Food Handler Certification Manual WDGPH Aug 2021

Food Handler

Certification
Manual

1-800-265-7293
[email protected]
www.wdgpublichealt.ca
This manual was adapted from Food Safety: A
Guide for Ontario’s Foodhandlers with the permission
of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-
Term Care.

© Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

Health Protection Division
November 2019
Table of
Contents
Introduction 4
Food-borne Illness 10
Microorganisms 18
Time and Temperature 29
Receiving and Storage 37
Microbiological Contamination 43
Personal Hygiene 48
Cleaning and Sanitizing 54
Pest Control 63
Food Safety Management 69
3
Introduction
Introduction to Food Safety
The Benefits of Food Safety
Food Safety Legislation
Check Inspection results
Responsibilities
4 Introduction
like personal hygiene, avoiding food
Introduction to Food contamination, and keeping foods at safe
Safety temperatures.
The food service industry is a big part of the

Canadian economy, employing over one million As a food handler, it is your
people. This includes people working in responsibility to know and follow the
restaurants, grocery stores, and factories. It also food safety regulations and standards.
includes people who process, package, and ship
food. This course will teach you how to keep food safe.
A food premises is a place that prepares The Benefits of Food

and/or sells food. Safety
The main benefit of a food safety program is
people staying healthy. Food safety has many
more benefits, though. For example, food safety
encourages quality food, quality food means
repeat customers, and repeat customers means
higher profits. Here are some other ways that
food safety is beneficial:
• Employees are happier with their jobs,

knowing that the food they are working with
is safe
• Money is saved because less food is thrown
away that was not kept safe
• Closures are prevented, which means that bad
publicity and losing customers is avoided
• Insurance costs are lower because no claims
are made for unsafe food
• Money spent on lawsuits, medical claims, or
fines for having unsafe food is prevented
• Cleaning and sanitizing costs can be kept
There is a need for safety standards in the food down
industry because of:
• The risk of spreading disease and illness

Food Safety Legislation
through food People working in food premises need to follow
• Customers’ expectations that the food they rules to make sure that food is kept safe. Some of
buy is safe these rules are specific to the food, like food
The first goal of any food premises should be to handling and storage. Other rules cover things like
produce the safest and highest quality food the condition of the building and the types of
possible. People working in food premises should equipment that need to be used. All of these rules
fully understand the risks involved in food service are very important and have an impact on how
and the need to meet food safety requirements, safe your food is. It is the responsibility of
Introduction 5
everyone working in food premises to make sure
that they know the rules and how to follow them. ‘Health Hazard’ means
a) a condition of a premises
Legislation set out the requirements that food b) a substance, thing, plant, or animal
premises have to follow to make sure their food is other than man, or
kept safe. The food service industry is regulated c) a solid, liquid, gas, or combination of
by legislation at all three levels of government: any of them,
that has or that is likely to have an
• Federal adverse effect on the health of any
• Provincial person. (HPPA, 1990)
• Municipal
The HPPA lays out the powers of the medical

Federal Legislation
officer of health (MOH) and public health
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspector (PHI). Some of these powers are listed
is responsible for the inspection of food at the below.
federal level.
Power of Entry (HPPA Section 41)
The CFIA enforces policies and standards, set by The public health inspector may enter any place
Health Canada, governing the safety and of business, during normal work hours, without a
nutritional quality of all food sold in Canada. The warrant, to carry out the duties under the Act.
CFIA verifies industry compliance with federal This would include routine inspections or the
acts and regulations, including: investigation of complaints of health hazards.
- Food and Drugs Act/2019, through activities
that include the registration and inspection Power of Seizure (HPPA Section 19)
of abattoirs and food processing plants, and The public health inspector may seize anything
the testing of products. suspected of being a health hazard for laboratory
- Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act/2019, testing.
sets standards for packaging, labelling, sale,
importation and advertising of prepackaged Power of Destruction (HPPA Section 19)
foods in Canada. If a public health inspector determines that food
is a health hazard, he / she has the power to
destroy or dispose of the food immediately.
Power to Make an Order (HPPA Section 13)

Provincial - Legislation Orders are issued by Public Health Inspectors
(PHI) to eliminate a health hazard or to lessen
Each province has its own provincial health acts the effects of a health hazard. They can be either
and regulations. In Ontario, the Health Protection verbal (spoken) or written. Orders may also
and Promotion Act, 1990 (HPPA) authorizes the require a person (or persons) to stop doing
provincial government to make regulations, something specific.
programs, and protocols that govern food
premises. Public health units across Ontario are In the case of a food premises, this includes the
responsible for enforcing these regulations to power to order the premises to be closed until a
reduce health hazards. health hazard is removed or fixed.
6 Introduction
Provincial - Public Health Inspector (PHI) times per year for moderate-risk food premises,
and once per year for low-risk food premises.
Public health inspectors are Provincial Offences
Officers who enforce both the HPPA and the During the inspection, the public health inspector
Ontario Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17) may do a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
under the HPPA. They conduct enforcement by (HACCP) audit. We’ll talk more about HACCP in
routine compliance inspections of all food the Food Safety Management chapter.
premises.
Factors Considered in Food Premises Risk
The Food Premises Regulation covers food Assessment:
premises, including cleaning and sanitizing,
equipment, food temperatures, food handling, • Types of food prepared and/or served
employee hygiene in food premises and the • Volume of food prepared
requirement for food handlers training. We’ll
• Refrigeration and hot holding equipment
cover all of these later in this course.
• Source of water
• Whether the premises caters off-site
• Type of population served
Public Health Inspectors are Provincial • Past compliance with the regulation
Offence Officers who protect and
promote the health of all individuals in • Food safety knowledge
their area. • History of food-borne illness
Roles of the Public Health Inspector: If any immediate health hazards are seen
during an inspection, the PHI could
• Enforces the Food Premises Regulation by close the food premises and/or issue
conducting inspections of food premises offence notices (tickets) under the
• Educates food handlers in safe food practices Provincial Offences Act for not meeting
• Investigates food-borne illnesses and food- the requirements of the Food
borne outbreaks
• Investigates consumer complaints
• Takes action in case of food recalls, fires,
floods and emergencies Inspections
When PHIs inspect a food premises, they’re
How Often are Food Premises Inspected? checking to make sure that the regulations are
Based on a risk assessment, public health being followed so that food is kept safe. Below
inspectors assign each food premises in their are some things they are looking for.
health unit’s area a risk level of high, moderate,
or low, based on the establishment’s potential
risk of a food-borne illness. This classification Potentially hazardous foods are maintained at
may change based on the types of food served the required temperatures.
or on the results of the last inspection. Example: Cooked poultry is stored or held for
service at lower than 4ºC or higher than 60ºC.
The minimum number of inspections is three (See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec. 27(1).)
times per year for high-risk food premises, two
Introduction 7
Municipal Legislation
Food is protected from contamination and
adulteration. Each municipality has by-laws governing its
Example: Food displayed for sale or service is geographical area. Municipalities create by-laws to
protected from contamination and adulteration deal with issues that are important to the
by enclosed containers, cabinets, shields, or community but are not dealt with at the
shelves. (See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec. 26.) provincial and federal levels. By-laws can be
different in each municipality, as each area has
Food contact surfaces can be readily cleaned issues that are unique to its situation
and sanitized.
Example: Any article or equipment that comes in Municipal by-laws for food premises cover things
direct contact with food is of sound and tight like:
construction, kept in good repair, and made of
material that can be readily cleaned and sanitized. • Licensing
(See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec. 8.) • Zoning
• Building standards
Good personal hygiene is being practiced by • Garbage disposal and recycling
all employees. • Sewage disposal
Example: The food handler is clean and wearing
clean outer garments while working with food. Municipal by-laws are enforced by by-law
Food handlers wash their hands after hands are enforcement officers.
contaminated, before commencing or resuming
work, and after using the washroom. (See O. Reg.
493 Sec. 33(1).)
Check Inspection Results
Many health units in Ontario have an
Cleaning and sanitizing of multi-service “Inspections Disclosure Program” that provides
utensils to prevent harmful bacteria from the public with information on inspections of
spreading. food establishments. Residents and visitors can
Example: Multi-service utensils are manually access the most recent Public Health inspection
washed, rinsed, and sanitized in a three- reports by visiting the website of the health unit
compartment sink. (See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec 21.) where the food premises is located.
Ensuring that owner/operators are
maintaining the food premises. Responsibilities
Example: All floors, walls, and ceilings are readily
cleanable, kept clean, sanitary, and in good repair. As you can see, there are many things you need
(See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec. 7, 59.) to know to keep food safe. The responsibility for
safe food belongs to everyone in your food
Posting results of inspections by the public premises, from the owner, to the chef, to the
health unit server, and to the dishwasher. Every person in
Example: Operators ensure the results of any your premises has a role in keeping the food you
inspection conducted by a public health inspector prepare or sell to customers safe. As a food
are posted in accordance with the inspector’s handler, it’s your responsibility to know what the
request. (See O. Reg. 493/17 Sec. 6.) regulations and standards are and to follow
them. You have a responsibility to provide safe
food.
8 Introduction
In Review
In this chapter, you were introduced to the
following:
• The importance of food safety

• The benefits of following safe food handling
practices
• Federal, provincial, and municipal legislation
governing food safety
• The role of public health inspectors
• The responsibilities of food premises owners,
operators, and food handlers
• How to access the health inspections results
Notes
Introduction 9
Food-borne
Illness
Introduction
Symptoms of Food-Borne Illness
Causes of Food-borne Illness
Chemical Contamination
Physical Contamination
Allergens
Impacts of Food-borne Illness
Complaints
10 Food-borne Illness
Introduction
When something you eat or drink makes you
sick, your sickness is called a food-borne illness. In
the past, food-borne illness was called food
poisoning, but because more food-borne illnesses
are caused by infection than poison, we now call
it food-borne illness.
When food is contaminated by bacteria, viruses,

parasites, or chemicals, it can make you sick. Any
of these things in food can be called a contaminant.
Every year, there are approximately 4 million

cases of food-borne illness in Canada (Public
health Agency of Canada, 2016). For most
people, a food-borne illness won’t be a serious
problem. Most will recover in a short time
without getting seriously ill. Groups at a higher
risk for food-borne illness, however, are young
children, the elderly, pregnant women, and
people with weakened immune systems. For
these groups, food-borne illness can be very Symptoms of a food-borne illness include some
dangerous and even fatal. or all of the following:
• Abdominal cramps
Many people have had a food-borne • Diarrhea
illness without knowing what made
• Vomiting
them feel sick.
• Nausea
• Fever
Symptoms can start soon after eating
Symptoms of Food-Borne contaminated food, or they can occur up to a
month or more later. How long it takes for the
Illness symptoms to begin will depend on:
For each reported case of food-borne illness, it’s
• What caused the illness
estimated that hundreds of additional cases
occurred in the community. When people say • How healthy the person was before this
they have a 24-hour flu, it’s often actually a case illness
of food-borne illness. • The amount of contaminant the person ate
Causes of Food-borne • Cadmium in shelving. If unwrapped meats
are stored directly on shelves containing
Illness cadmium, the metal can dissolve and be
absorbed into the meat.
There are four causes of food-borne illness: • Lead in paint. Painted dishes or glassware
chemical contamination, physical contamination, may contain lead which can be absorbed into
allergens, and microbiological contamination. acidic food.
• Metal containers. Acidic foods should never
be stored in containers made of metal. Use
A food is adulterated if it contains a food-grade containers.
poisonous or harmful substance that may
make it harmful to health. Intentional Additives
Some chemicals are added to food on purpose.

These include things like salt, spices,
Chemical Contamination preservatives and colouring.
Symptoms usually happen fast, from 20 minutes According to Health Canada, “a food additive is
to a few hours after eating the contaminated any chemical substance that is added to food
food. They usually start suddenly, with the most during preparation or storage and either becomes
common symptoms being nausea, vomiting, and a part of the food or affects its characteristics for
abdominal or stomach pain. Diarrhea sometimes the purpose of achieving a particular technical
occurs. effect.” In other words, food additives are things
added to colour, thicken, firm, or preserve food.
Food-borne illness caused by chemicals If additives are used correctly, they aren’t harmful
is to most people. They make food look better,
taste better, and last longer. These are called
intentional chemical additives, as they’re added to
Metal Food Poisoning food on purpose. If not used properly or too
much is used, a chemical additive can cause food
Dissolved metal in food may cause chemical food poisoning.
poisoning. If an acidic food, like fruit juice, maple
syrup, or tomatoes, is stored or cooked in metal Any food additive can make a person sick if he or
containers, the acid can cause the metal to she is allergic or has a sensitivity to it. Three
dissolve. Lead, copper, tin, zinc, iron, and additives are well-known for this:
cadmium are all possible sources of metal food
poisoning. • Sulphites – used to maintain colour and give
longer shelf life
Some ways that food can be contaminated with
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – used to
metal are:
boost flavour
• Tartrazine (also known as FD&C Yellow #5)
• Copper beverage lines. Water can be safely
– used as a yellow food colouring
run through copper lines because it won’t
dissolve the copper. Acidic fruit juice or
carbonated beverages, however, will cause the
copper to dissolve and it will then be in the
beverage.
Many food additives are regulated in Canada
under the food and drug regulations. You can
find a list of all allowed food additives on this
Health Canada website: www.hc-sc.gc.ca. Search
“food additive dictionary.”
Incidental Additives
These objects could cause anything from a small
Poisonous chemicals like insecticides, cut to possible choking.
rodenticides, and cleaning chemicals are
sometimes used in food premises. If these To keep physical hazards out of food:
chemicals get into food, they can cause food
poisoning. This would be called an incidental • Put and maintain protective shields or covers
chemical additive. on lights over food storage and preparation
areas.
For safety, chemicals should be stored in their • Remove staples, nails, and other objects from
original containers. If chemicals are put into boxes and crates when food is received so
different, smaller containers or spray bottles, each they don’t fall into the food.
must go in a clean, dry container labeled with the • Don’t use glasses to scoop ice. Use only
product name and contents. commercial, food-grade plastic or metal
scoops with handles.
Proper storage and instructions for use must be • Don’t chill glasses or any food items in ice
followed very carefully when dealing with that will be used in drinks.
poisonous chemicals to make sure that food is • Don’t store toothpicks or non-edible
kept safe. For example, some cleaners must be garnishes on shelves above food storage or
rinsed off a counter before the counter can be preparation areas.
used to prepare food. If the counter is not rinsed
off, there will be cleaner on the counter which
can get into the food and cause food-borne
Allergens
illness. Never store chemicals with food. Also, Food allergies, or sensitivities to certain foods,
never leave chemical products or cleaning cloths are a problem for many people. Some foods, like
used with chemicals on food preparation peanuts, shellfish, or eggs, are very common
surfaces. allergens. Any food can be a hazard for a person
who is allergic or sensitive to it. Symptoms of
Always store chemicals below and food allergies can appear immediately after the
separated from food, equipment, or food is eaten or can show up sometime later.
dishes.
Physical Contamination
Physical hazards are things like dirt, hair, broken
glass, nails, staples, bits of metal, or any other
object that accidently gets into food.
If a customer has a severe allergic
reaction, call 911.
It’s estimated that as many as 7.5 percent of

population have food allergies. This means that
for every 13 people who come into your food
premises, it’s likely that one of them has a food
allergy. Epinephrine will help a person’s breathing long
Allergic reactions to food can cause these enough to allow him or her to be rushed to a
symptoms: hospital for further treatment.
Exposure to the food doesn’t always mean eating

