safe food handlers course notes

8/6/2019 Safe Food Handlers Course Notes

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SAFE F OOD H ANDLING SEMINAR C OURSE NOTES

of the information that is presentedat the Safe Food Handling Training Seminar by:

Hank Blok,Senior Public Health Inspector KFL&A Public Health41 Dundas Street West, Napanee, Ontario, K7R 1Z5Telephone: (613) 354-3357 FAX: (613) 354-6267E-mail: [email protected]


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SAFE FOOD HANDLING COURSE NOTES

Public Health Legislation and the Role of KFL&A Public Health

Public Health LegislationHealth Canada, the Province of Ontario and Municipal or Regional governments may make laws that apply to

public places where food is served, with specific demands for food service personnel.

Canada Health & Welfare Acts, Regulations and GuidelinesThese apply when food is manufactured for export or interprovincial trade. Federal inspection agencies arethen involved, and their rules, regulations and requirements take president over lower governmentrequirements. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also initiates food recalls when there is a known or

perceived hazard with a food item distributed for sale in Canada.

Province of Ontario Every food establishment in Ontario must comply with Ontario requirements.

Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) is a provincial enactment that gives authority (amongmany other things) to formulate and impose Regulations to prevent health hazards and promote good health.It requires Health Units to inspect food premises. The main food control legislation in the Province of Ontario is Ontario Regulation 562 respecting Food Premises .

The Food Premises Regulation is provincial legislation (a law) that spells out the minimum requirementsrelated to construction, equipment, temperatures, food handling and personal hygiene required in every food

premise (restaurants, take-outs, food trucks, institutions, etc.) in Ontario.

By-laws and GuidelinesMunicipalities and Regional governments may make Bylaws that are applicable only in their areas. Theyusually deal with smoking, garbage pick-up and re-cycling.

The Food Industry may also put out guidelines for good manufacturing methods. These would provide anoutline of good food handling and production practices. The Canadian Restaurant and FoodservicesAssociation has published the Food Safety Code of Practice , an excellent resource book for food handlers.

Role of the Public Health Inspector as required by the HPPA is that they:- must inspect food premises, and enforce the Food Premises Regulation .- must provide education, consultation and inspection for the protection of operators and the public and

the prevention of foodborne illnesses.- must also respond to food complaints and- teach and apply the HACCP process, through education and audits that encourage establishments to

apply this tool so that they can ensure safe food production.

PAGE 2 OF 12Understanding Foodborne Illnesses


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Definition of a foodborne illness (food poisoning)Food poisoning is an illness that occurs when a person gets sick from eating a food or having a drink thatcontains harmful micro-organisms or poisons. Symptoms may include stomach cramps, fever, headache,nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Costs of food poisoning cases include the following possibilities:

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law suits from customers who got ill.- bad publicity and therefore, a loss of customers.- employees are often ill and off work resulting in lost wages and a shortage of staff.- fines from court cases related to contraventions of the Food Premises Regulation and- investigations that can be very time consuming and costly.

Commonly used words : Definitions of words used throughout this presentation will include:- micro-organism : invisible living cells.- pathogen : harmful micro-organism that can cause disease in human beings.- hazardous food : a food that is able to support the growth of pathogens and, in some cases, allow a

toxin production in the food.- infective dose : the number of micro-organisms or amount of toxin needed to cause illness.

- clean : to remove oil, grease, dirt and debris, using soap or detergent.- sanitize : to kill 999 out of 1000 pathogenic micro-organisms, using hot temperatures or chemicals.

Understanding micro-organisms : Most food poisonings are caused by micro-organisms. To preventfoodborne illness possibilities, food service workers must be aware that:

- pathogens (those micro-organisms that cause foodborne illness) have no taste, smell or visible signs of being in the food.

- most food poisonings are caused by any species of the five main groups of micro-organisms including, bacteria, parasites, viruses, moulds and yeasts.

- bacteria cause more food poisonings than any other micro-organism group!- spoilage organisms produce smells, slime, a bad taste and/or discoloration.- some micro-organisms are beneficial and used for making yogurt, cheese, bread, beer etc.

