Table of Contents

1. Personal Hygiene
2. Temperature Control
3. Cross-Contamination Prevention
4. Food Allergens
5. Cleaning & Sanitizing

1. Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is the foundation of food safety. Food handlers are responsible for preventing the spread of illness through proper hygiene practices every day they work. Poor personal hygiene is one of the top five CDC risk factors for foodborne illness outbreaks.

Handwashing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent foodborne illness. Proper handwashing requires wetting your hands with warm running water (at least 100°F), applying soap, vigorously scrubbing for at least 20 seconds (including between fingers, under nails, and up to wrists), rinsing thoroughly, and drying with a single-use paper towel or air dryer.

You must wash your hands: before starting work, after using the restroom, after touching your face or hair, after sneezing or coughing, after handling raw meat, after taking out trash, after eating or drinking, after handling chemicals, and when switching between tasks. Double handwashing (washing twice) is required after using the restroom.

Food handlers who are sick with vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, or open/infected wounds must report their condition to their manager. Those diagnosed with any of the Big 5 illnesses (Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7) must be excluded from the establishment entirely.

2. Temperature Control

Temperature control is critical because bacteria grow most rapidly in the Temperature Danger Zone: 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C). TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) foods must be kept out of this range. Common TCS foods include meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, cooked rice, cooked pasta, cut melons, sprouts, tofu, and garlic-in-oil mixtures.

Minimum internal cooking temperatures are established to kill harmful pathogens. Poultry: 165°F for 15 seconds. Ground meat: 155°F for 15 seconds. Whole cuts of meat, fish, and seafood: 145°F for 15 seconds. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes for hot holding: 135°F. Reheated food: 165°F within 2 hours.

Hot holding must maintain food at 135°F or above. Cold holding must maintain food at 41°F or below. Always use calibrated thermometers to check temperatures. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food to get an accurate reading.

There are four safe thawing methods: in the refrigerator (at 41°F or below), under cold running water (70°F or below), in the microwave (if cooking immediately after), and as part of the cooking process. Never thaw food at room temperature on the counter.

3. Cross-Contamination Prevention

Cross-contamination occurs when harmful microorganisms are transferred from one food, surface, or person to another. This is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness and can happen at any stage in the flow of food — from receiving to serving.

To prevent cross-contamination, always store raw meats below ready-to-eat foods in the refrigerator. The correct storage order from top to bottom is: ready-to-eat foods, whole fish and seafood, whole cuts of beef and pork, ground meats, and poultry (on the bottom). This ensures that raw meat juices cannot drip onto other foods.

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods. Many kitchens use color-coded cutting boards: red for raw meat, green for vegetables, blue for fish, yellow for poultry, and white for dairy. Always clean and sanitize surfaces between tasks.

4. Food Allergens

The FDA recognizes 9 major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame (added as the 9th allergen in 2023 under the FASTER Act). These allergens account for the vast majority of serious allergic reactions to food.

An allergic reaction occurs when a person’s immune system mistakenly identifies an allergen protein as harmful. Symptoms range from mild (hives, itching) to severe anaphylaxis (throat swelling, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure), which can be fatal without immediate treatment with epinephrine.

Cross-contact (different from cross-contamination) occurs when an allergen is unintentionally transferred from one food to another. Unlike pathogens, allergen proteins are NOT destroyed by cooking. The only way to prevent allergic reactions is complete avoidance of the allergen.

5. Cleaning & Sanitizing

Cleaning and sanitizing are two separate but equally important processes. Cleaning removes visible dirt, food residue, and grease from surfaces. Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens on a clean surface to safe levels. You must always clean before sanitizing — sanitizer cannot work effectively on dirty surfaces.

The three-compartment sink method requires: Sink 1: Wash with hot water and detergent. Sink 2: Rinse with clean water. Sink 3: Sanitize using an approved chemical sanitizer at the correct concentration. Then allow items to air dry — never towel dry, as this can recontaminate surfaces.

Common sanitizers and their concentrations: Chlorine bleach at 50-100 ppm (water temp at least 75°F, contact time 7 seconds). Quaternary ammonium (quats) at 200-400 ppm (follow manufacturer directions). Iodine at 12.5-25 ppm (water temp at least 68°F). Always use test strips to verify concentrations.