Food Safety Education Month - Sanitation

National Food Safety Education Month - Week Four - Sanitation, Contamination & Food Allergens

Posted on 09/27/2024

National Food Safety Education Month - Week Four - Sanitation, Contamination & Food Allergens

Understanding Cross Contamination and How to Prevent It

What is Cross Contamination?

Cross contamination occurs when harmful bacteria are transferred from one surface, object, or person to another, leading to foodborne illnesses. Bacteria can spread easily from unwashed hands, cutting boards, knives, counters, and direct contact with raw animal products. It's one of the major causes of food poisoning and can affect anyone who consumes the contaminated food. Preventing cross contamination is a crucial step in food safety.

Tips to Reduce Cross Contamination

1. Wash Your Hands: Always wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before handling food, eating, or after activities like sneezing, coughing, touching unsanitary surfaces, or using the restroom. Proper hand hygiene is essential to keep harmful bacteria from spreading.
2. Separate Raw Animal Products: Keep raw animal products, and their juices separate from ready-to-eat foods. This can be done by storing them in sealed containers and ensuring they do not come into contact with other foods during preparation.
3. Use Separate Cutting Boards: If possible, use different cutting boards for raw anima products and other types of food like vegetables or bread. This reduces the chances of harmful bacteria spreading from raw food to ready-to-eat items.
4. Clean and Sanitize Surfaces: After working with raw foods, thoroughly wash and sanitize cutting boards, knives, countertops, and utensils. This ensures no lingering bacteria can spread to other foods.
5. Cook Foods to Safe Temperatures: Always use a food thermometer to check that meats reach safe internal temperatures. This will ensure harmful bacteria are destroyed during cooking.

Using Sanitizers for Food Safety

Proper sanitizing is just as important as cleaning. Here's how to use sanitizers effectively:

1. Food-Grade Sanitizers: Make sure to use food-safe sanitizers by checking the product label or confirming with the manufacturer. Common sanitizers include Chlorine Dioxide (bleach) and Quaternary Ammonium (quats). Always use these in the correct concentrations as directed on the label.
2. How to Clean and Sanitize:
• Clean First: Before sanitizing, clean surfaces with warm, soapy water to remove dirt and grime.
• Sanitize Second: After cleaning, apply the sanitizer to surfaces. A simple homemade sanitizer solution is 1 tablespoon of bleach per 1 gallon of water. Allow the sanitizer to stay on the surface for the required time and then wipe dry. Some sanitizers may require rinsing, so always check the label for directions.
3. Dishwashers: For utensils and non-porous cutting boards, dishwashers can be an effective way to clean and sanitize them.

High-Risk Foods for Cross Contamination

Certain foods pose a higher risk for cross contamination and need extra care when preparing:

• Raw animal products such as pork, beef, fish, chicken, and other poultry.
• Seafood and non-pasteurized eggs can also easily spread bacteria.

Always handle these foods with caution, keeping them separate from other ingredients and ensuring thorough cleaning of all surfaces and utensils afterward.

When to Clean Food Contact Surfaces

To maintain food safety, follow these guidelines for cleaning food contact surfaces and utensils:

• Every 4 hours during continuous use.
• Between handling animal products, meats and produce to avoid cross contamination.
• After cooking seafood or using major allergens, especially when switching between allergen-free and allergen-containing foods.
• After major allergy ingredients like peanuts, soy, or wheat.

For non-TCS (Temperature Control for Safety) food surfaces, clean as needed to prevent mold, slime, or dirt buildup. When using baking equipment, clean when necessary to prevent encrustation and ensure hygiene.

Compliance with Food Safety Regulations: Violation #26

In food establishments, compliance with food safety regulations is critical. Violation #26 relates to ensuring that businesses operate with valid permits and follow approved food safety procedures.

• In Compliance: This means having a valid food service permit, approved procedures, and necessary documentation, such as illness policies and handwashing procedures.
• Out of Compliance: Operating without a valid permit, missing required paperwork, or failing to follow regulatory guidelines can result in serious consequences. It’s crucial for food establishments to stay up-to-date on documentation and compliance.

By following these guidelines for proper hand hygiene, food separation, cleaning, and sanitizing, you can significantly reduce the risk of cross contamination and ensure food safety in your kitchen.