Introduction to Food Safety and Sanitation

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          The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) identifies more than 250 diseases that can be transmitted through
food. Many can cause serious illness; some are even deadly. Providing consumers with safe food is the food handler’s most
important responsibility. Unfortunately, food handlers are also the primary cause of food-related illnesses. Understanding what
causes food-borne illnesses and what can be done to prevent them will help you be better able to protect your customers.

         This module is not meant to be a complete discussion of sanitation in food service operations. Its primary goal is to alert you to
practices that can result in food-borne illnesses. Federal, state, county and municipal health, building and other codes are designed
in part to ensure that food is handled in a safe and proper manner. Chefs should consult the local health department for information
and guidance and always be conscious of what they can do to create and maintain a safe product as well as a safe environment for
their customers, their fellow employees and themselves.

Learning Objectives
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At the end of the module, you shall be able to
• explain the importance of sanitation in the restaurant industry
• identify the three major types of contaminants that cause food borne illnesses
• determine chemical contaminants and ways to prevent direct chemical contamination when handling foods
• discuss physical contaminants and ways to prevent direct physical contamination when handling foods
• follow the proper procedures to prevent cross contamination and food-borne illnesses when handling foods
• enumerate the eight major food allergens and guidelines for protecting allergic guests
• explain and follow a HACCP system take appropriate actions to create and maintain a safe and sanitary working environment

Sanitation
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      Every food business must take sanitation seriously. Sanitation refers to the creation and maintenance of conditions that will
prevent any contamination that might lead to a food-borne illness. It involves removing or reducing harmful substances to a level
that is deemed safe by federal, state, county or municipal health agencies. Proper sanitation requires following time and
temperature standards, avoiding cross-contamination and consistently following established safe food handling protocols. Failure to
do so can lead to a variety of injuries or illnesses. Even as few as two or three sick customers can be enough to cause major
financial loss, negative media attention, lawsuits and irreparable damage to a business’s reputation. Local government health
inspectors are responsible for issuing licenses and conducting periodic inspections to ensure that regulations are being followed. It
is your responsibility as a cook or food server to make sure that sanitation techniques are being followed properly in order to avoid
contamination on behalf of every customer, every day.

       Contamination refers to the presence, generally unintended, of harmful organisms or substances, called contaminants .
Contaminants can be biological, chemical or physical. When consumed in sufficient quantities, food-borne contaminants can cause
illness or injury, long-lasting disease or even death. Contamination occurs in two ways: direct contamination and cross
contamination.

           Direct contamination is the contamination of raw foods or the plants or animals from which they come, in their natural settings
or habitats.

         Chemical and biological contaminants, such as bacteria and fungi, are present in the air, soil and water. This means that foods
can be easily contaminated by their general exposure to the environment. For example, grains can be contaminated by soil
fumigants in the field, or shellfish can become contaminated by ingesting toxic marine algae.

           Chemicals and microorganisms generally cannot move on their own, however. Contaminants need to be transported, a
process known as cross-contamination . The major cause of cross-contamination is people. Food handlers can transfer biological,
chemical and physical contaminants to food while processing, preparing, cooking or serving. Sanitation is the correction of problems
caused by direct contamination and the prevention of problems caused by cross contamination during processing and service.
Ways to Prevent Bacterial Intoxications and Infections
Ways to Prevent Cross- Contamination in the Kitchen
Proper Hand washing

Dish and Equipment Cleanliness

          A requirement for any food service facility is clean ability. Note that there is an important difference between clean and
sanitary. Clean means that the item has no visible soil on it. Sanitary means that harmful substances are reduced to safe levels.
Thus something may be clean without being sanitary. The visible dirt can be removed, but disease-causing microorganisms can
remain. 

            The cleaning of dishes, pots, pans and utensils in a food service operation involves both removing soil and sanitizing. Soil
can be removed manually or by machine. Sanitizing can be accomplished with heat or chemical disinfectants. Heating to the proper
temperatures sterilizes food contact surfaces by killing microorganisms. To sterilize using heat, wash water in the sink must be kept
at 171°F (77°C) or higher. Dishwasher water must reach at 180°F (82°C) or higher. 

            There are three types of chemicals commonly used to sanitize and disinfect: chlorine, iodine and quaternary ammonium
compounds (quits). Each option has it pros and cons. Food-grade chlorine bleach diluted in water is one commonly used sanitizing
agent. It is inexpensive and kills a wide range of microorganisms. However bleach has a strong smell and is corrosive, unlike quits,
which can be used on surfaces that may rust. Quits are colorless, odorless and none irritating but are more expensive and are less
effective in the presence of dirt than bleach. Iodine sanitizers are useful but may leave a brown stain on contact surfaces. Whichever
sanitizing product you use, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for each product.

            Temperature, strength and contact time vary with each product. When sanitizing tools, equipment and work surfaces, be
sure to clean and remove all food and debris. Wash with detergent then rinse before applying sanitizing solution. Leave the solution
undisturbed for the amount of time the manufacturer’s directions recommend.

          Procedures for manually washing, rinsing and sanitizing dishes and equipment generally follow the three-compartment sink
setup. Food service items, dishes, silverware and utensils should always be allowed to air-dry, as towel drying may decontaminate
them. Any cracked or chipped china should be discarded, as it can harbor bacteria that pose a food safety hazard

The three-compartment sink procedure: scrape, spray, wash, rinse, sanitize and air-dry each item.

Food Storage
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         Proper food storage prevents cross-contamination and ensures food safety. Freezers, refrigerators and dry goods storage
facilities should have effective temperature, humidity and light controls in order to properly and safely maintain the stored items. Not
only must food be purchased from approved suppliers, it must be physically inspected when it arrives. Upon delivery, the condition
and internal temperature of foods should be verified. Use a thermometer to check TCS foods. Reject and return any unacceptable
foods. Save labels and origin tags for foods such as shellfish in case there is a recall or an issue arises with the product.
         Dry goods, such as flour, sugar, dried legumes, crackers and rice, are foods that will not promote the growth of hazards at
room temperature. They should be stored least 6 inches (15 centimeters) off the floor and 6 inches (15 centimeters) away from walls
on shelving or storage racks that are clean, sanitized and dry.

           Store refrigerated foods appropriately to prevent cross-contamination and the growth of harmful bacteria. Foods must be kept
at temperatures below the temperature danger zone 41°F (5°C). Wrap and cover food to prevent leakage. Store food in cleaned and
sanitized food-grade containers. Raw meat, poultry and fish should be stored separately from prepared foods and produce.
Refrigerate produce on separate storage racks or in a separate refrigerator. Certain fruits and vegetables such as citrus, root
vegetables and onions, may be stored in cool dry areas.

         This order is based on the minimum internal cooking temperature of each food. Refrigerated food should be stored so that
cooked foods are stored above raw foods to prevent cross contamination. And items that will be cooked to a lower internal
temperature must be placed above foods that will be cooked to a higher internal temperature. Store refrigerated food in the order as
shown below.

Food Labeling
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               Accurate food labeling and consistent record keeping is as important as safe food-handling practices to prevent cross
contamination and food spoilage. Use food labels to date all foods that are made for kitchen use as well as leftovers. Systems for
labeling foods vary in every operation but must be followed consistently to be effective. Once placed in clean, sanitized storage
containers, food prepared for later use should be labeled with the product name and the date and time it was made. Ready-to-eat
TCS food that will be held for longer than 24 hours must be labeled with the day or date by which the food must be consumed on
premises, sold or discarded. Once labeled, refrigerated or frozen products are easily identifiable by the entire kitchen staff.