Food Safety and

Sanitation

Section Objectives
Upon completing this section, you
should be able to:
State principles of food safety for the
hospitality nnindustry

Importance of Food Safety

Lack of proper food safety practices can
cause:
Loss of customers and sales
Loss of prestige and reputation
Lawsuitsresulting in lawyer and court
fees
Increased insurance premiums
Lowered employee morale
Employee absenteeism
Embarrassment

Foodborne Illness

Disease carried or transmitted to people by

food

Most common risk factors responsible for foodborne

illness:

Purchasing food from unsafe sources

Poor personal hygiene
Failing to cook food adequately
Holding food at improper temperatures
Using contaminated equipment

With the exception of purchasing, these factors are

related to:

Time-temperature abuse
Cross-contamination
Poor personal hygiene

Food Safety Hazards

Contamination is the presence of
harmful substances in food
Some contaminants occur naturally in
food
Other contaminants are introduced to the
food by the environment or foodhandlers

Three contamination categories:

Biological hazards
Chemical hazards
Physical hazards

Biological Hazards
Bacteria
Can multiply rapidly in favorable
conditions
Can cause illness by producing toxins
in food
May be carried by a variety of means:
food, water, soil, humans, or insects
Some can survive freezing

Biological Hazardscontinued
Viruses
Do not reproduce in food, but can be
transmitted from people to food items
Contaminate food and water
Usually contaminate food through improper
personal hygiene

Biological Hazardscontinued
Parasites
Live inside a host to survive
Grow naturally in many animals
Fungi
Molds: Spoil food and can cause
illness
Yeast: Spoils food

Chemical and Physical

Hazards
Chemical Hazards

Cleaning supplies
Pesticides
Toxic metals

Physical Hazards

Foreign objects accidentally

introduced into food
Naturally occurring objects,
such as bones in fillets

Potentially Hazardous Food

Definition: Food in which
microorganisms are able to grow
rapidly
Typical characteristics:

History of being involved in foodborneillness outbreaks

Natural potential for contamination due to
production and processing methods
Contain moisture
Contain protein
Neutral or slightly acidic pH levels
Require time and temperature control for
safety

FAT-TOM
Food
Acidity
Time

Temperatur
Oxygen
Moisture

Conditions that favor

the growth of most
foodborne organisms

Temperature Danger Zone

41F to 140F

Cross-Contamination

The spread of harmful

microorganisms from one surface to
another, or to food
Can be prevented by proper
personal hygiene and cleaning and
sanitizing practices
Example: Possible crosscontamination between chicken and
lettuce
Clean and sanitize food-contact
surfaces between tasks

Ways to Reduce CrossContamination

Primary ways to reduce crosscontamination include:
Personal cleanliness
Dish, silver, and glassware cleanliness
Equipment cleanliness, especially after
use
Proper storage and thawing of food

Acceptable Methods for

Thawing Food
Thawing food properly can be done in
any of
these four ways:

In a refrigerator at 41F (5C) or lower

Submerged under running potable water at
70F (21C)
or lower
In a microwave oven, if the food will be
cooked immediately after thawing
As part of the cooking process

Safe Methods for Cooling

Food

Reduce the quantity or size of the food

Use ice-water baths
Use a blast chiller or a tumble chiller
Stir food to cool it faster and more
evenly

Proper Handwashing Steps

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Wet hands with running water, as hot as you

can comfortably stand (at least 100F [38C])
Apply soap
Vigorously scrub hands and arms for 1015
seconds
Clean under fingernails and between fingers
Rinse thoroughly under running water
Dry hands and arms with a single-use paper
towel or warm-air hand dryer
Use a paper towel to turn off faucet, if
necessary