What bacteria need to grow : To multiply rapidly, bacteria need an environment of adequate: - temperature: at body temperature they multiply the fastest.- protein: fish, meats, poultry and dairy products are ideal to support bacteria.- water: as bacteria (like people) are 80% water, they need foods with high moisture content.- pH: pH is a measurement of acid levels: bacteria want neutral (non acid/basic) conditions.- oxygen: while most micro-organisms need oxygen, there are a few that want a non-air environment, as

in the case of botulism in canned goods.- time: bacteria want time to multiply. Generally, large numbers are needed to cause illness.

How bacteria grow : Important facts about foodborne illness organisms are that they:- multiply by dividing when their environmental conditions (as noted above) are ideal.- at body temperature, they can double in numbers every 20 minutes.- some can go into a SPORE state where they can stay alive but will not multiply. By forming a hard

shell around themselves, they can survive very adverse environmental conditions. Even boiling for hours will not destroy them.

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Three ways of getting a food poisoning 1) Pathogenic micro-organisms (usually bacteria) can cause a foodborne infection , where living


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bacteria multiply in the stomach and intestinal system to cause the illness. 2) Bacterial toxins that are produced by bacteria in the food can cause a foodborne intoxication . In this

case, the toxin causes the symptoms, not the organism that produced it. 3) Chemical Poisoning happens when a toxic substance, like poison or cleaning chemicals, may be added

to a food item that is consumed.

Symptoms of the three types of foodborne illness 1) Pathogenic micro-organisms: Foodborne infection ( i.e. Salmonella, E coli 0157 H7).- symptoms usually appear in 12-36 hours but it could take up to 5-7 days after eating the

contaminated food that bring the micro-organisms into the gastro-intestinal system.- symptoms include abdominal cramps, fever, chills, and diarrhea (the main symptom).

2) Bacterial toxins: Foodborne Intoxication ( i.e. Staphylococcus, Bacillus cereus).- symptoms appear in 2-12 hours (usually 6-8 hours after eating food with the toxin).- symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting (the main symptom).

3) Chemical : poisonous chemical added to a food, (i.e. cleaning chemical, pesticide).- symptoms may appear in minutes depending on the amount and type of poison.- symptoms generally include DEATH, or stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

Allergies : a reaction of the immune system to unwanted substances.Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, throat itchiness and swelling. Foods that could cause a

problem include peanuts, eggs and seafood. Unfortunately, there are more and more that cause allergicreactions. Some people may have a food intolerance : an inability of the body to digest a food substance, for example, milk sugar and wheat products. Most persons affected by allergies or a food intolerance will knowwhat food item will trigger their reaction.

Allergies and the role of the foodservice industry To assist people that have food allergies, all persons in the food industry should:

- keep accurate ingredient lists of all foods prepared and from packages purchased.- show the ingredient listing to the client when they ask for it. Where it cannot be determined if an

ingredient is in the food, tell the customer. Then they can make their own decision at to whether theywant to take a chance on it.

- do not cross-contaminate. (This subject will be discussed later in these notes.)- not use certain foods that can cause allergic reactions.- ALWAYS CALL 911 for an ambulance if a customer is having a severe reaction.

If someone reports a foodborne illness , - call your local KFL&A Public Health office for professional and non-biased assistance,- ask the customer what and when they ate as well as what their symptoms were and when,- review how the food was prepared (using HACCP) and determine if any staff were ill (a staff member

may also have become ill or brought the germ into the establishment),- save any suspect meal food items for laboratory examination, andrecord all these observations to discuss them with your public health inspector.

PAGE 4 OF 12Different food poisoning organisms pose varying RISK factors

- The infective dose of different organisms will vary. It may take 100 Salmonella germs to makesomeone ill while it would need upwards of 250,000 Clostridium perfringens germs.

- Who is at higher risk for getting ill? Infants, the elderly, pregnant women and any person who isimmuno-compromised (those with AIDS, diabetes, cancer, transplant patients etc.).


