Food Safety

Dry storage environments should be kept cold, dark and damp.

False. Dry storage rooms should be kept cool, dry and well ventilated. Temperatures should remain between 50 F and 70 F and humidity should measure 50 to 60%

What is thermometer calibration and why is it important ?

Thermometer calibration is the process of adjusting a thermometer to a known standard to ensure it renders accurate temperature readings. If thermometers are not correctly calibrated they may read temperatures incorrectly, potentially causing food to not be cooked to safe temperatures

What is cross-contamination

Transferring microorganisms from one surface to another or from one food to another.

The container a food is stored in will affect how quickly it will cool

True. For example, shallow pans, and stainless steel releases heat faster than plastic

Thermometer probes must be sanitized before and after use.

True. Thermometers can serve as vehicles for cross contamination if they are not properly sanitized and after each use.

Viruses can survive freezing temperatures.

True. Viruses can survives freezing. The best defense against a food borne illness caused by viruses is to limit hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and to practices good personal hygiene.

How of ten should holding food temperatures be checked?

D. Holding temperatures should be checked at least every two hours and should be recorded in a log.

Which of the following is a common cause of cross-contamination ?

B. Using the same knife to cut raw meats and ready to eat foods such as vegetables without sanitizing it between tasks is one of the most common causes of cross- contamination.

Which is not true of bacteria ?

C. Conditions favorable for the growth of bacteria provide ample moisture

What is best way to handle a spill on the floor ?

C. Floor spills can be a dangerous hazard to both employees and guests. They should be cleaned up immediately and appropriate caution signs should be displayed to warn passers by of potential danger.

How do you know if food has been cooked enough ?

D. The only way to accurately determine if food has been cooked to its minimum internal temperature is to use at thermometer to test the inside temperature of the food

What is the minimum recommended cooking temperature for poultry ?

165 F

How long must cooking foods maintain their minimum internal temperatures ?

At least 15 seconds

Food safety guidelines recommend cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces and equipment after what three circumstances ?

1. after each use 2. between tasks 3. at four hour intervals if equipment is in continual use

What three steps compose the ice bath method of thermometer calibration ?

1.) Fill a large glass with equal parts of crushed ice and clean tap water and stir 2.) completely submerge the sensing area of the thermometer or probe in the ice water 3.) Adjust the thermometer until it reads 32 F

What temperature must reheated foods reach ?

165 F

At what temperature should you keep refrigerated storage units to ensure keeping your food out of the Temperature Danger Zone ?

38 F. Keeping refrigerator units 2' to 3' lower then the recommended food temperature deviations and ensure safe temperature throughout the unit .

How long is food allowed to remain in the temperature Danger Zone ( 41 F to 135 F )

4 hours

The Temperature Danger Zone is the temperature range in which most bacteria grow and reproduce rapidly. What temperature range does the Temperature Danger Zone include ?

41 F. To 135 F In 2003, the FDA Model Food Code updated the Temperature Danger Zone based on the most current scientific studies. The previous upper limit of 140 F was reduced to 135 F

What information should be included on labels for food prepared in the kitchen ?

B. Food labels should correctly identify the contents of the container, the date it was prepared and when the food should be discarded, it may also be useful to list the name of the employee who prepared the food

Employee sores and wounds should be covered with a bandage. Are brown or blue bandages recommended

Blue. Employee wounds should be coved with blue bandages to ensure easy identification of the bandage in the event it falls off

Cleaning and sanitizing are both necessary to serve safe food. Describe the difference between the two

Cleaning removes visible dirt and food. Sanitizing kills the invisible germs.

Which of the following foods is not a potentially hazardous food ?

C. Crackers are too dry to allow bacteria to grow. Cooked rice is very moist and bacteria can grow quickly in it. Foods that come in contact with soil, such as sprouts, melons, and potatoes, should be thoroughly washed before serving.

Which is not safe way to thaw food ?

C. Food left to thaw at room temperature overnight will spend well over the acceptable four hours in the Temperature Danger Zone. Only procedures that pass food through the zone in less than four hours are considered safe, appropriate ways to thaw food.

What should you do with food that has spent more than 4 hours in the Temperature Danger Zone ?

D. The temperature Danger Zone is the temperature range in which microorganism grow and reproduce rapidly. Food that has spent more than fours hours in the zone is considered unsafe and should be thrown out.

Ground beef should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 135 F

False. Ground beef should be cooked to at least 155 F.

Why should a plastic scoop, instead of a glass, be used to scoop ice ?

If a glass is broken in the ice bin must be completely emptied and thoroughly cleaned to remove any glass shards

Which of the following is an example of proper personal hygiene ?

A. Proper personal hygiene is one of the most important ways to protect foods. Pro practices include bathing daily, keeping nails short, not wearing fake nails or polish, limiting jewelry to smooth wedding bands , and wearing clean clothes, uniforms or aprons.

What is an effective way to kill microorganisms present in food

C. Keeping food out of the Temperature Danger Zone is a good way to minimize bacterial growth. Cooking food to appropriate internal temperatures, however, is the only way to effectively kill any microorganisms present.

