What is the best way to protect food from deliberate contamination?

In what was the latest reminder that any nation’s food supply can be vulnerable to intentional contamination, CBS News recently reported the sketchy details of a supposed terrorist plot to slip poisons into restaurant and hotel salad bars and buffets.

Such an attack has long been considered a remote but theoretical possibility, especially in a country like the United States, where Americans eat, on average, about four meals a week outside the home and where the restaurant industry has a very high rate of employee turnover.

Security experts speculate that the primary goal of such a scheme would not be target restaurants to sicken or kill scores of people, but to create mass panic over food that would lead to economic chaos.

In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for analyzing the risks associated with intentional food contamination and for communicating the threat levels to  local governments.  As part of this charge, the Food and Drug Administration, through the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), has developed a working framework for local and state governments to use as a means to assess potential threats to food.

This framework consists of identifying the three components necessary to lead to intentional contamination:  the aggressor (whether a disgruntled employee or an agent working for a terrorist organization), the routes of gaining access to food and food-endangering pathogens or poisons.

A recent study led by Dr. Sudha Xirasagar and published in The Journal of Public Health Management Practice developed a standard survey to try diagnose the status of food defense in the restaurant industry.  Funded by grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA, the survey’s aim is to identify potential gaps in food defense and also to raise awareness among hospitality industry workers about possible points of vulnerability within their own establishments.

In their abstract, the survey’s authors explain that food safety consists of following standard practices (for instance, hand washing, cooking to proper temperatures, preventing cross contamination) that, if violated, can cause foodborne illness.

By contrast, food defense requires being alert to unusual variations from the norm.

The survey was drafted with the help of experts and then validated with geographically representative restaurant-industry focus groups.  It involves 41 items on food defense, 11 on restaurant characteristics and 6 on demographics with questions that relate to hiring and background checks in the high-turnover restaurant business, employee management and training, vendors and delivery, facility and operational security and monitoring.

For instance, the survey asks about the training practices for food handlers and other hourly workers, and whether procedures are in place to keep personal belongings and non-workers out of food preparation areas.  In general, the survey seeks to understand how secure a restaurant or other food facility is and how this is monitored.  Finally, the survey asks whether restaurant owners are concerned about intentional contamination and how vulnerable they think their facility might be food tampering. 

“Food defense is best served by advisory guidelines for autonomous application … , ” the authors note, adding ” … public health agencies need survey tools that can yield action-relevant data …”

Contamination of food for malevolent purposes is nothing new but is rare, and typically has involved disgruntled employees.  One example of intentional contamination that received widespread attention was seen in videos posted on YouTube in April 2009 that showed employees of one Domino’s deliberating adulterating food items.  In 2003 an employee of a Michigan grocery store tainted ground beef with a nicotine-containing pesticide. In 1997 a lab worker laced doughnuts with Shigella and invited his co-workers to eat them.

In what has been the only known case of food terrorism for political gains in the U.S., followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in 1984 contaminated a salad bar in Oregon with Salmonella to keep local residents from voting in a county election. 

To prevent deliberate contamination of food, a manager should know whom to contact about suspicious activity, monitor the security of products, keep information relate3d to food security on file, and know.. who is in the facility.

What is the best way to prevent the deliberate contamination of food?

To prevent contamination, use only utensils and equipment that are made for handling food. Also store chemicals away from food, utensils, and equipment used for food. Follow chemical manufacturers’ directions for use as well.

What is the best way to avoid deliberate contamination?

Here are five important tips for preventing cross-contamination in your operation.

  1. Implement a personal hygiene program.
  2. Remind employees to wash their hands.
  3. Use separate equipment.
  4. Clean and sanitize all work surfaces.
  5. Purchase prepared food.

How can managers show that they know how do you keep food safe?

5 One way for managers to show that they know how to keep food safe is to A become certified in food safety.

What is the first thing a person in charge should do when someone arrives at the food service?

What is the first thing a person in charge should do when someone arrives at the foodservice operation and says they are there to conduct an inspection of the operation? Ask for identification.

Servsafe Chapter 5

Question Answer
What is the most important factor when choosing a food supplier? It has been inspected and cimples with local, state, and federal laws.
What is the best method of checking the temperature of vacuum-packed meat? Place the thermometer stem or probe between two packages of products.

What three points should a food defense focus on to prevent possible threats to food?