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High RISK foods (those foods that are more likely to cause foodborne illness) include those:

- high in protein, (meats, fish, dairy products and eggs, and milk),- with available water content that micro-organisms can use for their moisture needs,- that have a neutral pH,- from countries where personal hygiene is poor and water used for irrigation is polluted, and

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those that require several steps or procedures in their preparation. Micro-organisms causing most food poisonings include (but are not limited to) the following:

- Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, Giardia lamblia, E.Coli 0157H7, Salmonella,Staphylococcus and Streptococcus

Food Poisoning Prevention- Temperature abuse causes most food poisoning incidents ! 70 percent of investigated cases show that

temperature abuse was the main factor in causing the foodborne illness.- Why? Because improper temperatures allow or even encourage micro-organisms to multiply.- Associated with this, time abuse gives the bacteria time to grow and/or produce toxins in the food.

The Danger Zone is that temperature zone ranging between 4C - 60C (40F - 140F). - Do not allow hazardous foods to be left in the DANGER ZONE for more than 4 hours during preparation,

cooking, cooling or serving.- If hazardous food is left in the DANGER ZONE for more than 4 hrs it must not be eaten, but discarded.- Check the internal temperatures of foods in the service area as well as in the kitchen.- Foods must be kept either hot, above 60C (140F) or cold, below 4C (40F) until they are served to the

customer.- Use proper equipment for the storage and display of hot and cold foods.

Storage Temperatures- Refrigeration temperatures must be kept between 0C and 4C (32F - 40F).- Freezer units must be kept at minus 18C (0F) or colder.- Note : refrigeration and freezer temperatures do not kill bacteria.

- Freezing will destroy parasites over a period of time. - Fish to be eaten raw must be stored in a freezer,

at minus 20C (minus 4F) for 7 days or for 15 hours at minus 35C (-31F).

Temperature Notes- Internal food temperatures of items in the refrigerator should be checked regularly to determine actual

food temperatures and cooling rates.- Refrigeration temperatures of 0C to 4C (32F to 40F) should be checked in the warmest location of the

cooling unit, therefore thermometers should be kept close to the unit door.

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Internal temperatures of food items are more important than refrigeration air temperatures to determineactual food safety. PAGE 5 OF 12

Defrost Food Safely - Keep frozen foods below -18C (0F).- Defrost hazardous foods safely in one of the following methods:

- in the refrigerator,- under cold running water or - in a micro-wave oven.

- Insure that the outside of the food is kept cool and out of the DANGER ZONE.


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Cooking TemperaturesThe Food Premises Regulation now requires the following cooking temperatures: - 82C (180F) for whole poultry products with/without stuffing.- 74C (165F) for poultry pieces (not whole) and for ground poultry.- 74C (165F) for food mixtures containing poultry, egg, meat, fish or other hazardous food.

- 71C (160F) for pork and pork products and all parts of ground meat other than poultry.- 70C (158F) for fish. Serving temperatures for all hazardous foods including beef >60C (140F) or


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- living things such as flies, cats, dogs, employees (the food service worker carries many micro-organismsthat come from the hair, nose, mouth, hands, and bottom).

- raw foods and ingredients, and - equipment and utensils. Tongs, ladles and utensils must be used wherever possible to avoid hand contact with foods!

Raw or contaminated foods may carry pathogenic organisms including : - raw fowl (salmonella),- hamburger (Campylobacter, E. coli, salmonella),- water (Cholera, Giardia lamblia (beaver fever),- raw vegetables (Salmonella, Shigella, Botulism, Bacillus cereus) and- sea foods e.g., clams, mussels (Nerve system toxic syndrome).

Because raw fruits and vegetables can be the source of contamination, they should be stored in refrigerationtemperatures below 4C (40F). They should be washed and refrigerated again before service. Raw meatsshould always be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and ready-to-eat items on the top. And of course, all foods should be kept covered to prevent contamination.

Personal Hygiene The Food Premises Regulation makes a number of demands related to food service personnel:- employees must not use tobacco products in food preparation areas. This is to avoid ash dropping into

food and to prevent the transfer of bacteria from the mouth to the fingers and then to food items.- food preparation workers must wear headgear that confines the hair.- clean outer garments and aprons must be worn and changed as necessary (when they get dirty).- foods should not be handled by persons with diarrhea, coughing or sneezing.

