Five Steps to Food Safety at Home. Copyright 2007 University of Florida2 Overview Foodborne illness...

Five Steps to Food Safety

at Home

Copyright 2007 University of Florida 2

Overview

Foodborne illness in the U.S.

Who’s at risk for foodborne illness?

Age- and immune-related changes that decrease the body’s ability to combat illness

Five steps to safe food handling


Foodborne Illness in the U.S.

Who monitors the food supply?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)



The food supply is considered

reasonably SAFE

Food production and distribution are

monitored locally

No system is perfect; foodborne and

waterborne diseases and illnesses are

still a concern



Estimated 76 million illnesses per year

325,000 hospitalizations

5,000 deaths


Who’s at Risk?

Infants, pregnant women, and older adults

Older adults = persons over age 65 Age-related changes

Chronic illness Polypharmacy

Immune-related changes


Age-Related Changes

Suboptimal nutritional status due to decreased food intake

Decline in dexterity, balance, and vision Inability to prepare and/or clean food properly Use of contaminated foods or utensils


Immune-Related Changes

Less sensitive to immune signals Inability to react as effectively or efficiently

Physiological and functional changes Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders

Decreased absorptive capacity

Slowed intestinal motility


GI Disorders

Reduced production of gastric acid

and digestive juices

Increased survival rate of ingested

bacteria or other foreign bodies

Decreased nutrient absorption


Decreased Absorptive Capacity

Reduced amount of nutrients absorbed

from any given meal in the small intestine

Over time, results in a malnourished

state Weakened immunity

Increased risk for infection


Slowed Intestinal Motility

Allows a greater period of time

contaminants are in contact with

cells of the GI tract

Decreased capacity of the GI

cells to act as a protective barrier


Consequences of Foodborne Illnesses

Dehydration

Guillain-Barré Syndrome an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves

Fatal gastroenteritis


Simply by growing older, people

become more vulnerable to

foodborne illness and are

less able to fight the infection.


Safe Food Handling Basics

Keep foods at safe temperatures.

Use a thermometer to determine that foods are cooked adequately.

Wash hands.



Store eggs and poultry properly. Cook eggs until both the egg yolk

and white are firm.

Wash utensils and surfaces with

hot, soapy water.



Thoroughly rinse fresh produce

before eating. Scrub melons and potatoes.

Avoid cross-contamination. Do not wash meat and poultry

purchased from the store.

Avoid high risk foods.


High-Risk Foods

Raw or undercooked fish, shellfish, eggs, or sprouts

Hot dogs and luncheon meats

Unpasteurized milk, milk products, soft cheeses, or juices

Cold deli salads Potato or macaroni Chicken or ham Egg


“Fight BAC!” Campaign

Developed in 1997

Public-private partnership

Provides practical food safety information for consumers

Web site: www.fightbac.org


“Fight BAC!” Principles

CLEAN Wash hands and surfaces often.

SEPARATE Prevent cross-contamination.

COOK Cook foods to proper temperatures.

CHILL Refrigerate promptly.


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: CLEAN

Why? To avoid the spread of harmful

bacteria

What to focus on: Hands, especially after contact with pets,

money, trash, or raw food items Utensils, cutting boards, counter tops, and

sponges



Facts: Hands harbor germs/microorganisms.

Long fingernails hide more microbes.

Proper hand washing could reduce

foodborne illness by ~50%



Always use warm/hot soapy water!!

For your hands: Rub hands with soap for 20 seconds.

For your utensils and surfaces: Sanitize between uses, especially with raw

meat, poultry, and/or seafood.



For your dish or kitchen cloths: Run through a

machine wash cycle using hot water.

For your sponges: Run through the dishwasher.

Remember to always use a safe water source


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: SEPARATE

Why? To avoid cross-contamination

What to focus on: Raw meat, poultry, and/or seafood and their

juices



To minimize cross-contamination: Keep raw foods apart from other foods in the grocery

cart and in the refrigerator.



To minimize cross-contamination: Use a separate cutting board for raw

meat/poultry/fish and another for other

foods.

Thoroughly wash plates that have held

raw items before use with cooked

products or produce.



To minimize cross-contamination: Never have raw and cooked meat, poultry, or

seafood on the plate simultaneously



To minimize cross-contamination: Individuals who are sick or have skin

infections should not be involved in food

preparation.

Cuts, scrapes, or puncture wounds should

be covered with waterproof bandages

during food preparation.



To minimize cross-contamination keep pets

away from food: Cats off counter tops

Birds in their cage, not flying through the kitchen


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: COOK

Why? To heat foods long enough at a sufficient high

temperature to kill harmful bacteria One of the most effective methods of killing

harmful bacteria

What to focus on: Raw foods of animal origin and their juices



Facts: Microbes grow slowly at low temperatures, flourish at

mid-range temperatures, and are destroyed at high

temperatures.

Bacteria tend to accumulate on the outer surface of

intact meats, but when punctured or ground the

surface bacteria is distributed throughout the product.



Facts: Product color is not a reliable indicator of

doneness.

Use a food thermometer to verify that the

food has reached a high enough internal

temperature to kill harmful bacteria.



Types of thermometers:

Dial

Pop-up

Disposable or single-use

Digital

Oven cord



FOOD ITEM GOAL TEMPERATURE

Roasts and Steak internal of at least 145°F

Ground meat 160°F

Poultry 165°F

Leftovers 165°F

+ = SAFE



FOOD ITEMDESIRED COLOR &

CONSISTENCY

FishCooked until opaque and easily flakes with a fork

Soups, Sauces,

and GraviesShould be brought to a boil

EggsCooked until both the egg yolk

and white are firm


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: CHILL

Why? Chilling foods promptly and effectively reduces

the growth rate of most harmful bacteria and

helps maintain a longer shelf life.

What to focus on: All cooked, prepared, and perishable foods



What is a perishable food? Any food, in type or condition, that may spoil or

support rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms

Perishable foods should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours.



Even with safe food handling, food will not last

indefinitely! FIFO – first in, first out

When in doubt, throw it out



Appropriate appliance temperatures: Refrigerator – 40°F or below Freezer – 0°F or below

Tips: Divide foods into smaller portions Use shallow dishes



The “Danger Zone” . . .

Between 40°F and 140°F

In this temperature range,

pathogenic bacteria can grow

extremely rapidly.

Danger Zone = UNSAFEUNSAFE



Proper thawing: Place frozen foods in the refrigerator,

microwave, or under cold running water

Food thawed in the microwave needs to be cooked right away

Never defrost food on a table or counter top


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: USE SAFE WATER AND

RAW MATERIALS

Why? To lessen the chance of using water or

raw materials that contain harmful

microorganisms

What to focus on: Raw foods and water including ice


Five Steps to Safe Food Handling: USE SAFE WATER AND

RAW MATERIALS

To treat possibly contaminated

water: Bring the water to a rolling boil

and continue to boil for one minute.


Summary

Older adults follow both appropriate and inappropriate food safety practices when preparing food.

Following the five steps to safe food handling will significantly reduce your chances of contracting a foodborne illness at home.


Questions


Helpful Resources

Gateway to government food safety information: http://www.foodsafety.gov/

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html

CDC Food Safety Office: http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/


Helpful Resources

Medline Plus, U.S. Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodsafety.html

World Health Organization (WHO):http://www.who.int/foodsafety/en/

Iowa State University Extensionhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/


Presentation Prepared By…

Jenny Hill, MSDepartment of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

May 2007

Five Steps to Food Safety at Home. Copyright 2007 University of Florida2 Overview Foodborne illness...

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