What 3 points should a food defense program focus on to prevent possible threats to food? Human element, building interior, building exterior.

What items should be rejected when eating?

The packaging of food should always be inspected during food service deliveries. Any package that has holes should be rejected. For canned products, reject anything with bulging ends. Anything with a broken seal, missing label or dirty packaging should not be accepted.

How long can food stay in the temperature danger zone before it must be thrown out?

4 hours

What is the best temperature for eating food?

140 °F

What temperature does food bacteria die?

Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees. Bacteria will not multiply but may start to die between 140 and 165 degrees. Bacteria will die at temperatures above 212 degrees. 2.3: How to Take Food Temperatures Know how to get an accurate reading with your thermometer!

What foods kill bacteria?

David Wolfe: 10 Natural Antibiotics That Fight Infection

  • Garlic. By eating a few cloves of garlic each day, you can effectively fight off all sorts of bacteria, viruses and infections.
  • Onions.
  • Grapefruit Seed Extract.
  • Horseradish.
  • Vitamin C.
  • Manuka Honey.
  • Cinnamon.
  • Apple-Cider Vinegar.

Can you kill food bacteria by heating?

Cooking and reheating are the most effective ways to eliminate bacterial hazards in food. Most foodborne bacteria and viruses can be killed when food is cooked or reheated long enough at sufficient high temperature. The core temperature of food should reach at least 75℃. Cook with strong heat rather than low heat.

Is it safe to leave cooked food out overnight?

Reheating food may not make it safe. If food is left out too long, some bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus (staph), can form a heat-resistant toxin that cooking can’t destroy.

What are two safe methods of reheating food?

What methods of reheating food are safe?

  • On stove top: Place food in pan and heat thoroughly.
  • In oven: Place food in oven set no lower than 325 °F.
  • In microwave: Stir, cover, and rotate fully cooked food for even heating.
  • Not Recommended: Slow cooker, steam tables or chafing dishes.

Why is reheating food dangerous?

This is because the more times you cool and reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning. Bacteria can multiply when cooled too slowly or reheated insufficiently. Foods should be heated until they reach and maintain 70ºC or above for 2 minutes.

What is a high risk food?

Foods that are ready to eat, foods that don’t need any further cooking, and foods that provide a place for bacteria to live, grow and thrive are described as high-risk foods. Examples of high-risk foods include: cooked meat and fish. gravy, stock, sauces and soup. shellfish.

What are the 3 methods for cooling food?

Approved and efficient ways to cool food include:

  • Ice-water bath and frequently stirring the food.
  • Ice paddles (plastic container filled with water and frozen) used to stir food in an ice-water bath.
  • Adding ice as an ingredient (if water is an ingredient).
  • Blast or tumble chiller.

What is the safest procedure for cooling food?

Cover pans of hot food and move them to a colder area e.g. a storage room, or stand them in cold water. You can also use ice to speed up chilling. This will make the contents of the pans chill more quickly. Stir food regularly while it is chilling down.

What is the 2 stage cooling method?

The two-stage cooling method is a Food and Drug Administration Food Code recommended procedure for cooling food in restaurants and foodservice establishments. In the two-stage cooling method, food must be cooled from 140 °F to 70 °F within two hours and to 41 °F or lower within four hours.

What is the correct cooling practice?

Follow these guidelines: First, cool food from 135˚F to 70˚F (57˚C to 21˚C) within two hours. lower in the next four hours. If the food hasn’t reached 70˚F (21˚C) within two hours, it must be reheated and then cooled again.

Why is cooling ready to eat before displaying important?

Properly storing food in cooler reduces the chances of a food borne illness. From top to bottom, place these foods in proper refrigerator storage order. Viruses can survive freezing temperatures.

What is the recommended temp for cooling food before refrigeration?

Cooling. The legislation states that foods must be cooled as quickly as possible. Methods such as reducing portion size, spreading food on an open tray or using ice can help to cool food quickly before it is refrigerated, and you should aim to cool foods to below 8ºC within 90 minutes.

What is the first step in cooling a large roast before refrigerating it?

The FIRST step in cooling a large roast before refrigerating it is to cut the roast into smaller pieces. This answer has been confirmed as correct and helpful.

Servsafe Chapter 8

Question Answer
One way for managers to show that they know how to keep food safe is to…? Become certified in food safety
What is a common risk factor for foodborne illness? Purchasing food from unsafe sources
What is one program your operation needs? Personal Hygiene Program

What is an important measure for preventing foodborne illness?