• Skin reactions like eczema, hives or itching it. For some people, exposure can even mean just
redness smelling food to which they’re allergic. This is
• Digestive symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, common with nuts and peanuts. Because
nausea, and cramps avoiding the food is the only way to prevent the
• Respiratory symptoms like coughing, allergic reaction, these people need to know
sneezing, tightness in the chest, and trouble exactly what’s in their food. It’s critically
breathing because of swelling of the throat important for food service staff to know about
and tongue, or a runny or stuffy nose allergies and be aware of how dangerous they can
• Cardiovascular reaction like paler than be. Knowing this can save lives.
normal skin colour/blue colour, weak pulse,
passing out, dizziness or light-headedness, Risky Foods
shock
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
• Other reactions like metallic taste, headache has identified the following foods and additives
as causing the most common and severe allergic
reactions:
Anaphylactic shock
• Eggs
Some people can develop one or more of • Nuts e.g. peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews,
these symptoms very quickly. Breathing hazelnuts or filberts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine
difficulties and low blood pressure are the nuts, pistachios, walnuts
most dangerous symptoms, and if left
• Wheat
untreated, can be life-threatening. It is
recommended that epinephrine (e.g. • Milk and dairy products
EpiPen) be given at the start of a known or • Seafood
suspected anaphylactic reaction. • Sulphites
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
An estimated one to two percent of Canadians • Mustard
live with the risk of an anaphylactic reaction. • Soy beans
Anaphylaxis starts within minutes of contact with • Sesame seeds
the food to which a person is allergic. The
reaction can go from the start of symptoms to
possibly fatal shock within 10 to 15 minutes. It
can happen so fast there may not be time to seek
medical attention.
For more information on each of these allergens, Educate and Train
please see the Food Allergies and Allergen
Labeling fact sheets on the CFIA’s website Food service staff are sometimes unaware of how
www.inspection.gc.ca. dangerous food allergies can be. Management,
kitchen, and service staff should all be aware of
Preventing Allergic Reactions food allergies and understand how important it is
that ingredient information is accurate.
Knowing the ingredients in food is critical when a
person with an allergy dines out. Restaurants, fast Staff need to be trained about the health effects
food outlets, and bakeries are not required by law of allergic reactions and the danger of
to list ingredients like you see on prepackaged anaphylactic shock. They need to know that it’s
foods. very serious and isn’t just about a person liking or
not liking an ingredient. Staff need to understand
Here are some tips to help people with allergies: the premises’ policy on handling questions about
ingredients.
• Ask patrons before they order
Kitchen staff need to know that they must follow
• Make sure descriptions and ingredients on
written recipes exactly when preparing and
menus are accurate.
cooking food. If a recipe needs to be changed,
• Make sure food doesn’t get contaminated by management and all employees involved in
other foods. preparing and serving the food should be notified.
• Have an accurate and up-to-date recipe
binder. Show ingredient lists from Have a Policy
prepackaged foods to customers.
• Avoid ingredients known to cause allergic Management in food premises need a policy
reactions, if possible. about communicating ingredient information to
• Educate serving and kitchen staff on menu their customers. The policy needs to be based on
items and on dealing with allergies. making sure customers are kept safe. The policy
also needs to work with the way the food
premises are run and be something employees
If you are not sure what’s in a product, let can easily follow.
customers know. Don’t give incomplete or
inaccurate information. Employees need to know that policies
must always be followed.
Identify Potential Problems
Now that you know the list of foods that are You don’t need to give away your recipes. As
more common allergens, you can review the described below, you can simply give the list of
recipes used in your food premises to identify the ingredients. You can also have the customer tell
ones that use these ingredients. Where possible, you what he or she is allergic to and check it
change an allergenic ingredient for one that is less against the recipe.
risky. For example, you could use vegetable oil
instead of peanut oil. Inform the Customer
If you can’t find out the ingredients in one Make sure that your customers know they can get
of your packaged items, let customers know information about the ingredients you use. This
that you don’t know all the ingredients. You can can be as simple as a note on the menu such as
suggest another item that you are sure about. “ask about ingredient information.”
Employees need to know the policy so Check with guests in advance
they can answer any questions that The organizer of a catered event should ask if
customers ask. any of their guests have special dietary needs or
food allergies. When printing banquet and
Here are some other ways to inform customers catering contracts, a section called “special
and staff about ingredients in your food: dietary needs” should be added to address
allergies.
Provide allergen management information
online/ on-line menus Have Emergency Procedures
Update your company website to include allergen All food service premises should have written
management policy and procedures. Include emergency procedures for handling allergic
information on menu options and ingredients, as reactions. These procedures should be posted in
well as who to contact directly with an allergy an area that all staff know about and have access
related question. to, like a staff bulletin board. Food service
premises should also have a phone number for
Print ingredient information on your menus emergency services and a list of the names of
If you have a smaller menu that doesn’t change employees trained in first aid and CPR posted
often, this could work for you. However, if you and easily visible to all staff.
have a large menu, or you change it often, this
could be too costly.
You can help prevent allergen contamination!
Use food allergy and sensitivity charts
An allergy chart lets customers and staff quickly
see which menu items have known allergens in Prevent Allergen Contamination
them. These charts are designed to identify Kitchen and service staff must be aware of the
known allergens rather than all ingredients. risk of foods being contaminated by allergens.
Like cross-contamination of other foods, allergen
Use recipe binders contamination happens when food isn’t kept
A recipe binder would list all the menu items with properly separated. Here are some of the ways
all ingredients listed for each, like a cookbook. that this could happen:
The list would include the ingredients of any
prepared food used in the recipe, like a bottled • Using equipment that hasn’t been thoroughly
sauce or a blend of spices. The binder could be cleaned and still has other food on it
changed whenever menu items are added, • Contamination (adulteration) of food,
removed, or updated. Daily menu items and whether on purpose or by accident
special items should all be included. • Using rework materials that came into
contact with an allergen (for example, using
Choose a designated employee pastry dough for two different recipes)
An employee on each shift would be designated • Using the wrong packages or labels
to answer customers’ questions about allergenic • Not identifying all ingredients in food
ingredients. This employee needs direct access to received from a supplier
the recipes and kitchen staff and needs a clear • Using misleading names for foods or
understanding about the importance of ingredient ingredients (for example, “Bombay duck” is
information. Customers would then have all actually a type of fish)
questions answered by this employee.
• Carrying too many plates at one time, causing
food on separate plates to touch
Impacts of Food-borne You also need to:
Illness
• Talk to your staff
While contaminants that cause food-borne illness • Ask if any of them have or had the same
can get into food anywhere it’s processed, symptoms
prepared, or served, about 50 percent of food- • Ask if any of them were ill when handling
borne illness cases come from food prepared in food
food premises. • Review how the food was prepared
• Save food samples from the meal that was
Food-borne illness doesn’t just affect the person eaten
who gets sick. The average cost of food-borne • Don’t give medical advice; instead, refer
illness outbreaks to Canadian taxpayers is people to the local Public Health Unit or a
estimated to be between $12 and 14 billion every healthcare professional
year. Some of these costs are:
• Medical costs, such as doctor’s visits,

hospitalization, and medications
In Review
• Investigation costs, like the Public Health In this chapter, you were introduced to the
doing tests to confirm the type of food-borne following:
illness
• Loss of productivity, including sick people • The definition of food-borne illness
missing work and food premises having to • Common symptoms of food-borne illness
close during an investigation
• Chemical, physical, and allergenic causes of
• Higher legal and insurance costs if a food
food-borne illness
premises is sued by those who got sick
• Preventing food-borne illness
• The impact of food-borne illness on people
Complaints and businesses
If your food premises receive a complaint about • Dealing with food-borne illness complaints
a food-borne illness, call your local public health from customers
office to report the complaint. Public health will
investigate the case. Record these details before
you call: Notes
• Who got sick
• What food they ate and when
• What symptoms they had and when
• Anything else about what happened
Microorganisms
Introduction
Types of Microorganisms
Examples of Microbiological Illness
Carriers
Who Gets Sick?
What makes pathogenic bacteria so dangerous?
Bacterial Growth
Potentially Hazardous Foods
18 Microorganisms
Other microorganisms, however, can be a
Introduction nuisance, make us sick, and even be deadly.
The previous chapter looked at food-borne Examples of these include bread mould,
illnesses caused by chemical contamination, viruses (like Norovirus and Hepatitis A virus),
physical contamination, and allergens. This and bacteria (like Salmonella and E. coli).
chapter will now look at food-borne illness
caused by microbiological contamination. Viruses
Microbiological contamination is the most
Viruses are found in nearly all life forms,
common cause of food-borne illness, and it
including humans, animals, plants, and fungi.
involves microorganisms.
They are between 20 and 100 times smaller than
bacteria, often being too small to be seen by a
Microorganisms are too small to be seen standard microscope. Viruses don’t grow in food
with the naked eye. because they can only grow inside a cell that’s
alive. Viruses use living cells in humans, animals,
and plants to increase in number.
To understand how to handle food safely, you
need to know a little about microorganisms. Viruses that cause food-borne illness are called
Microorganisms typically require a microscope to enteric viruses, which means they infect the
be seen. They’re found just about everywhere, human body through the intestines. Symptoms
and they can exist in or on food, water, animals, may include weakness, nausea, vomiting, and
objects, and the human body. Because diarrhea. Symptoms usually start suddenly and
microorganisms are so small, food that’s last one to two days, but a person may keep
contaminated with them may look, smell, and feeling ill for several more days. It’s also possible
taste normal, even when it’s not safe. So, it’s very for a person who’s infected with a virus to have
important that you know about these no symptoms but to pass that virus on to another
microorganisms and how to control them. person. Dehydration is also a common problem,
especially for people in a high-risk group. Viruses
are very good at infecting people and most times
Microorganisms that make us sick are can’t be treated with drugs, which means a
called pathogens. person must wait for the virus to go away on its
own.
The best way to control the spread of

viruses is proper handwashing.
Types of Microorganisms
There are six main types of microorganisms:
viruses, parasites, protozoa, yeasts, mold, and
bacteria. Some of these microorganisms are good
for us and can be helpful, such as:
• Yeast used to make bread and produce

alcohol
• Bacteria used to make yogurt and sauerkraut
• Mould that ripens and flavours cheese (for
example, blue cheese)
Microorganisms 19
Human hands are the most common way that
viruses get into food. This is why handwashing is
so important. We’ll learn more about this in the
Personal Hygiene chapter.
Another source of viruses is contaminated water.

This water can contaminate food washed in it or
seafood and shellfish exposed to it.
Viruses can also spread through cross-

contamination. Examples of viruses that can be Trichinella spiralis. Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
carried in food are Hepatitis A, and Norovirus. .
• Anisakis (parasitic roundworm), which

Parasites causes Anisakiasis is spread through
uncooked fish and raw fish items such as
Parasites live in (or on) humans and animals, and sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and salmon.
they use humans and animals to grow. People can
get parasites from:
• Contaminated water, or any food washed

with contaminated water
• Eating undercooked meat from a
contaminated animal
• Cross-contamination of foods
The best way to control the spread of Anisakis. Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
parasites is thorough cooking.
Like viruses, parasites don't grow in food. Parasitic Protozoa

Symptoms of a parasitic infection depend on the
type of parasite. Abdominal or stomach pain, Other kinds of parasites (Parasitic Protozoa) are
diarrhea, muscle pain, coughing, skin lesions, spread through contaminated drinking and
weight loss, and many other symptoms are recreational water.
possible. Examples of parasites include:
Parasitic Protozoa can get into food from
contaminated water. They can survive longer in
• Trichinella spiralis, which causes Trichinosis,
water than bacteria, and they’re harder to remove
is spread through raw or undercooked pork
from water than bacteria.
or wild game meat
20 Microorganisms
Protozoa are more likely than other Some moulds make toxins called mycotoxins,
microorganisms to infect someone who eats or which can cause serious illness. You can't tell by
drinks contaminated food or water. looking whether the mould you see is one of the
Cross-contamination can spread protozoa to poison-producing types.
other food.
Examples of poisonous toxins made by moulds
Examples of Parasitic Protozoa include: are:
• Giardia, which causes Giardiasis ("Beaver • Aflatoxin, found in nuts, peanuts and peanut
Fever" or backpacker’s diarrhea) is spread butter
through drinking untreated surface water. • Ochratoxin A, found in grain, coffee and
• Cryptosporidium, which causes wine
Cryptosporidiosis is spread through Mould can grow on almost any food, at any
ingestion of contaminated water. storage temperature, and under any conditions.
Yeasts Freezing prevents the growth of mould but it
won’t kill mould cells already in the food.
Yeast is used to make food, like breads and
alcohol, but yeast can also spoil food. Yeast spoils The mould that you see on food isn’t the only
food by slowly eating it. Contamination shows up mould that’s there. If it creates poisons, it’s
as bubbles, an alcoholic smell or taste, pink spots, generally under the surface of the food as well.
or slime.
Mould can be thought of like a plant. The part
Yeast can grow at most food storage you can see is like the flower, and the part that
temperatures. It needs sugar and moisture to you can’t see is like the roots. The softer the
survive which it finds in foods like jellies and food, the further into the food the mould is likely
honey. Yeast usually spoils food without making to spread.
people sick.
When in doubt, throw it out!
Mould
Does all mouldy food have to be thrown out?
The blue in blue cheese, the flavour of some soy No. Some hard cheeses and hard salami can be
sauces, and the power of penicillin to fight saved, if you can cut out the mould at least one
disease all come from different kinds of moulds. inch around and under it. Any other food should
These are beneficial. But the unwanted moulds be thrown away. If you’re not sure, the safest
we find in our kitchens are the ones that spoil action is to follow the rule for all questionable
food. These are not beneficial. foods: when in doubt, throw it out!
Bacteria
Bacteria are pretty much everywhere in our

