Food safety instruction never ends

For nearly 20 years I have been teaching food safety and sanitation to food handlers in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The woman who hired me to pick up my teaching props and travel has closed her business.

Throughout the years, I have taught from seven editions of the ServSafe course book. The updates reflected the latest research and technology. The content of each book changed with trends and practices in the food industry.

Still the basic truths remain. Hot foods need to remain hot and cold foods need to be cold. Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands.

The majority of foodborne illness outbreaks come from germy fingers and uncontrolled body fluids. Warm water and plenty of hand scrubbing with soap can kill a multitude of harmful germs. Hand sanitizers and alcohol squares are not substitutes for clean hands but they are better than nothing.

Avoiding cross contamination is a key in keeping food safe. Never mix raw meat with cooked or ready to eat food. Cutting boards and utensils need to be washed and rinsed after cutting raw products and before using for another food.

Cleaning towels and cloths need to be kept sanitary, especially when working with raw food. Toxic residue can linger on countertops and cloths without detection. Soap and water are the best defense against a food borne illness.

Food needs to be kept above 135 degrees Fahrenheit or below 41 degrees. Food that is stored between the temperatures of 41 degrees and 135 degrees Fahrenheit allows bacteria to grow. This is called the temperature danger zone.

The temperatures between 70 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit are especially dangerous for food because bacteria can double every 20 minutes while in this zone. If food items are kept at room temperature or above 70 degrees for more than four hours throw them away.

Most refrigerators are above 32 and below 41 degrees. Set your refrigerator at 37 to 39 degrees to allow for temperature fluctuations when the door is often opened.

Purchase a food thermometer. Follow the directions to calibrate it and use it. Cooking food to proper temperatures before eating also can control outbreaks of a food borne illness.

Always remember that the minimum internal temperature for chicken and poultry is 165 degrees. Don’t cook food until it is dry; the meat is tastiest when it is still moist.

When in a restaurant look for a ServSafe certificate in a frame somewhere on the wall. Most food handlers like to advertise that they have been certified to serve safe food. Ask the manager how many of the staff have attended a food safety class.

For those of you who took the course presented by Nutrition Plus know that training in food safety never ends. Thank you June Davies, RD, for the many years of teaching people how to keep food safe. You were a lifesaver.

Bobbie Randall is a certified diabetes educator, registered, licensed dietitian. She supervises a diabetes self-management training program at Aultman-Orrville Hospital, Orrville. Contact her at bobbie.randall@aultman.com 330-684-4776.

CREDIT: BOBBIE RANDALL LOCAL