Handwashing facts include : - handwashing is necessary before starting a new job or task, after handling a hazardous or raw food, after

touching anything contaminated, and after smoking, coughing, sneezing or using the washroom.- infrequent and improper handwashing is a main source of food contamination.- antibacterial soaps should NOT be generally used.- gloves should be used only for the protection of food service employees.- latex gloves can cause allergic reactions, not only to the employee but also to the person eating the food

touched by the latex material.- if the wearing of gloves is demanded, the employee must first wash their hands (in this case, with a

bactericidal soap or detergent) and the food service worker must use the glove for one task only and thendiscard it. Do not use latex products if at all possible.

Page 7 of 12Handwashing Basins are : - required by legislation to be in each food preparation area.

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they must be easy to get to so that employees can use them.- they are to be used only for handwashing, not for food preparation or storage.- they must have hot and cold running water, soap or detergent in a dispenser, individual towels and waste

receptacles. Note: W aterless hand sanitizers and the wearing of gloves are not allowed to replace handwashing.

Food Premises SanitationMachine Dishwashing


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- Before washing dishes, they may be sorted, scraped and pre-rinsed. Handling dishes and utensils whenthey are dirty will eliminate some of the handling when they are clean and so avoid recontamination.

- WASH , using hot water at 60C - 71C (140F - 160F) and detergent.- RINSE in clean hot water at 60C - 71C (140F - 160F).- SANITIZE in hot water at 82C (180F) or in hot water at 60C - 71C with a sanitizing agent (chlorine

at 100 ppm, quaternary ammonia at 200 ppm or iodine at 25 ppm).

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Air-dry all dishes.- Watch dishwasher water pressure and check for debris plugging spray nozzles.- Monitor wash and sanitizing time and temperatures.- When a chemical sanitizer is used, check sanitizer strength with a test strip daily.

Manual Dishwashing - Before washing, sort, scrape and pre-rinse dishes.- WASH in hot water at 38 - 43C (100 - 110F) and detergent.- RINSE in clean hot water at 38 - 43C (100 - 110F).- SANITIZE in hot water at 77C (170F) or in warm water with a sanitizing agent.- In manual dishwashing, the only acceptable sanitizers include chlorine (bleach) at 100 ppm, quaternary

ammonia at 200 ppm and iodine at 25 ppm. After the sanitizing stage, all dishes must be air-dried .

Manual washing two-compartment sink - In a small establishment, where there are no reusable dishes or cutlery (e.g., plates, glasses, cups,) used

for food service (e.g., take-out operation) a two-compartment sink may be used with a drain board. Thethree main steps, wash, rinse and sanitize must be followed.

After washing and sanitizing dishes and utensils, handle them only at non-food contact areas.- Store the dishes and utensils properly to protect them from contamination.

Cleaning and Sanitizing - Utensils, multi-service articles, equipment and food contact surfaces (e.g., cutting boards) must be

washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use.

- Floors, walls, large equipment and washroom fixtures should be cleaned and sanitized often.- Garbage containers and garbage storage areas should also be cleaned and sanitized regularly.- Store supplies 15 cm (6 inches) above the ground to assist in cleaning.- Keep all equipment clean and in good repair.- Mechanical ventilation hoods, filters and exhaust ducts must be supplied over equipment that produces

excessive heat, steam and odours. Since they also catch grease and dust, they must be cleaned often.- Wash and sanitize empty food bins and containers before refilling them.

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Clean in place- Large equipment (steam kettles) may be washed where they are bolted to the floor. They must be treated

in the same way manual utensils are (washed, rinsed and sanitized) but the sanitizing solution strengthshould be doubled as follows: chlorine at 200 ppm, quaternary ammonia at 400 ppm and iodine at 50

ppm.

Housekeeping Housekeeping should aim at reducing micro-organisms throughout the premises. The secondary benefit will

be the appeal of a clean and better smelling establishment. Recommendations for a good sanitation programwill include, but is not limited to the following recommendations:


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- clean floors using damp mops at least once each day.- keep walls, ceilings and light fixtures clean and in good repair.- remove dirt from under equipment, from corners and hard-to-reach places.- store all supplies at least 15 cm (6 inches) off the ground to allow for proper cleaning and help reduce

pest problems.- keep equipment clean and in good repair.- clean and disinfect all tables, counters and work surfaces often.- mechanical ventilation hoods, filters and vent pipes to remove heat, steam and odours must be cleaned

often.- wash and sanitize empty food bins, condiments and containers before refilling them.