environment. Some can be very helpful to us,
such as following:
• Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which
Single mould cells are usually very tiny, but help us digest food
mould colonies (groups of cells that are growing • Those used for bioremediation of toxic
together) may be seen as fuzzy growths on food. chemical spills
Microorganisms 21
Symptoms of infection often appear one or more
Bacterial illnesses are the most common days after eating the contaminated food. With
type of food-borne illness. most bacteria, symptoms will appear within three
days, but some pathogenic bacteria won’t cause
symptoms for 10 or more days. Others can take
Bacteria can also be harmful. Below are some more than two months. Symptoms usually come
examples of harmful bacteria. on slowly and can last for several days. Since this
is an infection, one of the symptoms is usually a
Campylobacter fever.
Commonly found in poultry and meat. It can be
carried by rodents, wild birds, and household pets Bacterial Intoxications
such as cats and dogs. It can also be found in
untreated water. Sometimes it’s not the bacteria itself that makes a
person sick, but what the bacteria produces. All
bacteria produce waste products, some of which
Listeria
are toxic to humans. These waste products are
Found in soil. People can get infected by eating
called toxins. A food-borne illness caused by a
unpasteurized dairy products, vegetables, fish, and
toxin is also called a food-borne intoxication.
meat products that are contaminated with the
bacteria.
Toxins have no smell or taste. Because some
toxins can’t be destroyed by normal cooking
E. coli temperatures, cooking a food contaminated with
Lives in the intestines of animals and can be
a toxin may not make it safe. Bacterial toxins can
spread to the outer surfaces of meat when it’s
come from bacteria that’s growing in food or
being butchered. E. coli can also be spread
from bacteria that’s on a person handling the
through contaminated water.
food. Infections, cuts, burns, boils, and pimples
all have bacteria, and, if those bacteria or their
Clostridium perfringens waste products get into food, they can cause
Can be found in high protein or starch-like foods food-borne illness.
such as cooked beans or gravies and is likely to
be a problem in improperly handled leftovers. Food-borne intoxication symptoms can start the
same day or within a day or two of eating
Salmonella contaminated food. They can last up to two
Most commonly found in raw poultry, but also weeks. These illnesses can be very dangerous.
found in other meats, unpasteurized milk, and Remember, a toxin is a poison. One example of
raw eggs. food intoxication is Botulism caused by
Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum). Symptoms of
Bacterial Infections botulism intoxication include:
• Nausea
When food contaminated with living, harmful • Vomiting
bacteria is eaten, it can cause food-borne illness. • Tiredness
Bacteria will pass through the stomach and down • Dizziness
to the intestines where it’ll multiply and infect the • Headache
person. It may take only a small number of
• Double vision
bacteria to cause an infection, depending on the
bacteria type • Dryness in the throat and nose
• Respiratory failure
• Paralysis
• Death
22 Microorganisms
It’s important to remember that with food-borne
intoxication, it’s not the bacteria that are making
the person sick; it’s the toxin made by the
bacteria.
Staphylococcus aureus is another common bacteria

that can cause Food Poisoning. Staph. aureus
can be transferred to food through unwashed
hands. The bacteria can multiply in the food
and produce toxins that can make people ill.
Staph bacteria are killed by cooking, but the
toxins are not destroyed by heat.
Bacterial Spores
Some kinds of bacteria produce spores that can’t

be destroyed by normal cooking temperatures,
dryness, and chemicals. These bacteria create
spores when they’re in conditions where they
can’t grow. Spores are the resting stage of live
bacteria, and they can grow into active bacteria
when good conditions are available.
Bacterial spores are NOT destroyed by

cooking temperatures or most
disinfectants.
Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes

botulism, produces spores. If an infant eats
botulinum spores in food, the spores can grow
into active bacteria in the intestine and produce
toxins. This can also happen in adults with
previous medical problems affecting the
intestines. Later in this chapter, we’ll learn more
about what bacteria and need in order to grow.
Microorganisms 23
Examples of Microbiological Illness
Illness Usual source of Start of Symptoms Foods typically Factors that contribute to
(and microorganism symptoms* contaminated with an outbreak
microorganism) the microorganism
Salmonellosis Raw poultry, raw 6-72 hours; Fever, Poultry, meat, meat Inadequate refrigeration,
(Salmonella) pork, feces of usually 18-36 abdominal products, holding foods at warm
infected humans hours pain, diarrhea, unpasteurized milk, temperatures, inadequate
nausea, egg products, raw cooking and reheating,
vomiting, eggs, shellfish, preparing food several hours
dehydration pudding, gravies before serving, cross-
contamination, inadequate
cleaning of equipment,
infected worker touching
cooked foods, obtaining
foods from contaminated
sources
Staphylococcal Nose, skin, lesions 1-8 hours; Severe nausea, Foods high in Inadequate refrigeration,
intoxication of infected humans usually 2-4 vomiting, protein, custards, infected worker touching
(Staphylococcus aureus) and animals, cow hours cramps, and cream-filled baked cooked foods, preparing
udders prostration; goods, ham, poultry foods several hours before
usually and meat products, serving, working with cuts
diarrhea potato and other or abrasions containing pus,
salads holding foods at warm
temperatures
Trichinosis Flesh of infected 4-23 days; Vomiting, Undercooked pork Inadequate refrigeration,
(Trichinella spiralis) pig and bear usually 9 days nausea, eye and foods in contact holding foods at warm
problems, with undercooked temperatures, preparing
muscular pork foods several hours before
stiffness, serving, inadequate
spasms, reheating of leftovers
difficulty
breathing
Hepatitis A virus Feces, urine, and 10-50 days; Fever, malaise, Shellfish, raw oysters, Infected workers touching
blood of humans usually 25 days nausea, clams, milk, sliced foods, poor personal
infected with abdominal meat, water hygiene, inadequate cooking,
Hepatitis A pain, jaundice harvesting shellfish from
sewage contaminated waters,
and inadequate sewage
disposal
Hemorrhagic colitis Raw beef, pork, and 2-6 days Abdominal Hamburger, other Undercooked hamburger
(E. coli) poultry cramps, meat products, raw and chicken in fast food
bloody or milk facilities, cross-
watery contamination
diarrhea;
sometimes
fatal
* This is the time from when a person eats the contaminated food to the time when the person starts to feel sick.
24 Microorganisms
contamination and will be talked about more in a
Carriers later chapter.
Microorganisms can come from food, water,
animals, and objects. They can also be found in Who Gets Sick?
and on the human body. Microorganisms can be
present naturally or they can get into food There are a number of things that can make a
through a carrier. person who eats contaminated food more or less
likely to get sick. Some of these are:
Carriers are people or objects that are carrying
microorganisms. These microorganisms can end • The person’s health before eating the food. A
up in food that’s not handled safely. Because person who has a weak immune system is
microorganisms are so small, they can’t be seen more likely than a healthy person to get sick.
with the naked eye and they can be on people and Persons with weak immune systems include
on objects without them knowing it. the very young, the very old and people
immunocompromised by a medical condition.
Remember: Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, • The amount of pathogen in the food.
and parasites can be transferred to food Campylobacter will generally cause food-borne
by a carrier. illness in a healthy person if more than 500
cells are in the food eaten. For Salmonella, the
number is 100,000. For Shigella, a person can
get sick from eating as few as 10 cells. These
numbers are called the ‘infectious dose’.
There has to be enough bacteria to make it
through the stomach to the intestines for a
person to get sick. Again, if a person’s
immune system is compromised, it’ll take
even less.
• The type of microorganism. Some
microorganisms are more likely to cause
food-borne illness than others. Protozoa and
parasites are very likely to cause illness if
they’re eaten.
What makes pathogenic

bacteria so dangerous?
People can transfer their germs into the food
they’re preparing. It’s possible for a person to • They can multiply very quickly at room
have an infection without showing any symptoms temperature.
or signs. In fact, we’re always carrying some • They can live and multiply in food.
germs around. Feeling well doesn’t necessarily • They aren’t killed by refrigeration or by
mean you don’t have any microorganisms on or freezing.
in your body. People can also pick up
• Their spores and toxins may still be
microorganisms from one type of food and
dangerous after food is cooked.
transfer it to another type of food if they don’t
handle the food safely. This is called cross-
Microorganisms 25
Bacteria are carried in water, food, and as control is so important that we’ll discuss it in
“hitchhikers” on humans, insects, rodents, and more detail in the next chapter.
objects (such as dishes, towels, and clothing).
Bacteria can multiply quickly when they're in The DANGER ZONE is between 4°C
conditions that suit them, meaning they have the (40°F) and 60°C (140°F).
right temperature, moisture level, and a source of
food.
Bacterial Growth
Many kinds of bacteria will double every 10 to 20
minutes if its surroundings are perfect. In this
case, the number of bacteria can reach dangerous
levels very quickly in a short period of time.
Let's look at the things that bacteria need to

grow:
• Time
• The Temperature Danger Zone
• Oxygen
Oxygen
• pH
• Moisture Bacteria that require oxygen in order to grow and
• Protein survive are called aerobic bacteria. Most bacteria are
aerobic. Bacteria that can survive and grow
Time and Temperature without the presence of oxygen are called anaerobic
bacteria. Food-borne illness can be caused by
There’s a temperature danger zone for food both.
where bacteria will grow the fastest. The danger
zone is between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F). Aerobic bacteria
It’s important to keep food out of this danger Salmonella is often found in poultry products like
zone as much as possible because the longer food chicken, turkey, or eggs, and it needs oxygen to
is left in this zone, the more bacteria can grow grow.
and the more dangerous the food can get.
Anaerobic bacteria.
Holding hot food above 60°C (140°F) will kill live
Clostridium botulinum can be found in improperly
bacteria, but it won’t kill bacterial spores and may
processed canned food and food preserved in oil
not destroy toxins. Chilling food below 4°C
that is maintained at room temperature.
(40°F) doesn’t kill bacteria or do anything to
spores or toxins, but it does slow the growth of
pH
most bacteria.
pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a
Temperature control is the most effective way to substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0-14, with
slow the growth of bacteria in food. Temperature
26 Microorganisms
7 being neutral. Pure water has a pH of 7. Any
food with a pH below 7 is acidic, and any food Remember, low moisture won’t kill
above 7 is alkaline. Most foods that we eat are bacteria, but it will keep bacteria from
acidic, having a pH between 2 and 7. growing.
Pathogenic bacteria need a pH that’s slightly

Protein
acidic on the pH scale.
Bacteria grow best when there is a good supply of
pH of some common foods food or nutrients. The main nutrient for bacteria
is protein. Foods that are rich in protein are:
lemons 2.2 - 2.4
oranges 3.1 - 4.1 • Meat (steak, hamburger, and pork)
oysters 4.8 - 6.3 • Fish
• Poultry (chicken and turkey)
pork 5.3 - 6.9
• Eggs
squash 5.5 - 6.2 • Dairy products (milk and cheese)
corn 6.0 - 7.5 Foods that have a high level of both protein and
potatoes 6.1 moisture are very good for bacterial growth.
milk 6.3 - 8.5
Potentially Hazardous
eggs 6.4 – 9.0
Foods
Moisture
Potentially hazardous foods are foods
Bacteria need water to grow. Bacteria will grow that support the growth of bacteria.
faster in moist foods. Moist foods that are good
for bacterial growth are things like:
Potentially hazardous foods are rich in protein
• Meat (steak, hamburger, and pork) and have high moisture content and neutral pH.
• Dairy products (milk and cheese) These foods need to have their time and
• Fish temperature watched very carefully to keep
• Eggs bacteria from growing, producing toxins or
producing spores.
• Vegetables
Dry foods don’t have enough moisture in them Potentially hazardous foods include:
for bacteria to grow, but bacteria can survive in • Moist foods with a pH above 4.5
them without growing. They can become • Dairy products
hazardous when water is added; bacteria in them • Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs
would then have the moisture needed for growth. • Some raw vegetables and fruit (e.g., bean
sprouts, garlic in oil, and cut melon),
Food can be made safer if the amount of water especially those that won't be cooked
available to bacteria is lowered by freezing,
dehydrating (removing the water), cooking, or
adding solutes like salt, sugar, and preservatives.
Microorganisms 27
Remember, any food that contains one of Notes
these ingredients is potentially hazardous. So,
a cream- filled doughnut, a salad with sliced
chicken, a pasta dish with meat sauce, and a
casserole with cheese would all be potentially
hazardous.
Some raw and cooked vegetables and fruit will
support the growth of pathogenic
microorganisms and are therefore potentially
hazardous. Vegetables and fruit my be easily
contaminated and have caused a number of
outbreaks (e.g., E. coli in spinach—September
2006; Salmonella in uncooked and fresh
tomatoes—July 2008).
In Review
In this chapter, you’ve learned about the different
types of microorganisms that cause food-borne
illness and how they, especially bacteria, can be
controlled. The following topics have been
covered:
• Not all microorganisms are bad for us.

• The types of pathogenic microorganisms that
cause food-borne illness are bacteria, viruses,
parasites, yeasts, and mould.
• The similarities and differences between
pathogenic microorganisms.
• The sources of pathogenic microorganisms.
• The food-borne illnesses these pathogenic
microorganisms cause and the symptoms of
illness.
• Why some kinds of food contamination are
more likely than others to make people sick.
• Why some people are more likely to get sick
than others when they eat contaminated
food.
• How carriers can transfer microorganisms to
food.
• What bacteria need in order to grow: time,
temperature, oxygen, pH, moisture, and
protein.
• What makes a food potentially hazardous.
28 Microorganisms
Time and
Temperature
Introduction
The Probe Thermometer
Food Safety Sequence
Freezing
Thawing
Refrigeration
Condiment Fridge
Food Preparation
Cooking
Hot and Cold Holding
Cooling
Reheating

Introduction Your probe thermometer must be a food
service thermometer. It should have a
In the previous chapter we talked about the metal probe; an instant-read type is
danger zone and how important it is that food be preferred.
in the danger zone range of temperatures
(between 4°C/40°F and 60°C/140°F) for as
short a time as possible. This is true during all of
the different stages of preparing, storing, serving, Probe thermometers must be cleaned and
and selling food. sanitized by using alcohol swabs or a sanitizing
solution before and after each use. This is to
Food goes through many stages before it’s made make sure you don’t cross-contaminate food
available to your customers. Steps need to be
taken at each of these stages to make sure To use a probe thermometer:
bacterial growth is kept to a minimum. This is
done by controlling the temperatures food is kept • Insert the probe so the sensing area is in the
at and the amount of time food is kept at those thickest part of the food or in the center of
temperatures. the food if there is no part that is thickest.
• Wait at least 15 seconds for the reading to
steady, and then read it.
The Probe Thermometer • Don’t let the probe touch the bottom or sides
of the food containers because you won’t get
To make sure the proper food temperatures are
an accurate temperature if you do. Never
reached and maintained, use a probe
leave the thermometer in food that is being
thermometer.
cooked by oven, microwave, or stove.
Thermometer Recalibration
Recalibrating your thermometer regularly will

help to ensure your temperature readings are
accurate. Recalibrating means adjusting the
thermometer to make sure it’s reading the
right temperature. A thermometer should be
recalibrated:
• After an extreme temperature change

• If it has been dropped
Even if these things haven’t happened, your

thermometer needs to be recalibrated on a
regular basis.
30 Time and Temperature

How to Recalibrate Food Safety Sequence
The basic sequence of safe food preparation is:
The recommended way to recalibrate
your probe thermometer is by using the • Receiving and storage (see next chapter)
ice point method. • Freezing
• Thawing
• Refrigeration
1. Set the probe of the thermometer in the mixture,
making certain it’s not touching the sides or the • Food preparation
bottom. Wait until the needle stops moving to see • Cooking
what temperature it’s reading. If it’s not 0°C • Cooling
(32°F), it needs to be adjusted. • Hot and cold holding
• Reheating
2. If your thermometer has a calibration nut, use a
small wrench to turn it until the temperature Not all foods will go through all these stages and
reads 0°C (32°F). Keep the probe in the ice water they may not go through them in this order. It’s
to make sure the temperature is accurate. very important to monitor and control the
temperature of food during all of these stages to
3. Other types of thermometers can be adjusted in make sure bacteria has little chance to grow.
much the same way using its plastic cylinder or
pliers. Use your probe thermometer to check
temperatures through all of these stages
When You Can’t Recalibrate
Freezing
Digital thermometers don’t usually have a way to
be recalibrated, but they still need to be checked Frozen foods must be kept at a temperature of -
for accuracy. Use the same method as described 18°C (0°F) or lower. All freezers must have a
above for a dial type thermometer. The exception thermometer that is accurate and easily seen. The
is that your digital thermometer may have a reset thermometer should be in the warmest part of
button that has to be pushed to recalibrate the the freezer, which is near the door and near the
setting. If your thermometer doesn’t read 0°C top. Temperatures need to be monitored several
(32°F), try a new battery or have a repair service times a day to make sure they stay at or below -
check the unit. Follow any instructions for 18°C (0°F). Once a week, a probe thermometer
maintenance and care of your thermometer that should be used to make sure that the temperature
come with it at purchase, including those for showing on the freezer’s thermometer is right.
recalibration. To avoid confusion, be sure to
recalibrate your thermometer as soon as possible.
If your thermometer is not reading

accurately, you can’t trust it. Recalibrate
it or use a different one.

