Summary
Highlights
This chapter emphasized that biological contamination is caused by germs and sick individuals should not work with food, adhering to the 24-hour rule. Proper handwashing, avoiding bare-hand contact, correct glove use, and awareness of personal habits are crucial defenses against foodborne illness.
This section introduces the importance of health and hygiene in food safety, defining biological contamination, addressing what to do when sick, and highlighting key hygiene practices like handwashing and avoiding bare-hand contact.
Food worker health is crucial for preventing foodborne illness. If you're sick, especially with flu-like symptoms, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, stay home for 24 hours after symptoms subside and report to your person in charge. Open wounds or sores also require reporting.
Good personal hygiene is vital to prevent food contamination. This includes proper handwashing, trimmed fingernails, wearing hair restraints, appropriate work clothing, covering cuts and burns, and not working while sick. These practices stop germ spread.
Hands should be washed frequently throughout the day, even if they look clean. Always wash before food preparation and after activities like using the bathroom, touching face/nose, handling raw meat, sneezing, coughing, handling garbage, or taking breaks.
Proper handwashing is a six-step process using hot and cold running water, soap, and single-use drying methods. Steps include wetting hands, applying and scrubbing soap for 10-15 seconds, scrubbing back of hands and forearms, rinsing for 5 seconds, and drying thoroughly. Hand sanitizers are not a substitute for washing.
Even after washing, germs can remain. Prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods by using utensils like tongs, scoops, deli papers, or single-use gloves. Minimizing direct contact is key.
When using gloves, always wash hands before and sometimes after. Gloves protect food from germs, not hands. Change gloves often, never wash or reuse them, especially when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods. Dispose of used gloves and wash hands afterwards.
Ready-to-eat foods are served without further washing or cooking. Examples include washed produce, sliced fruit, salads, garnishes, sandwiches, sushi, deli salads, bakery items, and ice.
Personal habits significantly affect food safety. Do not eat, drink, or use tobacco in food prep areas. Always use hair restraints, and long beards must also be restrained. Fingernails must be trimmed, and if wearing nail polish or artificial nails, gloves must be worn when preparing all foods. Remove all jewelry from arms and hands during food preparation, except for wedding rings that are covered by gloves. Store personal items and medicines away from food.