food safety.pptx

Food Safety in Early Childhood

1. Food safety issues

2. The safety of foods and meals prepared for young children is of equal importance to their nutritional value. Food-borne illness is a major public health concern that poses an especially dangerous risk, including death, for young children (Maki, 2009). A food-borne illness outbreak occurs when two or more people become ill after ingesting the same food and a laboratory analysis confirms that food was the source of the illness.

3. Those groups at greatest risk are: infants and children, especially under 4 years pregnant women individuals 50 years of age and older persons with chronic diseases and weakened immune systems

4. Our increased reliance on mass food production and restaurant meals has raised the risk of exposing large numbers of people to food-borne illnesses. However, while outbreaks of food-borne illnesses associated with fast-food chains and food processing plants receive extensive media coverage, many cases are caused by home-cooked meals.

5. Causes of Food-Borne Illness Food can become unsafe in several ways. Hazards to food are present in the air, in water, in other foods, on work surfaces, and on a food preparer’s hands and body. These hazards can be divided into three categories: biological chemical physical

6. food-borne illness outbreak – two or more persons become ill after ingesting the same food. Laboratory analysis must confirm that food is the source of the illness. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) – a food safety and self-inspection system that highlights potentially hazardous foods and how they are handled in the food service department.

7. Bacteria present in the environment pose the greatest threat to food safety. Some bacteria can cause serious and dangerous illnesses while others are beneficial (e.g., blue cheese, yogurt). The risk of environmental contamination of foods can be reduced through two basic approaches: following strict personal health and cleanliness habits maintaining a sanitary food service operation Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, is a food safety and self-inspection system that highlights potentially hazardous foods and how they are handled in the food service environment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the implementation of HACCP because it is one of the most effective and efficient ways to ensure that food products are safe (Riggins & Barrett, 2008).

8. A sound HACCP plan is based on seven principles: Conducting a hazard analysis. In this phase, an HACCP team is assembled. The team should list all food items used in the establishment with the product code, preparation techniques, and storage requirements for each one. A flow chart should be developed that follows the food from receiving to serving in order to identify potential hazards during each step of this process (Figure 19–2). 2. Determining the critical control point (CCP). These are points during food preparation where potential and preventable hazards are identified (i.e., cooking foods to appropriate temperatures; using proper thawing techniques; maintaining proper refrigerator/ freezer temperatures). 3. Establishing critical limits. Procedures and operating guidelines are developed to help prevent or reduce hazards in the food service area. Requirements should be established and monitored to ensure that they are being met.

9. 4. Establishing monitoring procedures. This principle needs to be accomplished through consistent documentation in temperature logs, observation and measurement of requirements, and frequent feedback and monitoring by the food service manager. 5. Establishing corrective actions. Specific actions need to be developed and implemented if a critical control point procedure is not being met. These episodes should be accurately documented so that future occurrences can be prevented. 6. Establishing recordkeeping and documentation procedures. Records of importance include recipes, time/temperature logs, employee training documentation, cleaning schedules, and job descriptions. 7. Establish verification procedures. Management must be diligent in observing staff members’ routine behaviors and provide continued training to address any deficiencies.

10. Personal Health and Cleanliness Persons who are involved in food preparation and service must take great care to maintain a high level of personal health. Food handlers must meet health standards set by health department and child care licensing agencies in each state. Personnel who work in licensed early childhood or school-based programs are generally required to provide written confirmation that they are currently free of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis. Food handlers should also undergo periodic physical examinations to document their state of general health.

11. Everyone who is involved in food preparation and service should also be free of all communicable illnesses, such as colds, respiratory or intestinal types of influenza, gastrointestinal upsets, or acute throat infections. People who are experiencing even mild forms of these conditions often believe they are well enough to work, but in doing so they may transmit their illness to others. A person who is ill should refrain from handling food until he or she is symptom free for at least 24 hours

12. Programs should prepare for the possibility of a cook’s absence by maintaining an emergency menu with easy-to-prepare foods, such as: canned soups peanut butter canned or frozen fruits and vegetables canned tuna or frozen, cooked chicken cheese (can be frozen) dried beans, rice, and pastas eggs

13. Meals that require a minimum of time and/or cooking skill can easily be prepared when adequate food supplies are kept on hand. Food handlers should wear clean, washable clothing and change aprons frequently if they become soiled. Hair should be covered by a net, cap, or scarf while the worker is preparing food. Head coverings should be put on and shoulders checked carefully for loose hair prior to entering the kitchen. Fingernails should be properly maintained and no polish or artificial nails allowed. Jewelry should not be worn with the exception of a plain wedding band to prevent transfer of trapped food particles. Food handlers should also refrain from chewing gum or smoking around food to prevent contamination from saliva.