As part of the continuous cooking
If food has defrosted, don’t re-freeze it
process
without cooking it first.
This method works well for small portions of
food like seafood, ground beef, and similar foods,
Freezers and refrigerators will run better and but not for large items, unless the package directs
keep your food safer if you follow these tips: you to cook from frozen.
• Keep the door closed as much as possible. In the microwave
• Don’t overload the space.
• Use open wire shelves that haven’t been lined Because the food is warm when it’s thawed, use
(no cardboard, tin foil, or other solid this method only if the food will be moved
material). immediately to another cooking source after
• Make sure door seals are tight and in good thawing. This method isn’t effective for large
repair. items.
Thawing Refrigeration
NEVER thaw foods at room temperature. Since Refrigerated foods must be kept at a temperature
the food thaws from the outside the surface of of 4°C (40°F) or lower. All fridges must have a
the food, where most of the bacteria are found, thermometer that is accurate and easily seen. The
will be at room temperature while the middle will thermometer should be in the warmest part of
still be frozen. Because room temperature is in the fridge, which is near the door and near the
the danger zone, bacteria on the outside of the top. Temperatures need to be monitored several
food will multiply very quickly. times a day to make sure they stay at or below
4°C (40°F). Once a week, a probe thermometer
Thaw foods safely using one of the following should be used to make sure the temperature
four methods: showing on the fridge’s thermometer is accurate.
In a refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) Condiment Fridge

This method is slow, so allow a day or more for Condiment refrigerators are often used to
large items, such as poultry and roasts. It takes prepare or assemble food items like sandwiches
about 10 hours/kg or 5 hours/lb. Use this or pizza. The top of a condiment refrigerator has
method whenever possible, as it’s the safest. a preparation counter with food compartments
for holding ingredients like cold cuts, cheese,
In a sink under cold running water tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles. Proper
temperatures in the top wells are very hard to
Use a large, clean sink and don’t let water splash maintain in these units, so it’s important to keep
on other foods or surfaces where food will be,
the lid closed as much as possible and closely
such as counters. Keep the water flowing monitor temperatures.
constantly to keep the outside of the product
cold. Remove the food from the sink as soon as
it is thawed. Sanitize the sink and all utensils used Remember! Move the containers with
in thawing. food to the main part of the refrigerator
for overnight storage.

Food Preparation Food mixtures that contain hazardous foods need
to be cooked to an internal temperature of 74°C
When you’re working with food at room (165°F). Verify the temperature with your probe
temperature, getting it ready to be cooked or thermometer for at least 15 seconds.
served, you need to take extra care.
Any food preparation that takes place at room

temperature is risky because it takes place in the
temperature danger zone. Most bacteria grow
fastest in the 20° to 50°C (68° to 122°F) range,
especially at 37°C (98° F; human body
temperature). The longer hazardous foods are in
this range, the greater the chance that pathogenic
bacteria will grow and/or produce toxins which
will cause food-borne illness.
Don’t keep foods in the danger zone

longer than necessary. If you need to
leave your work station for any reason, Cooking Meats
put food back in the refrigerator until
you can start working with it again. Some types of meat have different minimum
internal cooking temperature requirements. As
mentioned in the section on defrosting, most
bacteria are on the surface of food. So when a
If you’re preparing large amounts of food: solid piece of meat like a steak is cooked, the
• Use small batches outside gets thoroughly heated and the surface
• Use pre-chilled ingredients bacteria are killed, even if the centre doesn’t
• Pack food on ice reach 74°C (165°F).
When meat is ground up, any bacteria on the
surface are mixed through the meat. To make
sure all bacteria are killed, the meat must be
Cooking cooked all the way through.
We talked about what kinds of food are To ensure Trichinella and Salmonella are killed,
considered hazardous in the Microorganisms pork and poultry have higher temperature
chapter; as a reminder, they’re foods like: requirements.
• Dairy products (such as milk and cheese)

• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs

Cooked Food Temperature Reheat the food at cooking temperature
from Raw Requirement before transferring it into a hot holding
unit!
Poultry (whole) 82°C (180°F) for at least
15 seconds
Poultry (pieces 74°C (165°F) for at least Food being held hot for service or display must
or ground) 15 seconds be held at 60°C (140°F) or higher at all times.
Use a probe thermometer to monitor
Food mixtures 74°C (165°F) for at least temperatures regularly during the holding time
containing 15 seconds and record them. Hold food hot after the food
poultry, eggs, has been cooked to the right internal
meat, fish, or temperature.
other potentially
hazardous foods Room Temperature Holding
Pork, lamb, veal, 71°C (160°F) for at least
and beef (whole or 15 seconds Potentially hazardous foods that are meant to be
ground) eaten right away can be displayed or held for
service at room temperature (not kept on ice or
Fish 70°C (158°F) for at least heated) but for less than two hours. These
15 seconds foods should be marked with the time they were
placed at room temperature so they can be
thrown away at the right time.
For more information about different cooking NEVER mix old food with new food. If you do,
temperatures for different kinds of meat, see you won’t be able to follow the two-hour rule.
Food Retail and Food services Code, 2016. An old pan of food should be removed
completely and replaced with a new, fresh pan of
Hot and Cold Holding food. Potentially hazardous foods can be held at
room temperature for up to two hours because
that time is too short for bacteria to grow or
Never top up old foods with new foods! produce toxins at a level that would likely cause
harm.
Holding food means keeping it at the right Cold Holding

temperature once it’s been prepared and until it’s
served. Food can be held hot, cold, or at room All foods being held cold for service or display
temperature, depending on the type of food and must be held at 4°C (40°F) or lower at all times.
how long it’s being held. There are different This is the same temperature they would be at in
requirements for each type of holding. a refrigerator. Use a probe thermometer to
monitor temperatures regularly during the
Hot Holding holding time and record them.
When food is kept hot after being cooked, it’s Don’t overfill containers. Use metal containers
called hot holding. Some examples of this are: for all hazardous food since metal conducts cold
• Food held in a buffet better than plastic. Food can be held in the cold
• Hot dogs kept hot in a hot dog cart zone on ice or using a refrigerated unit. When
• Fast food held in a warming tray until it’s using ice to keep food cold, ensure food is
served surrounded by ice, not just sitting on top of it.
Containers of food should always be moved into

a refrigerator if they’ll be stored overnight. quickly. Store them on the top shelves to reduce
Ingredients and containers can be pre-chilled the risk of cross-contamination.
before use.
Once the foods are thoroughly cooled, cover
tightly to protect from contamination and to keep
Cooling the food from drying out. Label and date the
If cooked food needs to be cooled for storage or containers so that you’ll know how long to keep
service, it must be done carefully because the the food.
food will pass through the temperature danger
zone. The food must be placed on ice or Large Containers
refrigerated before it drops below 60°C/140°F.
Cooling cooked food in large containers is much
The faster the food is cooled, the less time it
harder and can mean that food will be in the
spends in the danger zone and the less risk there
danger zone for a longer time. Extra care must be
is of bacterial growth.
taken. You can cool food faster by:
Cooling foods too slowly is one of the • Placing the large container in a sink of ice
leading causes of food-borne illness. water (ice water bath)
• Stirring
• Using an ice wand
The time it should take to cool food: • Adding ice directly to the food
• Within two hours, the temperature of the • Dividing food into small quantities
food should drop from 60°C (140°F) to 20°C
(68°F). To make sure the food’s being cooled fast
• Within the next four hours, the temperature enough, the temperature of the food must be
of the food should drop from 20°C (68°F) to monitored during cooling using your probe
4°C (40° F) or less. thermometer
As with cooked foods, the temperature of the Cooling After Preparation

food must be monitored during cooling using
your probe thermometer. This is to make sure it’s Food prepared at room temperature must be
being cooled fast enough. Cooled food can be cooled from 20°C (68°F) to 4°C (40°F) or less
stored at 4°C (40°F) or less. within four hours. This applies to food that won’t
be cooked right after being prepared, like meat
Let's look at some ways that food can be cooled that’s being marinated. It also applies to food that
quickly. won’t be cooked at all, such as a salad.
Shallow Pans
Use your probe thermometer to make
The best way to cool food is to transfer the hot, sure food is being cooled fast enough.
cooked food from large containers to shallow
pans (2 to 3 inches / 5 to 7 cm deep or less).
Partly cover pans to protect from contamination
but allow heat to escape. Stirring food and using
an ice water bath will also reduce cooling time
significantly. When cool enough, place the pans
in the refrigerator to bring the temperature down

Reheating
In Review
Don’t use hot holding units for reheating
hazardous food. In this chapter, you learned about using your
probe thermometer and keeping food at the right
temperatures during the different stages involved
When hazardous foods are reheated, they in serving food to your customers.
need to be brought to their minimum The following topics have been covered:
required cooking temperature for at least
15 seconds. The food needs to reach that • How and when to recalibrate your probe
temperature within two hours. thermometer
• The correct temperatures to store frozen and
refrigerated foods
• How to properly monitor freezer and
Use your probe thermometer to check refrigerator temperatures
the reheating temperatures.
• Safe methods for thawing frozen foods
• The stages that put food in the danger zone:
preparation, cooking, cooling, and reheating
As the food will pass through the danger zone, • The different safe temperatures for cooking
reheating should be done as quickly as possible meats and other hazardous foods
so use the highest temperature you can. Keep • How to safely hold food at hot, cold, and
these things in mind: room temperatures
• How to cool and reheat food safely by
• Foods like soups, stews and gravies should be minimizing time in the danger zone
brought to a boil. When possible, reheat in small
amounts so you can reheat faster.
• Food can’t be reheated in a hot holding unit (like
a steam table, chafing dishes, soup urn, or
holding oven) because they’re not designed to
heat food quickly or to high enough
temperatures. Notes
• Be careful when using leftovers as they pass
through the danger zone twice. Throw out any
leftovers after reheating.
Never reheat food more than once!

Don’t use leftovers of a leftover!

Receiving
and Storage
Introduction
Shipping and Receiving
Storage
Stock Rotation

Introduction Temperatures
Foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen need

Food safety is important during all of the
to be shipped in vehicles that can keep them at
different stages of preparation and production.
the right temperatures. Refrigerated foods must
To make sure the food you’re serving to
be shipped at 4°C (40°F) or lower, and frozen
customers is safe, you need to make sure it comes
foods must be frozen solid with no signs of
from a safe source and is stored properly.
thawing.
Shipping and Receiving Thawing and refreezing are major

dangers for frozen foods.
Whenever food is received at your premises, it
should be inspected. You want all of the food
you’re receiving to come from an approved Products that must be kept at refrigerator or
source and be in good condition. freezer temperatures should be double-checked
for their actual temperatures. Because all delivery
trucks are required to have thermometers in their
refrigeration units, check the temperature of the
thermometer in the delivery truck first. Then, use
your probe thermometer to check the internal
temperature of the food. If you can’t insert the
thermometer directly into the product, open a
case and insert the entire sensing area of the
thermometer between two packages, being
careful not to poke a hole in them. Reject any
Check delivery trucks. They should be clean and products that are too warm.
shouldn’t have signs of contamination. Also,
check all food products before they’re accepted Frozen products should be checked carefully to
to make sure they’re not spoiled or damaged. make sure they haven’t thawed and been refrozen.
Look for: Look for large ice crystals, solid areas of ice, and
discoloured or dried-out food. Reject any food
• Proper shipping temperatures product that may have been thawed and refrozen.
• Dents or rust on cans If a product you receive is thawing, it should not
• Bulging, leaking, or stains on packaging be refrozen; put it in the refrigerator, date it, and
continue the thawing process—or reject it.
• Signs that products may be spoiled or
infested by pests (e.g., gnawed holes or insect
wings) Water
• Proper labeling, and labeling intact - not Any water used in food premises must be from a
changed, broken, or removed from the food potable water supply, which means the water
to which it's supposed to be attached must be safe for drinking. When buying ice, make
Check the manufacturer’s ‘best before’ date. If sure it comes from an approved source and is
the date has passed, don’t accept the food made under sanitary conditions.
The following outlines how different foods need Meat, Poultry, Fish and Seafood
to be inspected for different things.
Only government-inspected meat, poultry, fish,
and shellfish are allowed in food premises.
38 Receiving and Storage

Wrappers and boxes of these foods usually show
government approval and where the food was
packaged.
You should reject meat and poultry products if

they’re discoloured, have a strange smell, or if the
food is slimy, sticky, or dry. Remember, these
products must be delivered frozen or refrigerated.
Look for government stamps or tags on

meat, chicken, and seafood products. Cracked eggs and Grade C eggs can’t be used in
food premises. Liquid eggs must be pasteurized,
and the packaging can’t be broken or damaged.
Eggs and egg products should be delivered at 4°C

(40° F) or lower; reject them if they’re at a higher
temperature. If eggs are coming from an egg
grading station, they can be shipped at 13°C
(55°F). Refrigerate acceptable eggs as soon as you
Fish and shellfish should be delivered either receive them. Store them in their original
frozen at -18°C (0°F) or refrigerated at containers.
4°C (40°F). Shellfish must be received frozen or Non hen eggs, such as duck and quail, should be clean
live. Inspect the fish itself. Reject fish products if: and uncracked when received. Any transportation and
storage of these eggs should be done at 4°C (40°F) or
• There is a strong ‘fishy’ or ammonia smell. lower.
• The eyes are sunken or cloudy.
Dairy Products
• The shipping temperature is above 4°C
(40°F). Buy only pasteurized milk. All dairy products like
• The flesh is soft and gives (i.e., you poke the ice cream, cheese, sour cream, and yogurt must be
flesh with your finger and the finger print made using only pasteurized milk. This doesn’t
stays). apply to cheese made from unpasteurized milk if
• Clam, mussel, or oyster shells are partly the cheese is prepared in a licensed plant and
open and don’t close when tapped. cheese made from milk from animals other than
• Lobster and shrimp are soft and have a cows and goats, provided the cheese has been
strong smell. prepared in a way that destroys and prevent
bacterial growth and any other contamination that
Eggs would make it unsafe to eat.
It is recommended to freeze the ice cream and to
Hen eggs must be from an approved supplier and store most other dairy products between 2-4 ° C
must be graded. Always check inside egg cartons. (36-40°F). Make sure you check the expiration or
Look for cracks, feathers, and feces. If you see ‘best before’ dates.
any of these, the eggs may be ungraded and may
carry an increased risk of Salmonella
contamination.