Pest Control - Eliminate all pest nesting areas by removing unused equipment and by keeping all areas clean.- Watch for those hard to see or reach spots and use a flashlight to check under equipment.- Keep pests out by screening doors and windows.- Caulk and/or fill all holes to keep out insects and rodents.- Check deliveries for insects or rodents.- Eliminate food debris and water sources that could feed pests.- Hire a licensed pest control company for a good pest control program.- Protect poisonous baits from contamination and from getting wet.- Clean up and properly dispose of any dead pests daily.- Store garbage in pest proof containers and keep the storage areas clean.- All poisons must be kept in well marked containers and OUT of the food storage, preparation or service

areas.

A good pest control program includes three very important factors:1) good housekeeping to ensure that vermin have no place to live or anything to eat.2) screening to keep pests out, and3) treatments from a licensed pest control operator as required.

PAGE 9 OF 12HACCPTraditionally Inspection Requirements looked at construction, maintenance, personnel, and foodhandling by employees. Yet, old inspection methods failed to prevent food poisoning problems as many wereexperienced regularly for many years. What did inspectors look at or for?

Construction - No direct access from a kitchen to any sleeping quarters.- Separate storage for wearing apparel.- Tight, non-absorbent floor coverings.- Walls and Ceilings readily cleanable.- No toilet room opening into a kitchen.- Adequate lighting and ventilation.- Equipment of sound construction.- Storage of all items 6 inches above the floor.- Adequate number of washrooms and adequate refrigeration.


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Maintenance - Thorough cleaning of all equipment.- Garbage removed at least twice a week.- Garbage receptacles cleaned and sanitized.- Animals prohibited from food prep areas.

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Premises cleaned regularly.- Separate storage for toxic materials.- Washing and sanitizing of dishes and utensils.

Personnel - Do not use tobacco when handling foods.- Wear clean outer garments.- Wear head gear that confines the hair.- Wash hands.- No communicable diseases.- Operator ensures regulation is followed.

Food Handling - All foods must be from approved sources.- Foods protected from contamination through proper containers and covers.- Tongs, ladles and utensils used to avoid hand contact with foods.- Food transported in proper containers.- Milk served from original containers.- Ice made from potable (safe) water.- Proper food storage temperatures.- No use of cracked or grade C eggs.

But the old inspection emphasis failed regularly as it looked more at the physical appearance of a food premises and did not encourage best practice food preparation policies and record keeping. In the KFL&A

area, we experienced at least one large food poisoning episode each year between 1975 and 1993, andsometimes two!And then, the HACCP System , originally developed for the space program, was promoted for use in food

preparation throughout the food industry! Foodborne illness outbreaks drastically declined.PAGE 10 OF 12

What do the letters in the acronym, HACCP, mean?

They stand for: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Pointa good SYSTEM to help provide food safety!

HA = Hazard Analysis: Analyze a food item to determine any hazard that could lead to a foodborne illness.

CC = CRITICAL CONTROL:Provide a control that is critical enough or adequate, to get rid of the hazard.

P = POINT:Provide the critical control at the point or place where you can make the difference.


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What is a CCP?A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a point or place where a control or measure is used that is critical or goodenough to eliminate, prevent or minimize a possible hazard that could cause a foodborne illness.

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) System, is a SYSTEM that: - looks at hazardous and high risk foods.- identifies the greatest risk factors of the food, known to cause food poisoning.- encourages changes in the food preparation methods that are necessary to reduce or eliminate the risk,- monitors the overall food handling steps to ensure that the precautions planned/taken are actually

working, and- keeps the records of the monitoring checks to allow future verification and proof.

HACCP, as a food safety program, starts at the back door and follows the food right to the customer through receiving, storage, preparation, cooking or cooling, reheating, holding & service. Monitoring andrecord keeping will ensure that all controls are put in place to prevent a possible foodborne illness.

