ISBE Food Handler Training Study Guide
Common Causes of Foodborne Illness
Poor food handler hygiene
o Poor hand washing practices
o Employees working while they are ill
o Cross contamination
o Inadequate cooking temperatures
o Inadequate temperature control
Hazards in the food service area can be:
Physical Hazards
o Objects that inadvertently end up in food may not cause a foodborne
illness, but could cause physical injury
∗ Hair
∗ Glass
∗ Dirt
∗ Fingernails
∗ Jewelry
Chemical Hazards
o Chemicals can contaminate food if they are improperly stored or used
around food
∗ Cleaners
∗ Sanitizers
∗ Pesticides
Biological Hazards
o Bacteria alone can cause foodborne illness, but bacteria also produce
toxins that may not be destroyed during the cooking process.
o Viruses may be carried by food handlers prior to them even feeling sick.
Coughing and sneezing allow for easy transmission of viruses and is the
reason for the recommended practice of double hand washing.
o Parasites may be in meat or fish, but using proper endpoint cooking
temperatures will kill parasites.
The ‘Big 5’ of Foodborne Illnesses
Shigella –Bacteria
E. Coli – Bacteria
Salmonella – Bacteria
Norovirus – Virus
Hepatitis A – Virus
The temperature danger zone is 41° F to 135 ° F
Foods being cooled or heated must move through the temperature danger
zone quickly
Foods that are allowed to remain in the danger zone for 4 or more hours are
unsafe to eat, and must be discarded
Foods of greatest concern are Time-Temperature Control for Safety (TCS)
foods
o Moist, nutrient or protein rich foods
Proper cooling
Reduce portion sizes to cool faster
Place food in cooler or freezer in shallow containers
Ensure foods or containers allow for air movement
Do not stack or tightly pack foods that are being cooled
o Leave uncovered on upper shelf until properly cooled
Stir foods to speed and ensure even cooling
o Use ice paddles or wands
Proper Cooling Must Occur Within 6 Hours
Foods must go from 135° F to 70° F within 2 hours; AND
From 70° F to 41° F within 4 hours
Key End-Point Cooking Temperatures
165° F for 15 seconds
o Poultry – Whole or Ground
o Stuffed meats or pastas
o Casseroles, mixed dishes
155° F for 15 seconds
o Ground hamburger
o Pork
145° F for 15 seconds
o Whole Meats
o Fish and Seafood
Proper Thawing
In a refrigerator that is 41° F or less
Completely submerged under running water
o Water temperature must be 70° F or less
o Sufficient water flow to agitate and remove loose particles
o No part of food can be above 41° F for more the 4 hours
As part of the cooking process
o Microwaving is allowed as long as the food is immediately moved to
standard cooking process
Date Marking
Any food that is going to be used within 24 hours does not need to be date
marked
Prepared, previously cooked, or open TCS products can be stored for 7 days at
a temperature of 41° F or below
o Day 1 is the first day the food is stored
o After the 7th day food should be discarded
Reheating
Any previously prepared or cooked item that must be heated for service, must
be reheated to 165° F
Cold Holding
Refrigerated foods must be held at 41° F or less
Frozen foods should be held at 0° F or less
Hot Holding
Cooked, ready to serve foods must be held at 135° F or hotter
Using a food thermometer
Insert thermometer in the thickest part of the food
For large foods or dishes take temperature readings in multiple areas
Stir liquid products before taking temperature
Do not allow probe to touch bone, container, or cooking surface when taking
temperature
Calibrating food thermometers
Pack a container with crushed ice and water
Put thermometer in ice-water mixture, ensuring at least 2 inches of the probe
is submerged
Hold for 30 seconds, thermometer should read 32° F
If thermometer does not read 32° F, calibrate according to manufacturer
instructions and reinsert in fresh ice/water mixture
Hair Restraints
Food handlers should use an effective hair restraint
o Hat
o Hair Net
o Beard Restraint
o Or other clothing or body covering that covers body hair
Clothing
Food handlers should wear clean clothing each shift
o Shirts, pants, aprons, hats
Fingernails
Should be trimmed and maintained
Food handlers should not wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails
Jewelry
Food handlers should not be wearing any jewelry when preparing and/or
serving food
o EXCEPTION: Wedding rings are allowed
Food Handler Illness or Injury - When to Stay Home
Illness
o Diarrhea
o Vomiting
o Jaundice
o Fever, sore throat
Employees with any of these symptoms may only return to work after
they have been symptom free for at least 24 hours.