Fresh Produce
MAP Foods Check fresh fruits and vegetables for wilting,
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) mould, or any signs of infestation by bugs or
reduces or replaces oxygen with other gases to other pests. Reject any products that aren’t in
help keep bacteria from growing. Food good condition. Remember your cross-
packaged in MAP can be kept longer without contamination rules, and make sure that
using preservatives. Some of the foods unwashed refrigerated produce is stored below
available in MAP are: ready-to-eat foods and above any raw meats,
poultry, and seafood.
• Refrigerated meals
• Fresh pasta
• Prepared salads
• Soups
• Sauces
• Cooked meats and poultry
Check packages for any holes, tears, bubbles,
slime, or discoloured contents. If you see any of
these, reject the food. MAP makes food much
less likely to spoil as long as the initial packaging Dry goods
was done correctly, the packaging remains intact,
Dry goods are foods like cereal, grains, nuts, rice,
and the food isn’t mishandled. Also, check the
crackers, pretzels, sugar, and flour. They must be
expiration or ‘best before’ date on the package,
received in dry, unbroken packages. Dampness or
and make sure the foods are received at the
mould may be signs of spoiled food or bacterial
temperature marked on the package by the
growth. Check packages for holes or tears which
manufacturer or supplier.
could be evidence of pest infestation. Make sure
these products are well within the ‘best before’ or
Canned Foods expiration dates. Store all grain and bulk foods in
Food premises can’t use or accept any home- closed metal or plastic containers to prevent
canned foods—the risk for botulism is too high. contamination and keep pests out.
Commercially prepared canned foods are made
safe by heating to very high temperatures under How to Receive
pressure to meet quality control standards, which
Once you’ve inspected food and decided to
are tested and verified on a regular basis.
accept it, there are a few more things you need to
do to keep the food safe.
Never taste a can’s contents to test them.
You can get botulism from even a small Remove potential physical contaminants
taste of contaminated food. Remove staples, nails, and other fasteners from
packages so they don’t later end up as physical
contaminants in food served to customers.
Don’t accept any cans with swollen sides or ends,
flaws in the seams, rust, dents, leaks, or bad- Check your invoices
smelling contents. Reject any can without a label. Check what you’re getting against invoices to
After a can is opened, it must not be re-used to make sure you’re receiving everything you
store or cook foods. ordered and only what you ordered.

Remember your temperature control Storage
Get refrigerated and frozen items into cold
storage as quickly as possible. Don’t leave them Different kinds of foods have different storage
on the dock or in receiving. needs. Some foods can be safely stored at room
temperature; others need to be refrigerated or
frozen to be kept safe.
Prevent contamination.
All foods should be moved to their storage areas
as soon as possible to keep them from getting Always store food in an area that’s used
contaminated. only for food storage.
Maintain records and receipts.

All foods must be stored on shelves. Food should
It is a requirement to keep all receipts up to a
never be stored on the floor. If there isn’t enough
year after purchase.
space, adjustments have to be made. Consider
more frequent, smaller deliveries, or decreases in
Inspected sources.
menu choices. Never store food in:
Ensure food that is subject to inspection by
government of Canada or Ontario (i.e. meat,
dairy, hen eggs) is obtained from an inspected • Washrooms
source. • Staff dressing rooms
• Corridors
• Furnace rooms
Rejecting a Shipment
Mops, pails, brooms, and other such items must
Employees responsible for receiving goods be kept separate from food storage areas.
should know what to do when a shipment
doesn’t meet the standards of your food safety Storage Guidelines
system. If you are responsible for this, make sure
you know your company’s policy on what to do. There are some general rules that apply to all
kinds of food storage:
If you need to reject all or part of a shipment:
• Your storage areas need to be kept clean.
• Keep the food you are rejecting separate • All food products must be kept at least 15 cm
from your other food and supplies. (6 inches) off the floor. This makes cleaning
• Tell the delivery person the exact problem and pest control easier.
with the food. • Chemicals and food must never be stored
• Use your purchase agreement and together. Keep chemicals in their original
documented standards to back up your case containers, labeled with proper mixing
and show that you have reason to reject it. instructions, warnings, and first-aid
• Don’t throw the food out or let the delivery information. Store them away from food.
person remove it until you get a signed • All foods should be stored in food grade
adjustment or credit. containers that can be washed and sanitized
• Record the rejection in a delivery log. Include properly. Cardboard as an original container
the date, food involved, the package for certain foods (e.g., mushrooms) is
identification (if there is one), the standards allowed, but can’t be reused to store any
not met, and the type of adjustment made. other foods.

• Food should not be crowded. There In Review
needs to be enough space for air flow
and circulation both in cold storage In this chapter we looked at how to make
(refrigerators and freezers) and room sure you’re receiving food that meets safety
temperature storage areas. There should standards and how to keep your food safe
also be enough space to keep foods when you’re storing it.
separate to prevent cross-
contamination. The following topics were covered:
• Keeping moisture low will help food last • The different shipping and storage
longer and prevent mould. requirements for different types of foods
• Checking the temperature and condition of

Stock Rotation foods you receive to make sure they've
been shipped using food safety standards
Remember the stock rotation rule: • What to do when you need to reject a
First In, First Out (FIFO)
shipment
• Using the First In, First Out (FIFO) rule to

It’s important to make sure you keep your stored ensure food is used in the right order
food products or stock in a way that will keep
them safe and fresh:
• All foods stored in the freezer, refrigeration Notes

unit, or dry storage should be arranged using
the First In, First Out (FIFO) rule: the first
product you received (In) is the first product
you use (out).
• Sort foods by their expiration or ‘best before’
dates. Products without these dates should be
dated when they’re received. New products
should be put behind older products to make
sure that older products are used first
• Follow the recommended storage times for
refrigerated, frozen, and dry good foods.
Make sure all foods are dated.
• Don’t order more than you can use. If you
overstock, you’ll end up wasting food.
• If you’re not going to immediately throw
away foods that are past their ‘best before’ or
expiration date, keep them away from other
foods.

Microbiological
Contamination
Introduction
Cross-Contamination
Refrigerate Right
Food Display
Serving Food
Discarding
Equipment
Tasting Food
food group in a separate area of the refrigerator.
Introduction Make sure that all stored foods are covered to
Microbiological contamination is the spread of keep them from getting cross-contaminated with
harmful microorganisms to food that doesn’t drippings or juices from other foods, and to keep
naturally contain those microorganisms. As out other contaminants like dust or objects.
discussed in the Microorganisms chapter, some
foods naturally have pathogens in them, like If you think there’s a chance that food
Salmonella in raw poultry. If Salmonella is has been contaminated, throw it away or
transferred from raw poultry to another food, this let your supervisor know.
is called cross-contamination. There are also
other sources of microbiological contamination.
Viruses, like Hepatitis A, can be transferred to
food from an infected person who is handling the What Could Go Wrong?
food.
The image below shows food stored in a
Other sources of microbiological contamination refrigerator in the wrong order. What could go
include poor cleaning, poor personal hygiene, or wrong here?
dishes that haven’t been cleaned properly. There
are simple things you can do as a food handler to
make sure food doesn’t get contaminated.
Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination happens in three ways:
1. Food to Food: Raw food or juices come in

contact with ready-to-eat food.
2. Equipment to Food: The same equipment is
used with raw and ready-to-eat food without
cleaning and sanitizing in between.
3. People to Food: Hands that have touched
raw food then touch ready-to-eat food
without being washed in between.
Refrigerate Right
When food is stored in a refrigerator, it’s
important to place the food in a way that helps to • Lettuce is stored next to raw chicken. Lettuce
keep it from getting cross-contaminated. Keep won’t be cooked before being served and
raw meat, poultry, and seafood on the bottom could be contaminated with Salmonella or
shelves. Raw fruits and vegetables, and foods that other bacteria from the chicken.
will be reheated, belong in the centre. Cooked • Raw chicken is stored above loosely covered
and ready-to-eat foods go on the upper shelves. ready-to-eat foods. The juices from the
If there’s a lot of refrigeration space, store each chicken could drip into the foods below and
contaminate them.
44 Microbiological Contamination
• The soup at the bottom of the fridge is • Don’t put your thumb on top of a plate to
uncovered. Physical or microbiological hold it. Hold plates underneath with your
contamination from the food stored above it thumb on the rim.
could happen easily.
Discarding
Food Display
Any food that has been served but not eaten
Old food should never be mixed with new food. must be thrown out.
Microbiological contamination is another reason
not to mix old food with new food. Keeping
Even if food looks like it hasn’t been
them separate keeps any contaminants that got touched, you don’t know for sure that it
into the old food from getting into the new food.
hasn’t been. It could be contaminated
and must be discarded.
You should always use new utensils and
new food containers when replacing food
on display. Single-service items such as disposable plates,
plastic cutlery, or chopsticks must be discarded.
Even if they look like they haven’t been used, you
Each time a pan of food is replaced, the pan and can’t know that for sure, so you must throw them
all utensils used with it should be sent for out. Single-service items aren’t made to be used
dishwashing. Clean and sanitized utensils should more than once. They can’t be properly cleaned
go out in their place. ‘Sneeze guards,’ which are or sanitized, so don’t reuse them.
the protective shields that sit between a person’s
face and the food on display, should always be Equipment
used. The handles of utensils used to serve out
the food should never come in contact with the If a piece of equipment in your kitchen comes in
food. contact with raw food, it will pick up the
microorganisms that are on the food. If the
Serving Food equipment then touches ready-to-eat food, that
food will be cross- contaminated. To keep this
Microbiological contamination can also happen from happening, all equipment must be washed,
when food is being served to customers. To rinsed, and sanitized often, especially between
prevent contamination of food as it’s being uses with different foods.
served, follow these tips:
It’s very important to keep raw food away from
• Use scoops, spoons, or tongs to serve. cooked or ready-to-eat food. Raw foods,
• Use single-use disposable plastic bags, wax including meat and other animal products like
paper, or disposable gloves to give out food. eggs, raw fruit, and vegetables, may contain
harmful microorganisms. The best way to avoid
• Cover cutlery (forks, knives, and spoons) and
cross-contamination between raw food and
keep glasses upside down if they’re out but
ready-to-eat food is to have separate equipment,
not in use.
utensils, cutting boards, and preparation areas for
• Use trays to serve. each. Colour-coded utensils and cutting boards
• Don’t touch the surfaces of dishes or utensils can help. Use one colour for raw foods and a
that come into contact with mouths or food, different colour for ready-to-eat food. If you
like the inside of glasses, straws, or the eating can’t, then it’s very important to immediately
ends of cutlery.
wash, rinse, and sanitize any surface that food To prevent this, the
(especially raw food) touches each time it’s used. knife, cutting board,
and cloth need to be
How Could This Happen? cleaned and sanitized
before they come into
To show you how easy it can be for food to get contact with any food or food contact surfaces.
cross-contaminated, consider this example. ! The food handler’s hands need to be
washed before handling any other food or
A food handler slices food contact equipment.
raw chicken on a
cutting board. The
raw chicken is
contaminated with Equipment Care
Salmonella bacteria, which is commonly found on
raw poultry but is destroyed by cooking. To help prevent equipment cross-contamination:
! The raw chicken contaminates the board, the
knife, and the food handler’s hands. • Keep sanitizing solution available in a bucket
or labeled spray bottle, mixed to the proper
The food handler strengths.
wipes the • Keep wiping cloths in sanitizing solution to
contaminated knife keep bacteria from growing on the cloth.
and board with a • Replace cutting surfaces if they have cracks,
cloth, and sets them crevices, or open seams. Damaged surfaces
aside. can’t be cleaned well enough to get rid of
! Now the board, knife, cloth, and food harmful microorganisms.
handler’s hands are all contaminated with • Remember that meat slicers come into
microorganisms from the raw chicken. contact with food and must be taken apart
and thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after
Sitting out at use. If slicers are used several times every day,
room clean the equipment throughout the day to
temperature, remove bacteria from cutting surfaces. Take
Salmonella bacteria the slicer apart and thoroughly clean it at the
multiply very end of the day.
quickly.
• Change utensils (knives, ladles, tongs, etc.)
! The microorganisms can’t be seen, so other
often throughout the day. If a utensil is
food handlers in the kitchen won’t know that
dropped, don’t wipe it on your apron or cloth
all of these objects are contaminated.
and reuse it. It’s dirty and must be sent to the
dishwashing area and be replaced with a clean
Another food handler
one.
picks up the knife and
cutting board and uses • Can-opener blades enter the can and touch
them to chop lettuce the food. They must be cleaned regularly.
for a salad.
! The lettuce is now
contaminated with
Salmonella bacteria.
46 Microbiological Contamination
Tasting Food Notes
Food handlers often need to taste food as they
prepare it.
When you’re tasting food, you need to

make sure the microorganisms in your
mouth and on your fingers don’t end up
in the food.
Do:
• Use a disposable spoon or fork and throw it

out right after you have tasted the food.
• Use a clean regular spoon and place it with
the dirty dishes right after you have tasted
the food.
• Ladle food into a cup, tasting bowl, or
another spoon. Use a second spoon to taste
the food. That way the first utensil goes
into the food, the second goes into your
mouth, and the two never touch.
Don’t:
• Dip your fingers into the food then into your

mouth.
• Put a spoon that has been in your mouth
back into the food.
Do not double dip!
In Review
In this chapter, you learned about how food can
be contaminated with microorganisms and what
you can do as a food handler to prevent this.
The following topics have been covered:

• How to keep microorganisms from being
transferred into food that is being prepared,
served, stored, or displayed
• The importance of keeping kitchen
equipment and utensils clean
• How to prevent cross-contamination by
keeping foods separate as they’re prepared
and stored
Personal
Hygiene
Introduction
Uniforms, Clothing, and Aprons
Hair
Hands and Nails
Handwashing
No-Touch Techniques
Disposable Plastic Gloves
When You’re Sick
Returning to Work
48 Personal Hygiene
Introduction Hair
People are one of the major sources of Human hair can be a problem both as physical
microorganisms that cause food-borne illness. contamination and microbial contamination. The
There are microorganisms on (and in) the body average person loses about 50 to 100 hairs per
(e.g., on hands, face, hair) and on clothes. These day. Headgear, such as hats or hairnets, will help
microorganisms are always there, not just when a to keep hair out of food and off of food contact
person is feeling ill. They could make another surfaces.
person very sick if they’re transferred through
food. This could happen even if the Headgear also helps to keep people from
microorganisms don’t make the person carrying touching their hair and contaminating their hands.
them feel sick. When it gets warm in the kitchen, people may
brush their hair from their forehead and back of
As someone who handles and prepares food, it’s neck without even realizing they’re doing it.
important that you follow good personal hygiene Wearing headgear would make you more aware
practices. This will make it less likely for you to of touching your head and hair.
transfer microorganisms from yourself to the
food you’re handling. Personal hygiene is Hair also carries microorganisms, some of which
something you have control over. You must take may be pathogens, so hair must be kept out of
it seriously. Even a small amount of a pathogen food to prevent food-borne illness. It’s also
could be deadly to some people. important to not let your hands touch your hair
when preparing food or handling food contact
surfaces or utensils (such as dishes, forks, spoons,
Uniforms, Clothing, and and knives).
Aprons
The Ontario Food Premises Regulation requires all Hair Confinement
employees in food premises to wear clean outer
clothing when they handle food. Light-coloured Food handlers, with some exceptions, are
clothing is recommended because it’s very easy to required by the Food Premises Regulation to take
see when the clothing gets dirty. reasonable precautions to ensure food is not
contaminated by hair. This could include wearing
headgear that confines their hair.
Food service workers who don’t prepare food,

like persons who wait on tables, may not have to
wear headgear. If a server waits on tables and also
does some food preparation (e.g., prepares salad
or desserts, or ladles soup), then headgear is
required.
It’s important to wear headgear properly. It

should cover all the hair, keeping hair off the
Remember, dirty clothing may carry pathogens. forehead and the back of the neck.
When a food handler’s clothing or apron looks
dirty, get it changed for a clean one immediately.
Personal Hygiene 49
Hands and Nails Using the Washroom
It’s very important to wash your hands properly

Hands can pick up germs very easily. Hands need
after using the toilet or urinal. Very high levels of
to be cleaned well to keep dirt and germs from
microorganisms and pathogens can be spread
being transferred to food. Pay extra attention to
through fecal matter or urine, even when you
your fingernails. Dirt can get stuck under
don’t feel sick. Toilet paper doesn’t keep germs
fingernails and may need more than just regular
from getting on your hands. Microorganisms are
handwashing to clean.
so small they can pass through the toilet paper.
• Use a personal nylon nail brush to clean Hepatitis A outbreaks have been caused this way:
under nails.
• Keep nails well-trimmed to help them stay “Other people are the only source of the
clean. hepatitis virus. The virus is found in feces in
• Avoid nail polish as it could chip and fall into high numbers a week or two before symptoms
food. become obvious. Therefore, it is possible to
• Protect and care for hangnails to prevent unknowingly spread the virus to other people
infection. through lapses in proper personal hygiene
(handwashing). Outbreaks have been
Avoid wearing hand jewelry, rings, associated with . . . food contaminated by
bracelets and wrist watches, as these can infected food handlers, including sandwiches
trap dirt and making thorough, proper and salads which are not cooked or are
handwashing difficult. handled after cooking.”
(Alberta Health and Wellness: Common
Food-borne Illnesses, 2009)
Handwashing Nose or Mouth Contact

Handwashing, when done correctly, is the single Touching your nose will contaminate your fingers
most effective way to prevent the spread of and hands. Avoid rubbing or picking your nose; if
communicable diseases. That includes food- you do, wash your hands at the hand sink
borne illness. Food handlers need to wash their immediately.
hands well whenever needed:
To make sure you don’t transfer microorganisms
• Always wash your hands before you start from your mouth to your fingers and hands, you
work. should avoid:
• Wash before handling any food or cleaning
dishes and utensils. • Biting your fingernails
• Anytime your hands get dirty or • Smoking
contaminated with germs, chemicals or other • Licking your fingers to pick things up, like
types of food, you must wash them. paper
Let’s look at some of the things that could • Smoothing your hair, beard, or moustache
contaminate your hands. • Rubbing or picking your nose
50 Personal Hygiene
You must wash your hands properly • Handling dirty dishes
before handling food or anything that • Handling garbage
touches food, like counters or utensils. • Cleaning and mopping
• Handling bottoms of boxes
• Handling money
Cough or Sneeze
How to Wash Your Hands
Now that you know when to wash your hands,

let’s look at how to do it properly.
To wash your hands so that surface

microorganisms are removed, you need to use
lots of soap and warm water. Use a sink that’s
only used for handwashing. Here are the steps:
1. Wet hands: Remove jewelry and watches.

Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Wet hands with warm water first.
Coughs and sneezes send microorganisms, such 2. Soap: Be sure to use enough liquid soap to
as Staphylococcus aureus, into the air where they can cover your hands.
be breathed in by other people. They also land on 3. Lather well: Lather soap for 15 to 20
nearby surfaces where they can contaminate seconds. Clean wrists, palms, back of hands,
anything that comes in contact with those and between fingers.
surfaces. 4. Rinse: Rinse with warm water. Be sure not to
touch the side of the sink.
You need to contain any sneezes or coughs with
tissues and wash your hands at the hand sink 5. Dry: Dry hands completely with paper towel
immediately afterwards. Remember, or with an air dryer.
microorganisms are so small they can pass 6. Keep clean: Use a paper towel to turn off
through the tissue and onto your hands. If you the water to protect hands from getting dirty
don’t have a tissue handy, cough or sneeze into again.
your upper sleeve instead of your hands. Don’t
use a cloth handkerchief. Each time you touch it,
the germs already on it get back onto your hands. Remember, using hand sanitizer do not
replace or eliminate handwashing.
Any food contaminated by a sneeze or cough
must be thrown away. Any food contact surface
contaminated by a sneeze or cough must be
cleaned and sanitized. No-Touch Techniques
Here are some other common ways that your Food handlers should avoid directly touching
hands could get contaminated: food whenever possible. Utensils like tongs,
spoons, and scoops act as barriers between your
hands and the food.
• Handling raw foods
• Clearing tables
Personal Hygiene 51
If you have to work with both raw and
ready- to-eat foods, you need to wash
your hands between each task.
• Don’t wash dishes and stack clean ones.

• Don’t clear dirty dishes and reset tables with
clean dishes.
Napkins or sheets of waxed paper can be used to Disposable Plastic Gloves

pick up foods like muffins, donuts, cookies,
bread, and ice cream cones without directly Gloves can be used instead of bare hands, but
touching the food with your hands. gloves will pick up microorganisms the same way
hands do. Wash your hands before and after
‘No-touch’ techniques are especially important wearing gloves. Throw away the used gloves.
when handling any food that isn’t going to be
heated or cooked after you touch it. If you touch Remember, glove use doesn’t eliminate
a ready-to-eat food with dirty hands, then the need for handwashing.
whatever is on your hands will get on the food
and then in someone’s mouth. Remember,
nobody wants your fingers in their mouth! If you have a cut or infection on your hand, a
bandage must be worn to cover it and a glove
Other Handling Tips must be worn over the bandaged hand until the
cut or infection heals. A bandage alone is not
Some other tips to keep the food you’re handling enough. Bandages get wet and dirty and can carry
safe are: pathogens. This is the only time a food handler
• Never stack plates to carry several of them at must wear gloves, unless it’s required as part of
one time, as your hands may touch the food. your employer’s policy.
• Never blow into bags or gloves to open
them.
• Never pick up cutlery, dishes, and food
without washing hands. When You’re Sick
• Never touch the inside of glasses and
the eating surfaces of tableware. If you’re sick, your body is producing more
germs and microorganisms than it does when
During a single shift, you should avoid you’re healthy. If you have any of the following
combining jobs that are likely to cause symptoms you must not prepare or serve food:
contamination
• Don’t work with both raw and cooked • Diarrhea
foods. • Vomiting
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Persistent coughing or sneezing
52 Personal Hygiene
If you have any of these symptoms or if you have Notes
a communicable disease, you must let your
manager or supervisor know.
Returning to Work
If you have diarrhea, the levels of pathogens
being shed by your body are so high that even
good handwashing may not reduce them to safe
levels. After 24 hours without symptoms,
pathogens are still being shed by your body, but
the numbers are much lower.
You shouldn’t return to work until 24

hours after your diarrhea has stopped.
Even if you’re feeling well, you should still be

careful and practice proper handwashing. You
could be sick and not know it. With some
illnesses, your body can shed pathogens for up to
two weeks before you start to feel sick.
In Review
In this chapter, you learned about the importance
of your own personal hygiene when handling
food. You’ve learned what you can do to keep
food safe and how to minimize the spread of
microorganisms from your body to the food
you’re handling.
The following topics have been covered:

• Why it’s important to keep your hands clean
• Some of the ways your hands can get
contaminated
• How to properly wash your hands before
handling food
• Ways to handle food without directly
touching it.
Personal Hygiene 53
Cleaning and
Sanitizing
Introduction
How to Clean
How to Sanitize
Dishwashing
Food Contact Surfaces
Clearing Tables
Equipment
Facility
Washrooms
Handwash Sink
Garbage Control
Live Animals
Kitchen Layout and Plans
54 Cleaning and Sanitizing

Introduction How to Sanitize
Keeping your food premises clean isn’t only When you sanitize, you reduce the number of
about it looking good. It’s about cleaning and microorganisms to safe levels. Examples of this
sanitizing to control microorganisms and keep could be soaking cleaned utensils in diluted
your food and your customers safe. Destroying bleach or using the very high water temperatures
all microorganisms is nearly impossible, but by in the sanitizing cycle on a dishwasher.
cleaning and sanitizing it’s possible to reduce
them to safe levels. To do this, both steps are The steps to sanitizing:
needed, and both must be done properly.
• Always clean before sanitizing.
The difference between clean and dirty food • Use very hot water, at least 77°C (171°F), or
premises will depend on: chemicals to remove microbiological
contaminants.
• Using proper cleaning materials and using • Make sure the items you’re sanitizing are in
them the right way contact with the chemical solution or hot
• Educating staff on how to clean and sanitize water for at least 45 seconds.
• Having dedicated management and • Use test reagents, test strips, or a
employees thermometer to make sure your sanitizer or
• Being organized sanitizing solution is working.
We’ll look at all of these things in this chapter. Follow the manufacturer’s directions when using
chemicals to sanitize.
How to Clean
It’s important to mix chemicals properly.
When you clean, use the right chemicals and Not using enough chemical will mean
friction to remove dirt and soil. Examples of this microorganisms are not being killed.
could be washing a floor with floor cleaner or Using too much chemical can lead to
washing dishes with dish soap. chemical contamination.
The steps to cleaning are:
• Remove any obvious pieces of food, dirt, or

other debris.
• Use cleaning chemicals and friction to
remove the rest.
• Rinse with hot tap water to remove cleaning
chemicals.
When it comes to food contact surfaces like
counters, dishes, cutting boards, and utensils,
cleaning alone isn’t enough. A surface can look
clean but still have unsafe levels of micro-
organisms. Once a food contact item is clean, the
next step is to sanitize it.

Selectivity
Types of Chemical Some products are more effective than others in
Sanitizers killing certain types of microorganisms. Quats, in
particular, may not kill all types of
microorganisms.
Only approved food grade sanitizers are Contact Time (CT) – at least 45 seconds
permitted to be used on food contact The solution must be in contact with the items
surfaces. you’re sanitizing for at least 45 seconds for it to
kill microorganisms.
When selecting a sanitizer, make sure you also get Concentration (C%)
a test reagent or test strips to measure the Solutions need to be mixed to the right strength.
solution’s strength. Special test strips are available If the solution is too weak, it may not sanitize. If
from your chemical or restaurant supplier. Where it’s too strong, it may leave a taste or smell,
hot water is used to sanitize, an accurate damage metals, or be a health hazard. It’s best to
thermometer must be used to check the water use a system that automatically dispenses
temperature. Below are the most common types sanitizer.
of food grade chemical sanitizers.
Always use test strips to test if the
sanitizer is at proper concentration!
Remember, vinegar is not a sanitizer!
Making Sure it’s Sanitized

Chlorine-Based Products Make sure you use a test reagent or test strips to
Concentration – 100 parts per million (ppm) measure your sanitizing solution’s strength. If you
sanitize with hot water, you need to check the
There are many chlorine-based chemicals. The
water temperature with an accurate thermometer.
most common one is household bleach. To make
a 100 mg per litre concentration, add 5 ml (1
All food contact surfaces should be sanitized
teaspoon) of bleach (5 percent strength) to every
between uses. This includes:
litre of water.
• Sanitizing dishes after cleaning them
Quaternary Ammonium- Based • Sanitizing tables with chemicals between
Products customers
Concentration – 200 parts per million (ppm) • Sanitizing food preparation areas between
preparing different types of food
Mix and follow the manufacturer’s label
instructions. These quaternary ammonium-based Dishwashing
cleaning compounds are also called ‘Quats’ or
‘Quat sanitizers.’ Proper dishwashing sequence:
WASH – RINSE – SANITIZE!
Iodine-Based Products
Concentration – 25 parts per million (ppm)
Depending on the type of dishes you have and
Mix according to the manufacturer’s label.
the equipment you use to clean, one of the
following dishwashing methods should be
Chemical Sanitizers conducted in a food premises for cleaning and
Whichever one you choose to use, it’s important sanitizing of dishes/utensils:
to remember three things that affect how well • Manual dishwashing
they work: • Mechanical dishwashing