In the traditional method of food premises inspections, a food poisoning episode happened fairly regularly,resulting in a full investigation to find out what went wrong.

In the HACCP System : a full examination of the food preparation process (the hazard analysis) is conductedto see what could go wrong. Then safeguards (critical controls) are put into the food handling process atevery point possible to eliminate or minimize the hazards and thereby, prevent the possible foodborne illness!

PAGE 11 OF 12Six steps of the HACCP System

1] Hazard Analysis Review recipes and assess the risk of the food and its preparation. Helpful steps include:- breaking down the recipe into delivery, storage, preparation, cooking, portioning, serving, cooling and

planning the use of left-overs to determine where a food poisoning hazard may exist.- using a flow chart diagram or a HACCP recipe to show each step.

2] Identify Critical Control Points On a flow chart, record the expected time, temperature and type of handling/procedures of the whole food preparation process and list the CRITICAL CONTROLS at every POINT where the control will eliminate, prevent or minimize the hazard that was analyzed in step one.

3] Establish Critical Controls Plan preventive measures and controls such as:

- heating temperatures.- cooling time rates or limits.- contamination prevention measures.


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- Plan how the recipe can be changed in case future monitoring reveals a problem.

4] Monitor Critical Control Points Watch the food preparation and measure the actual time, temperature and amount of handling at all steps,recording this on the flow chart.- All steps MUST be monitored to make sure the planned controls do work to eliminate, prevent or

minimize possible hazards that could lead to a foodborne illness. 5] Take Corrective Action Action must be taken immediately, when time and temperature measurements show that there is an unsafehandling practice or food preparation inadequacy detected.- If the control measures in step #4 are not working as planned, alter the procedure and the recipe to ensure

that the critical controls are being/will be reached.

6] Keep a Log of the Recipes A log (record book) should be kept and should contain the recipe, the food item flow chart, temperaturesdesired, handling time and prep procedures as well as the measurable final HACCP controls.- As employees record their observations on the flow chart or HACCP recipe they should add their

signatures or initials indicating the dates that the foods are prepared.- Review the procedures often making necessary changes when it is determined that a planned interventionis not working or when changes are made to the recipe.

- Use the Log as a Policy & Procedures Manual for all workers to follow.

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system will help you to : - find problems with food handling.- correct problems in food handling before food poisoning occurs. - educate your staff in safe food handling methods.

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Sample Flow Chart

Frozen TurkeyAs removed from freezer Check temperature - 18C (0F)

Thaw TurkeyIn refrigerator, cold running water

Or in a microwave oven

Cook Turkey In oven @ 325F for 3 hours

Internal temperature 82C (180F)Wash Turkey

Hold Turkey for serving Hot holding temperature@ 60C (14F) or hotter

Cut up Turkey Cut meat from carcass

into small pieces for turkey la king

Store Turkey meatAt storage temperature

@ > 4C (40F) or colder

Chill leftover meat Cool meat to > 4C (40F) or colder

In 4 hours or less

Reheat Turkey Hold Turkey la king


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Make turkey la king and heat74C (165F) within 2 hours

for serving from waitress stationHot holding temperature @ > 60C (140F)

Or a Sample HACCP Recipe

Potato Salad : Mix just before serving.Makes enough for 150 servings. All ingredients must be coldServe at 4 C or colder. (below 4 C) before mixing.Ingredient listing Preparation

ProceduresCriticalControl Points

Staff Initial

30 pounds peeled potatoes

Cook potatoes until tender Cool with running water Refrigerate in shallow pan

Cook potatoes 24hours before use initials or

signature

36 eggs

Boil eggs for 5 minutes

Cool under cold running water Refrigerate

Boil eggs 24 hours

before use initials or signature3 lb. celery1 lb. onion lb. radish3 green peppers

Wash fresh vegetables(vegetables may be added frozen)Chop and mix vegetablesCover and refrigerate

initials or signature

9 cups miracle whip Mix all ingredientsAdd salt as neededPortion into serving bowlsCover and refrigerate

Mix ingredients at4 C (40 F) or colder Mix immediately beforeuse

38 Finitials or signature

safe food handlers course notes

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