What is the most important way to prevent a foodborne illness from bacteria? Control time and temperature.

What is the most important measure that managers can take to prevent parasites in food?

Sources Parasites are commonly associated with seafood, wild game, and food processed with contaminated water, such as produce. Prevention The most important way to prevent foodborne illnesses from parasites is to purchase food from approved, reputable suppliers.

What is the best way to prevent a foodborne illness from bacteria?

Prevention of Foodborne Illness

  1. CLEAN: Wash hands and food contact surfaces and utensils often, between tasks, and if they have become contaminated.
  2. SEPARATE to prevent cross contamination.
  3. COOK food thoroughly and use a thermometer to verify the proper temperature was reached.

What are 5 ways to prevent foodborne illnesses?

Follow these 5 principles to help prevent foodborne illness:

  • Wash Your Hands.
  • Properly Handle Raw Animal Products.
  • Use Clean and Sanitized Utensils, Equipment, and Surfaces.
  • Use Food Before It Expires.
  • Keep Animals Away from Food and Food Preparation Areas.

What is the proper way to take food temperature?

Insert the stem of a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the food, or in the centre of the food if the food is even in thickness. If the food is liquid (e.g., stew or soup) stir it to make sure the heat has been evenly distributed before inserting the thermometer in order to get an accurate temperature reading.

How do you properly cook food?

Summary

  1. Cook food properly – to at least 75 °C or hotter.
  2. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of cooked foods.
  3. If you use a microwave, check that the food is cooked evenly throughout.
  4. Cook foods made from eggs thoroughly.
  5. Cool and store cooked food as soon as possible.
  6. Reheat food until steaming hot.

How hot of food can your mouth handle?

Serving consumers beverages at very high temperatures is not only unnecessary (from a preference standpoint) but also unsafe. An appropriate range for service temperatures is (130 to 160 °F). Often times, hot beverages are served at temperatures near their brewing temperature; far hotter than preferred by consumers.

What is the hottest temperature you can drink?

Hot beverages such as tea, hot chocolate, and coffee are frequently served at temperatures between 160 degrees F (71.1 degrees C) and 185 degrees F (85 degrees C). Brief exposures to liquids in this temperature range can cause significant scald burns.

What temperature is too hot for your mouth?

Boiling water at 212º F would cause serious burns to anyone. Hot foods and drinks fall somewhere between those extremes. Hot beverages, such as coffee and tea, are often served at temperatures between 158º F and 185º F. Studies have shown that even a brief sip of liquids at these temperatures can scald the tongue.

How hot can you legally serve coffee?

160 to 185 degrees

Why is McDonald’s coffee so hot?

McDonald’s make their coffee at a high temperature to ensure that it will stay hot it people are travelling or commuting long distances.

What temp is best for coffee?

195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit

How hot is Starbucks coffee served?

between 150 and 170 degrees

What does extra hot mean at Starbucks?

When a customer asks for a drink to be extra hot, the milk is steamed to be 180 degrees.

How long does Starbucks Coffee Box stay hot?

two hours

Is drinking hot tea bad?

Though moderate intake is healthy for most people, drinking too much could lead to negative side effects, such as anxiety, headaches, digestive issues, and disrupted sleep patterns. Most people can drink 3–4 cups (710–950 ml) of tea daily without adverse effects, but some may experience side effects at lower doses.

What is a safe temperature to drink hot tea?

Here, a review of the scientific literature has been made to assess the consumer‐preferred temperatures for hot beverages. In order to balance both safety and consumer preference, temperatures in the range of 130 to 160 °F are recommended.

Is drinking hot tea everyday good for you?

Research shows that drinking just a half-cup of antioxidant-rich green or oolong tea each day can reduce high blood pressure risk by almost 50%. A stronger immune system can protect you from the cold, flu, and other illnesses.

What happens to your body when you drink green tea everyday?

Green tea is packed full of health-promoting compounds. Regularly drinking green tea can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of several diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Drinking three to five cups of green tea per day seems to be optimal to reap the most health benefits.

Is it better to drink hot or cold tea?

But it’s clear that there’s no significant difference between hot tea and cold tea when it comes to health. There are some studies that say that cold teas bind caffeine with antioxidants, rendering both less effective. The key to both is that you steep the tea for the proper amount of time before serving.