Manual Dishwashing
Depending on the type of dishes you use in the
food premises, one of the following manual
dishwashing methods should be followed:
Three - Compartment Sink Method
If you’re washing multi-service articles (e.g.,

reusable dishes, knives, forks, spoons, glasses)
you need three sinks: one to wash, the second to
rinse, and the third to sanitize. Here are the 4. Sink 3 – SANITIZE (approved sanitizer):
steps:
Sanitize in the third compartment by
1. Scrape or Pre-Rinse: Remove any leftover submerging dishes, utensils, and pots for at
food on the dishes, utensils, and pots by least 45 seconds, in a sanitizer solution that’s at
scraping or rinsing it off. least 24°C (75°F), or hot water that’s at least
77°C (171°F). It’s important to make sure
that the sanitizer is strong enough to do the
job, so test the sanitizer right after mixing it
in the sink.
2. Sink 1 - WASH (warm water and soap):

In the first compartment, wash and scrub
the dishes, utensils and pots, making sure all
food and grease are removed. Use warm
water and detergent, only!
5. Air dry: After sanitizing, let items air dry on a

non-porous sloped draining board. Never
towel dry, as you could cause contamination
from a worker’s hand or a damp dish towel.
3. Sink 2 – RINSE (warm water):

In the second compartment, rinse the dishes,
utensils and pots, and remove the soap and
any remaining food particles. This is
important because any detergent left on the
dishes will weaken the sanitizer. Use clean
water that’s at least 43°C (110°F). Change
the water if it doesn’t look clean

Two - Compartment Sink Method and pots for at least 45 seconds, in a sanitizer
solution that’s at least 24°C (75°F), or hot
You can use the two-compartment method only if: water that’s at least 77°C (171°F). It’s
• You use single-service disposable dishes. important to make sure that the sanitizer is
• You don’t have very many utensils to wash strong enough to do the job, so test the
because you do only a small amount of food
preparation. sanitizer right after mixing it in the sink.
• You use pots and pans too large for a
mechanical dishwasher.
• If you have items with baked-on grease or
heavy food residue, scrape and pre-soak
before you wash.
Here are the steps:
1. Scrape or Pre-Rinse: Remove any leftover 4. Air dry: After sanitizing the items, air dry
food on the dishes by scraping or rinsing it them on a non-porous sloped draining board.
off. Never towel dry, as you could cause
contamination from a worker’s hand or a
damp dish towel.
2. Sink 1 – WASH and RINSE: In the first

compartment, wash and scrub the dishes,
utensils and pots, making sure all food and
grease are removed. Use warm water and
detergent. After washing, rinse under the tap Mechanical dishwashing
with clean running water. Make sure the
soapy water and all soap suds are rinsed off. All dishwashers must meet minimum standards
as outlined in Food Premises Regulation. They must
be regularly cleaned and maintained.
Dishwashers may be high temperature (that
sanitize using hot water) or low temperature
(that sanitize using a chemical sanitizer). Either
one can be used as long as it’s checked regularly
to make sure it’s sanitizing properly.
High Temperature Machine
3. Sink 2 - SANITIZE: Sanitize in the second High temperature machines use hot water in the
rinse cycle to sanitize. The water temperature in
compartment by submerging dishes, utensils,
this cycle must reach 82°C (180°F) or higher for
at least 10 seconds. Use a water temperature
booster if needed.

Low Temperature Machine General Cleaning
Low temperature machines use chemical To be effective, cleaning must be organized.

sanitizers in the rinse cycle to sanitize. Test strips Expecting staff to clean “when they have a free
for measuring the sanitizer in the rinse cycle must moment” doesn’t work and tasks get forgotten. A
be available and used to make sure the machine is food service manager must show dedication to
sanitizing properly. keeping things clean. This shows the importance
of cleaning to their staff. All staff members need
Don’t overcrowd the dishes as it will be harder to take pride in their job. No one person alone
for them to get clean. Bowls, cups, and glasses can keep the food premises clean.
should be placed open-side down. Cutlery should
be mixed to keep them from ‘nesting.’ A cleaning schedule is very useful. It should
include:
NSF Machine
• Each job that needs to be done
NSF approved dishwashers may also be used in • Who will do the job
a food premises. They may have different • The chemicals and/or tools to be used to do
time/temperature settings for washing and the job
sanitizing. Operators must ensure that is working
• How often the job must be done (hourly,
as per manufacturer directions.
daily, weekly)
All machines must have gauges that • A follow-up check to make sure the job was
show wash and rinse temperatures. done
The schedule should be discussed with staff
before it’s put in place and monitored regularly
afterwards to make sure it’s working.
Food Contact Surfaces

Work surfaces that come in direct contact with
food, such as counters, cutting boards, tables, and
grills must be durable and easy to clean.
After Washing
Having many cutting boards small enough to fit
Always wash your hands before handling into a dishwasher or sink is better than having a
clean dishes. few large ones. Small boards can be quickly
changed when dirty without slowing down food
Once dishes, utensils, and pots have been preparation. It’s a good idea to code cutting
cleaned, they should be stored on surfaces that boards for specific uses to avoid cross-
are cleaned and sanitized. Keep them away from contamination. One good way to do this is to use
dust, garbage, and splashes and at least 15 cm (six different coloured boards or boards with
inches) off the floor. Don’t put them away until coloured handles for different food types: red for
they are dry and cool. Remember, don’t towel dry raw meat, green for vegetables, orange for bread,
dishes as they could get contaminated from the etc.
towel. Damaged dishes (cracked, chipped, or
warped) can’t be used because they’re a physical
hazard. They should be thrown away.

Plastic is a good cutting board material because four hours and between being used with raw and
it’s durable and easy to clean and sanitize. ready-to-eat foods. Examples are a meat slicer or
Hardwood can be used as long as it’s free of gaps grinder, a cheese slicer, or a food processor. It’s a
and cracks that would trap bits of food and make good idea to have more than one piece of
thorough cleaning and sanitizing impossible. equipment when possible, so that one can be
Extra care must be taken to sanitize wood cutting used while the other is being cleaned.
boards as they can’t go in a dishwasher. Wooden
food contact surfaces must not be varnished or Facility
sealed as these finishes will wear and the
chemicals will get in the food. Food safety depends in part on how your
premises is laid out, and its maintenance. Make
Replace damaged cutting boards that sure your building:
can't be properly cleaned and sanitized.
• Is kept clean
• Has proper lighting
• Is in good repair
Clearing Tables • Has proper ventilation
• Is pest free
Tables must be cleaned and sanitized between
customers. Use sanitizer and a clean damp cloth
or a disposable paper towel to make sure any
contaminants on the table are removed. Cloths
used for cleaning tables should be clean and
shouldn’t be used for any other purpose.
If there are any table linens (tablecloths, cloth

napkins, placemats) change them between
settings. Any table linens used must be clean and
in good repair. They must be laundered between
uses.
Any food that remains on the table must be

discarded. The same goes for any single- service
items like plastic cutlery, paper napkins, and
disposable cups and plates.
Equipment
Your equipment needs to be cleaned often
enough to keep it from getting a buildup of food Microorganisms can be transferred from floors or
residue or any other contaminants like dust or walls to food contact surfaces by other objects.
debris. Remember:
Equipment that's used without breaks at room • Floors must be tight, smooth, and non-
temperature or used with hazardous foods needs absorbent.
to be cleaned and sanitized at least once every

• Walls and ceilings must be easy to clean. Using the sink for anything other than
• Floors, walls, and ceilings must be kept clean. handwashing increases the risk of contaminating a
Repair any damaged areas as they can’t be food handler’s hands.
properly cleaned and sanitized.
• Water-damaged or broken ceiling tiles need At a minimum, each handwashing sink needs to
to be replaced. have:
• Hot and cold running water
• Soap or detergent in a dispenser
Washrooms • Clean, single-use towels or a cloth roller towel
AND a supply of paper towels.
The number of washrooms (including accessible
washrooms) you need in your food premises for
customers and staff is determined by the Ontario Garbage Control
Building Code and the local building department.
The number of fixtures (sinks, toilets, etc.) Garbage containers inside your food premises
needed is listed in the building code. should be easy for your staff and customers to
use. There should be enough available to keep
No operator can alter the floor space, number of
them from getting overfilled, and the containers
toilets or washbasins in a sanitary facility without
should be emptied often to prevent overfilling.
receiving approval in writing from a public
When garbage containers are full, they need to be
health inspector.
emptied immediately.
Washroom fixtures must be cleaned and sanitized
Lids or other kinds of coverings, like a garbage
at least once a day and as often as needed to keep
container inside a compartment with a swinging
them sanitary.
door, will help to prevent odours, pests, and
airborne contamination. Garbage containers need
to be cleaned and sanitized after each use, so they
Handwash Sink need to be made of durable materials.
As discussed in the Personal Hygiene chapter, When garbage is taken to containers outside your
you need to wash your hands using the six-step premises, those containers need to be made in a
method whenever they get contaminated. way to keep out pests and keep in odours or
health hazards (like contaminated foods). Any
Handwashing sinks must be accessible, spills or leaks should be cleaned up right away.
convenient located and used for only for
handwashing.
Food premises need to have at least one Live Animals

dedicated handwashing the food preparation area.
This sink needs to be in an area that is Live animals are not permitted in food premises.
convenient for employees. In large food There are exceptions to this rule:
premises, there must be one handwashing sink in • Service animals as described in subsection
each area where food is prepared or processed, 80.45(4) of Ontario regulation 191/11
or where utensils are washed. The handwashing Disabilities Act, 2005 where food is served,
sink can’t be used for food preparation, washing sold, or offered for sale.
dishes, or emptying out water from pots and • Aquatic species that are in sanitary tanks such
cleaning buckets. as fish or lobsters

• Have separate food preparation areas for
raw foods and ready-to-eat foods, if
possible, to reduce risks of cross-
contamination.
• Make access to handwashing sinks easy and
convenient.
• Have separate sinks for handwashing and
dishwashing.
• Separate the dishwashing area from food
preparation areas.
• Life birds or animals if they are offered for
sale on food premises other than food In Review
services premises with permission from
public health inspector. In this chapter, you’ve learned that keeping your
• Live dogs in an outdoor eating area of a food food premises clean does more than make it look
service premise where food is not prepared good—it helps to keep food safe.
in the eating area.
• Live dogs in an indoor eating area where The following topics were covered:
only lor risk foods are prepared, handled,
offered for sale. • Why it’s important to clean and sanitize food
contact surfaces and other areas of your
premises
Kitchen Layout and Plans • How to clean and how often to clean the
different areas and equipment
Premises that are easy to clean and have a good • The two compartment, three compartment,
flow for people and food products are less likely and mechanical dishwashing methods
to have problems with cross-contamination, • How the layout of a food premises can
temperature abuse, or personal hygiene. If the facilitate cleaning and sanitizing
handwashing sink is easy to get to, it’s more likely
to get used often. If the fridge is close to the food
preparation area, it’s more likely that food will Notes
stay in the fridge until it’s needed.
Before building or renovating any part of a food

premises, plans or blueprints of the layout should
go to Public Health for review. Having the plans
reviewed before work starts can save money and
time by keeping you from having to change
things after they’re built.
The layout of the kitchen should be designated

to:
• Allow people and food to easily move from
place to place to avoid crowding and cross
contamination.
• Make sure there is plenty of storage space for
cold and dry storage, staff clothing, and
garbage and cleaning supplies

Pest Control
Introduction
Cockroaches
Flies
Other Insects
Rodents
Prevention and Control
Pest Control 63
Introduction
Insects and rodents are more than just a nuisance
in a food premises. Pests can contaminate your
food supplies. They can damage your building by
causing electrical or fire hazards and creating
holes in the building structure.
The greatest threat of insects and rodents

is that they spread diseases by
contaminating food.
Cockroaches
Once you have cockroaches, you’ll find it very
hard to get rid of them. Live cockroaches can
survive on very little food and water. They can
live for up to two years during which the female
roach can lay over 500 eggs. Cockroach eggs are
protected by an egg case.
Cockroaches can live and breed almost anywhere

that is dark, warm, moist, and hard to clean.
Some spots they like are:
• Behind refrigerators, freezers, and stoves

• In sink and floor drains
• In spaces around hot water pipes
• In the motors of electrical equipment
• Under shelf liner and wallpaper
• In delivery boxes and bags
Cockroaches give off a strong oily odour and
their feces looks like large grains of pepper. They
are normally active in the dark, looking for food
and water. If you see cockroaches in a lit-up area,
it usually means you have a serious cockroach
infestation.
Common Types of Cockroaches
There are many different types of cockroaches.

Here are the ones most commonly found in
Ontario: (see next page)
64 Pest Control
Cockroach Picture Description & Notes
Type
German • Pale brown or tan and 10 to 15 mm (about 1⁄2 inches) long
• Found indoors (in motors, cracks, crevices, soft drink machines,
and near water)
• Like potatoes, onions, and sweet beverages
Credit: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
• Reproduce more rapidly than other cockroaches
Oriental • Shiny, black, and about 25 to 32 mm (about 1 to 1-1⁄4 inches) long

• Found in basements, water pipes, and indoor incinerators

Prevention
American • Reddish brown and about 34 to 53 mm (about 1-1⁄4 to 2 inches)

long
• Drawn to wallpaper, water, and starch in food
• Found in drainage and sewer areas, rest rooms, heating pipes, and
damp oven areas
Brown- • Look like the German cockroaches

banded • Found in kitchens, dry storage, and under dining area tables and
chairs

Prevention
Asian • Look like the German cockroach, but they can fly
• Drawn to light and tend to hide in tropical plants
Credit: Baldwin & Fasulo, University of