Injury
o Boils
o Cuts
o Burns
o Sores
Proper Glove Use
Gloves are not a replacement for proper hand washing
Wash hands prior to putting on gloves
Gloves provide an additional barrier
Bare hand contact with ready to eat foods is not allowed
Gloves should be changed when changing job duties
Hand Sanitizer
Use of a hand sanitizer is not a replacement for proper hand washing
Should be stored near hand washing stations
Applied after hands have been properly washed
o Use of gloves AND hand sanitizer together is NOT an acceptable
replacement for proper hand washing.
When to Wash Your Hands
Before touching food preparation utensils or surfaces
Before touching food, especially foods that will not be cooked
Between a change of work responsibilities
After handling any raw meats, poultry or fish
When returning to food service area
Hand Washing Technique
Use sink specific for hand washing
Wet hands with warm water and apply soap
Scrub hands for approximately 20 seconds
o Use of a fingernail brush is recommended
Dry hands using single use paper towels or air dryer
Receiving
All items should be inspected as they are received
o Items should be clearly labeled
o Undamaged
o Expiration or use by dates checked
Dry goods at or below 70 ° F
Refrigerated items at or below 41° F
Frozen items at or below 0° F, keeping foods frozen and free of ice crystals
Non-food items, especially chemicals, should remain separated from all food
items during receiving and storage
Storage Procedures
First In, First Out (FIFO)
o Date marking and rotation of all food products will help ensure oldest
products are used first
Items should be stored at least 6 inches off the ground
As new products are stored, expiration dates and product conditions of
currently stored products should be checked
o Any damaged or out of date products should be safely and properly
discarded
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Cleaning is the removal of visible dirt and debris
Sanitizing is the use of chemicals or heat to reduce the number of
microorganisms
Proper use of a Three Compartment Sink
First, remove food and other debris
Second, use warm soapy water in Compartment 1
Third, thoroughly rinse using warm, clean water in Compartment 2
Fourth, sanitize following instructions for the type of sanitizer being used in
Compartment 3
Fifth, air dry
Cleaning and Sanitizing Schedules
School food service staff should perform scheduled cleaning and sanitizing
practices on all equipment, utensils, other food contact surfaces, and all food
service areas, including storage and garbage areas
Cleaning and sanitizing schedule may depend on menu, work load and daily
food prep being performed
High touch and heavily used items should be cleaned and sanitized on a
regular basis
o This may mean multiple times per shift, or on a daily basis
Prevention of Food Safety Issues – Food Safety Plan
USDA Required School Food Safety Plan – Main Headings/Sections
o Overview
Employees, equipment inventory, categorization of menu items
(Process Approach)
o Standard Operating Procedures
o Monitoring
o Corrective Actions
o Record Keeping
o Review/Revisions
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
o Hazard Analysis is the review or inspection of the food service area to
look for potential food safety risks
o Critical Control Points are points in food preparation processes where
correct procedures must be used to ensure food safety
o Control Measures are processes or steps that are performed to reduce
food safety risks
o Critical Limits are measurable, typically times and/or temperature limits
Example of a Critical Control Point, Control Measure, and Critical Limit
o Critical Control Point – Food handlers switching from prepping raw
chicken to prepping salad bar
o Control Measure – To prevent cross contamination food handlers must
wash hands before prepping salad bar
o Critical Limit – Food handler should scrub hands for 20 seconds
(measurable time) to limit food safety risks
