for more than a few hours, meat products
need to be stored at 41 degrees F or lower to keep the food safe for consumption.

Shelf-Stable Foods
Shelf-stable, ready to eat foods can be safely stored at room temperature without fear of
contamination. They include dry goods and canned items such as tuna fish. Dry goods ready to eat
include cereals, chips, crackers, nut mixes and candy. These products are shelf-stable and do not
require refrigeration to keep the foods bacteria-free.
Canned products, including meat and produce items such as tuna and tomato sauce, can be eaten as
they are, although they are sometimes heated before serving. To keep the items safe for consumption,
all canned products should be stored between 50 and 70 degrees F.