Florida, 2005
Pest Control 65
Flies • Need moist, warm, rotting material out of
sunlight for their eggs to hatch into maggots
Flies are so common in our day-to-day lives that
sometimes they’re not really seen as a problem. Other Insects
But in food premises, they’re a big problem.
Beetles, moths, and ants can survive on very
Flies are attracted by smells. They breed in small amounts of food. Flour moths, beetles, and
garbage and feces. A female housefly can lay similar insects are often found in dry storage
between 375 to 750 eggs over its lifespan and areas. Look for:
eggs laid will hatch in as little as seven days. A
small fly problem can turn into a big one very • Insect bodies
quickly. • Wings or webs
• Food that’s clumped together
• Holes in foods and packaging
Ants often nest in walls and floors, especially
near stoves and hot water pipes. They’re drawn
to warmth and to greasy and sweet foods.
Rodents
Rodents, like rats and mice, eat and ruin food and
damage property. Both rats and mice can damage
buildings. They can make walls weak by chewing
holes, and they even cause fires by chewing
through electrical wires.
Flies easily spread filth because their bodies are
covered in hair and their feet have claws. Any
contaminants they touch get stuck to them. Flies
don’t have teeth, so they can’t chew food. If they
want to eat something that is solid, they vomit on
it. The acid from their stomach dissolves the solid
food, and then they suck it back up. If the fly is
scared away, the vomit stays behind and so do
the germs. Flies usually defecate while feeding as
well.
Flies:
• Can enter a building through an opening the Rodents are a serious health hazard. They can
size of a pinhead spread disease through their waste and by
• Are drawn to smells of rot, garbage, human touching food or food contact surfaces. Rodents
feces, and animal waste. This is where they have a simple digestive system and weak bladder
lay their eggs and find food. control. They urinate and defecate as they move
• Are drawn to places out of the wind and to around your premises. Their waste can fall, be
the edges of objects, such as garbage can rims
66 Pest Control
blown, or carried into food. Like other pests, rats Pest Control Company
and mice breed often and quickly.
Pest control companies can be used for
Rats are smart enough to avoid poorly set traps emergencies where pests have already infested
and other control measures. Rat bites can be your food premises. They should also be used for
dangerous to humans and dead rats must be prevention.
carefully handled to avoid spreading disease.
A good working relationship between the
Like cockroaches, rodents are active in the dark food premises operator and the pest
and at night. If you see them in daylight or in control company is important to keep a
well-lit areas, it’s a sign of heavy infestation. pest free environment.
Prevention and Control Hire a licensed pest control company with a good
reputation. They should combine sanitation, non-
The best way to control a pest infestation is to chemical controls, building maintenance, and
prevent it from happening in the first place. In chemical treatment. Work with your pest control
this section we’ll look at what you can do to keep company to arrange the best possible contract,
pests out of your food premises. inspection system, treatment procedures, and
follow-up. Know which chemical(s) and
Preventing pests from infesting your procedure(s) will be used in specific areas.
premises is much easier and less
expensive than getting rid of pests that Pest control methods, especially the use of
are already there. chemicals, can be very dangerous for your
employees and customers if they’re not used
properly.
Integrated Pest Management Control Methods
Food premises operators should rely on certified
Before using chemicals
pest control services and emphasize integrated
Cover all food and dishes in areas where
pest management practices that minimize the
chemicals will be sprayed before spraying starts.
reliance on chemical controls in order to
minimize the risk of contamination of food
products by pesticides. After using chemicals
All food contact surfaces and equipment must be
An integrated pest management (IPM) program is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before being
a system designed to keep pests from getting into used for food preparation.
your food premises and get rid of any pests that
are already there. NEVER spray while food preparation is
Three rules for developing an IPM program are: going on.
• Don’t provide food, water, and shelter for Some chemicals and treatments can’t be used
pets. Follow good sanitation and when employees are in the area or on the
housekeeping practices. premises. Again, you should hire a professional to
• Keep pests out of the food premises by pest- do this.
proofing the building. Other methods that a pest control operator can
• Work with a licensed pest control company. use are traps, glue boards, and poison baits. They
can also destroy nests and breeding places.
Pest Control 67
Follow-up is important to make sure the methods DO:
are successfully eliminating the infestation. If not, • Store all food and supplies at least 15 cm (6
other methods must be tried. inches) off the floor so you can watch for
signs of pests.
Pest Proofing
• Keep grain products and open bulk food
products in sealed metal or heavy plastic
DO:
containers.
• Seal gaps, cracks, and openings in floors,
• Keep break rooms, washrooms, and locker
walls and equipment.
rooms clean and dry.
DON'T:
• Don’t accept any shipment that shows
signs of pests, like gnawing or feces.
• Don’t keep cardboard packaging around.
It can carry cockroach eggs.
• Don’t let spilled food attract pests. Clean
up any spills right away.
• Don’t leave garbage where it will attract
pests. Store it properly.
• Repair any leaky plumbing.
• Keep the outside of the building in good In Review
repair.
• Use screens to cover windows, doors, and In this chapter, you’ve learned about the dangers
vents. that pests in food premises pose to food safety.
• Install heavy plastic strips or air curtains on The following topics have been covered:
any receiving doors that need to be opened
often. • The different kinds of pests to look out for in
food premises
DON’T:
• What you can do to keep pests from being
• Don’t leave doors open when you’re not attracted to your food premises
using them. Install a sweep on the door if
• Why it’s more effective and less expensive to
there’s a gap between the door and floor.
prevent a pest infestation, rather than get rid
Mice can squeeze through a 0.6 cm (quarter
of them once they’re in.
inch) opening and rats can squeeze through
a 1.3 cm (half inch) opening. Notes
• Don’t provide water sources for pests. Make
sure to drain sinks and repair leaky pipes.
Sanitation and Housekeeping
Pest control doesn’t take the place of good

sanitation. The cleaner your premises is, the
easier it will be for you to control pests
68 Pest Control
Food Safety
Management
Introduction
Before You Start
HACCP Principles
Pest Control 69
Introduction
HACCP Principles
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical
Control Point. It’s a self-inspection system
designed to control physical, chemical, biological,
and allergen contamination at all points in food
processing.
The HACCP system of monitoring food was

originally developed for NASA. Food prepared
for astronauts in space had to be as risk-free as
possible. The program was so successful it was
introduced to food production companies and is
now used around the world.
The goal of the HACCP system is to eliminate or

reduce the amount of food-borne illness and
prevent food adulteration.
In this chapter, we’ll review the principles of The seven principles of HACCP are:
HACCP. You can read more about implementing
a HACCP system on the Canadian Food 1. Conduct a hazard analysis.
Inspection Agency (CFIA) website. 2. Determine the Critical Control Points
(CCPs).
Before You Start 3. Establish critical limit(s).
4. Establish a system to monitor control of the
Before you begin with any food safety CCPs.
management system, you need to make sure 5. Establish the corrective action to be taken
you’re following basic food safety practices. when monitoring indicates that a particular
We’ve gone over these practices in previous CCP isn’t under control.
chapters:
6. Establish procedures for verification to
• Make sure your food premises is clean and confirm that the HACCP system is working
sanitary. This includes cleaning, sanitizing, effectively.
pest control, and proper maintenance of your 7. Establish documentation concerning all
equipment. procedures and records appropriate to these
• Your food suppliers must be safe. This principles and their application.
includes both receiving and storage, as well as
transportation methods. (Adapted from Canadian Food Inspection
• You must use safe food handling and Agency, QMP Reference Standard and
packaging methods.
Compliance Guidelines, Chapter 3, Subject 4,
• Every member of your staff who is handling
food must practice good personal hygiene. Section 5.)
70 Food Safety Management

Step 1: Hazard Analysis (HA) • Reheating food from cold to hot
temperatures. Potential hazard:
The first step in HACCP is a hazard analysis. Microbiological growth.
This involves: • Cleaning food contact surfaces with
chemicals. Potential hazard: Chemical
• Identifying any potential hazards in your food contamination.
processing or preparation
• Determining how critical each hazard is Remember, each of these are a potential hazard.
• Determining how likely it is that each hazard Each should be examined to determine whether
could happen they’re a critical hazard based on how high the
food safety risk is and how likely it would lead to
These hazards need to be identified at every stage food-borne illness.
of food processing and preparation. As you’ve
learned, these stages are: Processing Risks
Some of the ways food is prepared or processed
• Receiving and storage can increase the risk of a potential hazard. Some
• Freezing examples are:
• Thawing
• Refrigeration • Large volumes of food being prepared at one
• Food Preparation time, which increases time in the temperature
danger zone
• Cooking
• Processes involving multiple step preparation,
• Hot and cold holding
especially if they occur over more than one
• Cooling day or involve more than one food handler
• Reheating • Processes with significant temperature
changes that enter the danger zone or pass
Hazard examples
through the danger zone from hot to cold or
In the previous chapters, you’ve learned about
cold to hot
the different types of food safety hazards. Some
of these are: Step 2: Critical Control Points (CCP)
• Microorganisms that can grow during A Critical Control Point (CCP) is any point
preparation, storage, and/or holding of food during food preparation or production where
• Spores or toxins that can survive heating food safety could be at risk. Once hazards are
• Chemicals that can contaminate food or food identified and analyzed, CCPs must be
contact surfaces established. For each critical hazard identified in
• Physical objects that can accidentally enter Step 1, a way to lessen, prevent, or eliminate the
food risk needs to be documented. A standard Hazard
Analysis/Critical Control Point worksheet should
Some examples of potential hazards are: be used for record-keeping.
• Adding a known allergen to a recipe. Critical Control Point Examples

Potential hazard: Allergen. You learned to control the CCPs related to
• Moving foods received from original temperature and time in the Time and
packaging to storage containers. Potential Temperature chapter. As a reminder, some of
hazard: Physical contamination. these are:

• Making sure hazardous foods are cooked to Critical Control Point Critical Limit
the minimum temperature needed to kill
bacteria Handling raw foods Hands must be
contaminates a food washed between
• Storing foods at temperatures that keep
handler’s hands. handling raw foods
pathogens from growing
and ready-to-eat
• Limiting the amount of time that food is in foods.
the danger zone
In the Food-borne Illness chapter you learned Step 4: Monitoring
how to put allergen controls in place by:
At each Critical Control Point (CCP), the system
• Making sure food ingredients are clearly needs to be monitored to make sure the critical
communicated to the customer limits are in effect.
• Using safe food handling methods to make
sure allergens aren’t added to foods they Monitoring procedures need to be
aren’t supposed to be in documented. They should be measurable
• Replacing known allergens with foods less and recordable, and it needs to be clear
likely to cause a reaction who’s responsible for doing them and
how often.
Step 3: Critical Limits
For each Critical Control Point (CCP) identified, Some examples of monitoring include checking:
a critical limit needs to be set. You’ve learned
about critical limits in other chapters. Some • Temperatures during cooking
examples are in the following table. • Refrigerator and freezer storage temperatures
• Cooling times to make sure temperatures of
foods drop quickly enough
• For government inspection stamps or labels
Critical Control Point Critical Limit on received food
Raw chicken parts may Chicken must be • For signs of infestation or contamination
contain Salmonella cooked to a minimum • For correct shipping temperatures for
bacteria. internal temperature received food
of 74°C (165°F) to kill
the Salmonella bacteria. Step 5: Corrective Action
Bacterial growth is Cool cooked foods Corrective actions explain what to do if

most likely to occur from 60°C (140°F) to monitoring shows the critical limits aren’t being
between 4°C (40°F) 20°C (68°F) within met. The steps for a corrective action need to
and 60°C (140°F). two hours, cover:
and from 20°C (68°F)
to 4°C (40°F) or less • Correcting the problem
within the next four • Identifying the product(s) affected by the
hours. problem
• Dealing with the affected products
• Preventing the problem from happening
again

When corrective action needs to be taken, Step 6: Verification
records should be kept showing what was done,
when, and why. Verification is a double-check to make sure the
HACCP system is working. Verification is done
Corrective Action examples in addition to monitoring. Unless there’s a
Corrective actions may be different in different problem, verification would be done less often
food premises. Below are some examples that than monitoring.
could be in place.
Critical Limit Corrective Action (if

control measure is NOT
met)
Whole chicken must be Continue to cook

cooked to a minimum chicken until minimum
internal temperature of internal temperature is
82°C (180°F) to kill reached.
Salmonella bacteria.
Cool cooked foods If food has not been

from 60°C (140°F) to cooled to 20°C (68°F)
20°C (68°F) within two within two hours, food As with the other HACCP principles, procedures
hours, and from 20°C must be discarded. for verification should be written down. They
(68°F) to 4°C (40°F) or should include:
less within the next
four hours.
• Who will do the verification
Hands must be washed Any food handled with • How to do it
between handling raw contaminated hands • When to do it
foods and ready-to-eat must be discarded. • What needs to be verified
foods.
Hold baked chicken at If held over two hours, Verification is usually done by someone
60°C (140°F) or higher discard. If held less than who isn’t involved with monitoring.
until served. two
hours and temperature
falls below 60°C
Step 7: Documentation
(140°F), reheat to 74°C
(165°F) or higher for at There are two types of records needed for
least 15 seconds – one HACCP: documentation and records. HACCP
time only. documentation refers to the policies, procedures,
and other documents that are written as the
HACCP system is created. Records are created
Make sure your corrective actions meet food
when the HACCP procedures are followed.
safety standards.
Records include recorded temperatures, logs of
corrective actions, and any other information
kept.

In Review
Records should be simple and easy for employees
to use. Make sure to: In this chapter, you’ve learned the principles of
the HACCP food safety management system.
• Keep blank forms and a clipboard near work The following topics have been covered:
areas to check several items at the same time.
• Have notebooks or extra pages available to • The seven principles of HACCP
write down what actions have been taken. • How to identify Critical Control Points
• Post or store documentation near work areas (CCPs) and how to set limits for them
so employees can refer to them quickly. • What you need to monitor and verify your
• Attach logs to the equipment they’re used for, HACCP system
like posting temperature logs on the front of a • The documentation and records you’ll need
refrigerator. to create and keep
For more information on implementing a
HACCP system and the types of records kept, Notes
see the HACCP section of the Canadian Food
Ins
Employees are more likely to use records

correctly if they are easy to use. Hard to
use or inconvenient record-keeping areas
can tempt staff to put in numbers without
actually measuring.
pection Agency (CFIA) website.

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Food Handler

© Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

Time and Temperature 29

Receiving and Storage 37

Cleaning and Sanitizing 54

Food Safety Management 69

The Benefits of Food Safety

Food Safety Legislation

Check Inspection results

The food service industry is a big part of the

A food premises is a place that prepares The Benefits of Food

• Employees are happier with their jobs,

• The risk of spreading disease and illness

The HPPA lays out the powers of the medical

Power to Make an Order (HPPA Section 13)

• The importance of food safety

Symptoms of Food-Borne Illness

Causes of Food-borne Illness

Impacts of Food-borne Illness

When food is contaminated by bacteria, viruses,

Every year, there are approximately 4 million

Some chemicals are added to food on purpose.

It’s estimated that as many as 7.5 percent of

Exposure to the food doesn’t always mean eating

• Medical costs, such as doctor’s visits,

Examples of Microbiological Illness

Who Gets Sick?

What makes pathogenic bacteria so dangerous?

Potentially Hazardous Foods

The best way to control the spread of

• Yeast used to make bread and produce

Another source of viruses is contaminated water.

Viruses can also spread through cross-

carried in food are Hepatitis A, and Norovirus. .

• Anisakis (parasitic roundworm), which

• Contaminated water, or any food washed

parasites is thorough cooking.

Like viruses, parasites don't grow in food. Parasitic Protozoa

Bacteria are pretty much everywhere in our

Staphylococcus aureus is another common bacteria

Some kinds of bacteria produce spores that can’t

Bacterial spores are NOT destroyed by

Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes

What makes pathogenic

Let's look at the things that bacteria need to

Pathogenic bacteria need a pH that’s slightly

• Not all microorganisms are bad for us.

The Probe Thermometer

Food Safety Sequence

Hot and Cold Holding

Time and Temperature 29

Recalibrating your thermometer regularly will

• After an extreme temperature change

Even if these things haven’t happened, your

30 Time and Temperature

If your thermometer is not reading

Time and Temperature 31

In a refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) Condiment Fridge