Washington State Food Worker Study

Why is it important to practice good food safety habits as a bartender or grocery store cashier?

Key Point: Anyone working with food or drinks can potentially make people sick if they don’t use good food safety practices.
Amplification: Foodborne illnesses can spread not only by direct handling of food but also by cross-contamination from improper handling of equipment, surfaces, or hands. It's important for all workers to maintain hygiene standards to protect customers and prevent outbreaks.

Key Point: TCS foods are those that require temperature control to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Examples include meat, cut fruits, and cooked potatoes.
Amplification: Bacteria thrive between 41°F and 135°F, known as the "Danger Zone." Keeping TCS foods outside this range is crucial to prevent contamination and foodborne illness. This includes not only storing the food at safe temperatures but also ensuring that reheating or cooling processes are handled correctly.

Key Point: TCS foods must be kept out of the temperature Danger Zone (41°F - 135°F).
Amplification: This means maintaining cold foods at 41°F or lower and hot foods at 135°F or higher. Regularly check food temperatures with a thermometer to ensure they remain within the safe range. If food is left out too long or not heated properly, it can lead to rapid bacterial growth, which could result in foodborne illness.

Key Point: Handwashing prevents the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses that can contaminate food and surfaces.
Amplification: Even if you’re not directly touching food, germs can spread from handling equipment, utensils, or even money. Washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially after touching raw foods, using the restroom, or handling trash, ensures that harmful microorganisms are removed.

Key Point: Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 10-15 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a clean paper towel.
Amplification: The friction from scrubbing your hands, the soap, and the warm water together work to remove dirt, oils, and pathogens. Drying hands with a paper towel or air dryer helps prevent re-contamination, as towels used for wiping can introduce more bacteria.

How to prevent cross-contamination when handling raw meats and ready-to-eat foods:

Key Point: Always wash, rinse, and sanitize cutting boards, knives, and utensils before using them with ready-to-eat foods after using them for raw meats.
Amplification: Cross-contamination can occur when harmful microorganisms from raw meats transfer to foods that will not be cooked. This is why sanitizing equipment and surfaces, such as cutting boards and knives, after each use is critical. Always change gloves or wash hands before handling another food item.

Key Point: Store foods on refrigerator shelves from top to bottom, with raw meats on the bottom shelf to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods.
Amplification: The ideal storage order prevents contamination. The raw meats (especially poultry) should be stored below ready-to-eat foods like vegetables or cooked meats. This way, if raw meats drip, they won’t contaminate foods that won’t be cooked, like salads or fruits.

Why cook temperature control for safety food (TCS) like chicken, fish, and beef to the correct temperatures?

Key Point: Cooking food to the correct temperature kills harmful bacteria that might cause foodborne illnesses.
Amplification: Each type of meat or food has a specific safe cooking temperature, such as 165°F for poultry or 145°F for beef. Cooking to the right temperature ensures that bacteria like Salmonella (in chicken) or E. coli (in beef) are destroyed, making the food safe to eat.

Key Point: Thaw frozen food using a microwave, under cold running water, or in a refrigerator.
Amplification: The microwave and refrigerator allow food to thaw in a controlled environment, keeping the food out of the Danger Zone. Cold running water also ensures the temperature does not rise too quickly, preventing bacterial growth. Thawing food at room temperature is not safe because it allows the surface to warm up too quickly.

Key Point: Reheat food to 165°F within 2 hours.
Amplification: Reheating food to the right temperature ensures that any bacteria that may have grown while the food was stored are killed. This is crucial for items that have been cooled and are being reheated for later consumption, especially in foodservice operations.

What should you do if you're experiencing symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea?

Key Point: Do not work with food and report it to the person in charge.
Amplification: When you're sick, especially with symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea, you can spread harmful pathogens to food, surfaces, or other people. It's essential to stay home until you're symptom-free for at least 24 hours to prevent the spread of foodborne illness.

Key Point: Wash with soap and warm water, rinse, then sanitize with the appropriate sanitizer.
Amplification: Cleaning removes dirt and debris, while sanitizing kills harmful bacteria. It's important to use the correct concentration of sanitizer and to follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure that the sanitizer is effective.

Key Point: Diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps are common symptoms of foodborne illnesses.
Amplification: If you experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, it’s a sign that food you consumed may have been contaminated. It’s important to seek medical attention and to report the incident to health authorities or your employer to prevent further outbreaks.

Key Point: When there is a loss of essential services like water, hot water, electricity, or a sewage backup.
Amplification: Without these essential utilities, food safety standards cannot be maintained. For example, without hot water, you can't wash dishes or hands effectively, and without electricity, refrigeration and cooking processes cannot continue safely.