Instructional Guide: Food Safety

by Lily Fernandez Mullins

Context
Introductory Microbiology online course for community college students. This learning activity serves as the introduction to a module covering food safety and foodborne disease.

Students
Aged 17 and up, with various personal, academic and individual differences.

Class size
40 to 48 students.

Location
Asynchronous online class; students can access the learning activity on any internet-enabled device.

Group work
Students will work individually for this activity; other learning activities in the same module require group work.

Background
The only prerequisite is high-school level Biology.

Virtual tour created with ThingLink; four core practices shown on four areas of the average consumers kitchen. Seen at

http://www.thinglink.com/scene/387498358131916800#tlsite

Learning outcome
Students will be able to list the core four steps to food safety (clean, separate, cook and chill), and cite at least two examples of recommended practices for each step. Assessment of this knowledge will be done through a web-based test.

Overview of learning activity

Students will explore a short virtual tour about food safety in the kitchen. The tour includes lists of recommended practices, links to handouts in pdf format, and videos provided by the U.S. government regarding food safety in four areas of the kitchen: the stove, the fridge, the sink, and the countertops. The activity is expected to last 5 to 15 minutes depending on how deeply the student chooses to explore the topic. Students will then take a short quiz to evaluate whether the learning outcomes have been met. Answers will be linked to more online resources.

Question pool for quiz

1. At what temperature should your refrigerator be maintained? A. 60 F B. 45 F C. 40 F 2. What is the minimum amount of time you should wash your hands? A. 10 sec B. 20 sec C. 1 minute 3. Which is the minimum temperature at which hot foods on a buffet should be maintained? A. 212 F B. 180 F C. 140 F 4. The majority of foodborne illnesses are a result of which of the following? A. Improper handling of foods by the consumer B. Improper handling of foods in restaurants or food service settings C. Improper processing of foods by the manufacturer 5. When sanitizing dishclothes or cutting boards, how much bleach should be added, per quart of water? A. 1 teaspoon B. cup C. quart 6. Which of the following ways is NOT a safe way to defrost raw meat? A. In the refrigerator B. On the counter C. In the microwave 7. What is the minimum temperature ground beef should be cooked to in order to assure safety? A. 155 F B. 160 F C. 165 F 8. To eliminate harmful bacteria from fresh fruits and vegetables you should: A. Soak them in warm water B. Wash them in very hot, soapy water C. Wash them under cold running water 9. The best way to ensure that you don't contract foodborne illness from eggs is to: A. Wash eggs thoroughly before cooking B. Cook eggs thoroughly before eating C. Buy only brown eggs 10. The best way to transport home-cooked food to a picnic is: A. In an insulated cooler in an air conditioned car B. In a lunchbox surrounded by frozen bottles of juice or water C. Both A and B 11. You place leftovers on the counter to cool and forget to put them in the refrigerator overnight. Is the food safe to eat? A. Yes B. No C. Maybe 12. What are the four core steps in food safety? A. Clean, separate, cook and chill B. Clean, decorate, cook and grill C. Wash hands, rinse foods, defrost foods in the fridge and cook until brown. 13. In your own words, give two examples of practices for properly CLEANING food products. 14. In your own words, give two examples of practices for properly COOKING food products. 15. In your own words, give one example of a practice for properly SEPARATING food products. 16. In your own words, give two examples of practices for properly CHILLING food products.