After food has spent 4 hours in the Temperature Danger Zone, it must be cooled and then reheated to at least 165 F before it is considered safe

False. Food that has spent more than 4 hours in Temperature Danger Zone is considered unsafe and should be thrown out

Gloves are an acceptable substitute for washing hands when you cannot get to a sink

False. Gloves are never an acceptable substitute for proper hand washing procedures. Gloves should be used in addition to hand washing to further help prevent cross-contamination

Internal cooking temperatures should be measured at the edge or thinnest part of the meat to ensure accuracy.

False. Internal cooking temperatures should be measured at the thickest part of the meat, usually toward the center, to ensure minimum temperatures have been met throughout the entire piece of meat

The acronym FAT-TOM represents the six conditions that favor the growth of food borne microorganisms. What does FAT-TOM stand for ?

Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, Moisture

What is an MSDS and why is it important

Material Safety Data sheets list the chemical and common name of the ingredients found in chemical solutions. They are valuable resources when chemicals are spilled and when chemicals are accidentally ingested

Describe physical contamination ?

Physical contamination occurs when foods are contaminated with foreign objects not naturally found in the food. Common physical contaminants include metal shavings from cans, fingernails, hairs, bandages and dirt.

Explain the FIFO method

The first-in first-out ( FIFO) method of food rotation calls for using foods with the earliest expiration dates first, before foods with later expiration dates. To accomplish this, store foods so products expiring first are the most accessible and therefore used first without inconvenience

What is the flow of food

The flow of food is the path food takes from receiving and storage through preparation and cooking, holding, serving, cooling and reheating

Hot holding equipment should keep foods at or above ____ F and cold holding equipment should keep foods at or below _____ F ?

To prevent time-temperature abuse, hot foods should be held at or above 135 F and cold foods should be held at or below 41 F.

Cleaning equipment can cause cross-contamination

True the germs found on cleaning towels and mops as well as in mop buckets and dustpans, can easily be spread throughout the operation. For example, dirty towels used to wipe down food contact surfaces can easily transfer germs from one surface to another,

List the four different type of microorganisms.

1. Bacteria 2. Viruses 3. Parasites 4. Fungi

Potentially hazardous foods, which are ______ in protein, _____ in moisture and ______ in acidity are more likely to cause a food borne illness

1. High in protein, 2. High in moisture and 3. Low in acidity.

Proper hand washing is essential to prevent cross-contamination food borne illnesses. What are six steps of the proper hand washing procedure ?

1.) Wet your hands with hot running water 2.) Apply soap and lather hands and arms 3.) Rub hands together for at least 20 seconds 4.) Clean under fingernails and between fingers 5.) Rinse hands thoroughly under running water 6.) Dry hands a single-use paper towel

Which is true about ice ?

A. Ice does not kill bacteria or viruses, It preserves them until conditions are more favorable for growth. The cause of illnesses linked to ice is usually handling ice with contaminated hands or utensils. Storing ice buckets upside down keeps contaminants out of the bucket.

Properly storing food in cooler reduces the chances of a food borne illness. From top to bottom, place these foods in proper refrigerator storage order.

C. ready to eat foods including produces, dairy and cooked foods. A. Raw fish, seafood and shellfish E. Raw whole cuts of beef and pork D. Raw ground beef and pork B. Raw poultry including chicken and turkey

When should you change your disposable gloves?

D. As a general rule, food handlers should change their gloves frequently. Food safety guidelines call for changing gloves as soon as they have become soiled or torn, between food handling tasks, at least every four hours when in continuous use, after handling raw meat of any kind and before handling ready-to-eat foods.

Where should chemicals be stored ?

D. Chemicals, such as cleaners and sanitizers, should have a dedicated storage area away from the areas where food is stored or prepared, This will lessen the chance that chemicals get into food.

According to the FDA Model Food Code, which foods do not need to be labeled ?

D. Foods should be labeled during storage, but are require to maintain labels when being prepped and cooked.

Which of the following is not an example of a chemical contaminant ?

D. Hair is a physical contaminant. Chemical contaminants include chemicals such as pesticides and cleaners that are accidentally added to food during preparation. Toxic. Metals, like lead, can leach from cookware and equipment.

Which is not one of the three main causes of food borne illness ?

D. Improper equipment storage, while not a recommended practice, is not considered one of the main causes of considered one of the main causes of food borne illness

Who is most at risk of falling ill to food borne illness

D. Populations at high risk of contracting a food illness include individuals with compromised immune systems. That includes children whose immune systems are not yet fully developed and elderly people whose immune systems have weakened with age.

Which of the following actions reduce the time needed to cool foods ?

D. Using shallow pans to store food increases the surface area, allowing food to cool quickly . C. Tools like ice wands can be used to stir food and cool the center of larger containers.

After which task is it necessary to wash your hands

E. One of the biggest mistakes employees make is not washing their hands after touching anything that might contaminate their hands

What food is the most common source of salmonella ?

Eggs

If they have not been used it is okay to re-serve bread baskets

False it is never acceptable to re-serve food Only unopened, prepackaged foods like crackers and condiments may be safely re-served to healthy populations . These items should never be re-served to individuals with weakened immune systems.

The clock starts ticking on the time food can spend in the Temperature Danger Zone when it is being prepped for cooking

False. Assuming your reputable suppliers do not subject food to dangerous temperatures, the clock starts ticking on the four hours food is allotted in the Temperature Danger Zone the minute you receive it. This is why it is imperative to store food immediately in appropriate to store food immediately in appropriate refrigerated areas.