14. The Importance of Hand Washing Hand washing is of utmost importance to personal cleanliness Hands should be washed thoroughly: upon entering the food preparation area before putting on gloves to work with food before touching food after handling nonfood items such as cleaning or laundry supplies

15. between handling different food items after using the bathroom after coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose after using tobacco, eating, or drinking after touching hair or bare body parts ( face, ears, nose)

16. Careful hand washing is also mandatory after handling raw foods such as fish, shellfish, meat, and poultry to prevent cross-contamination with other foods. Latex gloves offer an additional measure of protection but hands must still be washed carefully following their removal. Current recommendations suggest that soap and water remains the accepted method of cleaning hands in non-health care settings (Liu et al., 2010). Although waterless, alcohol-based gels are increasingly being used in health care settings, they are never considered a substitute for proper hand washing.

17. Disease prevention and control also depend on teaching children proper hand-washing technique. This can be accomplished by having children count to 20 and state their full name, or by singing the entire alphabet song while washing their hands. Any cuts or abrasions on the food handler’s forearms, arms, or hands must be bandaged and covered with gloves (hands only). Gloved hands should be washed as often as bare hands because they also pick up and transmit infectious organisms.

18. Safe and Sanitary Food Service The way in which food is handled, stored, transported, and prepared ultimately affects the health of those who consume it. Food preparers must understand how each of these steps may become a potential source of contamination and develop and practice safety measures to minimize the risk of causing food-borne illness.

19. Food All raw produce should be inspected for spoilage upon delivery and should be thoroughly washed before use. Fresh fruits and vegetables can carry bacteria and numerous pesticide residues (Katz & Winter, 2009). Produce that won’t be peeled, such as strawberries, potatoes, and green onions, can be washed under running water and a small brush used to remove surface dirt. Lettuce leaves should be washed individually. Even produce that will be peeled, such as melons, bananas, oranges and carrots should be rinsed well to prevent bacteria from being introduced into the edible portions when cutting into the food or touching it with hands that have handled contaminated peel or rind.

20. All dairy products must be pasteurized. The tops of canned foods should be washed before they are opened; this prevents any contaminants from being introduced into the food or from contaminating other cans or work surfaces via a dirty can opener. (Can openers must be washed thoroughly between uses to prevent cross-contamination). Food in cans that “spew” when opened should be discarded immediately. The integrity of all packaged food wrappers should be intact (e.g., no broken film on meat packages, no dented cans) to protect the product from potential contamination.

21. The sink, faucet handles, and drain should be cleaned with a disinfectant after any contact with raw meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, or poultry. Food particles trapped in the drain and disposal along with moisture in the drain provide an excellent environment for bacterial growth. A disinfecting solution (1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach per one quart of water) can be mixed and poured down the drain.

22. Food Storage Careful handling and storage of foods at appropriate temperatures are important safety measures that can be taken to prevent illness. Thermometers should be hung in the warmest area of the refrigerator and in the freezer to determine if appropriate temperatures are being maintained. Refrigerators should be kept at 38°F to 40°F and freezers at 0°F or below.

23. Foods must remain frozen until they are ready to be used, and then thawed: in the refrigerator in cold water (place food in watertight, plastic bag; change water every 30 minutes) in a microwave oven while cooking Caution: Frozen food should never be thawed at room temperature! Once thawed, food should be used and never refrozen.

24. Transport Food should be covered or wrapped during transport to help maintain temperature control and avoid the possibility of microbial contamination. When serving foods, each serving bowl, dish, or pan should have a spoon; spoons should not be used to serve more than one food. Caution should also be used not to touch serving spoons to a person’s plate to prevent contamination from saliva.

25. Food Service Food that has been served should not be saved. An exception to this rule are fresh fruits and vegetables that can be washed after removal from the table and served later or incorporated into baked products such as muffins. Foods are safe to serve if they have been held in the kitchen at proper temperatures (160°F for hot food or 40°F or below for cold foods) for no longer than 2 hours. Foods that are to be saved should be placed in shallow pans (three inches or less in depth so they cool quickly) and immediately refrigerated or frozen.

26. Foods such as creamed dishes, meat, poultry, or egg salads are especially prone to spoilage and should be prepared from ingredients that have been cooked and chilled or maintained at temperatures below 40°F until they are used. Protein-based dishes such as these should also be assembled quickly and served or immediately refrigerated in shallow containers.

27. Sanitation of Food Preparation Areas and Equipment Cleanliness of the kitchen and kitchen equipment is essential for ensuring food safety. Traffic through the kitchen should be minimized to reduce the introduction of dirt and bacteria. A schedule, such as that shown in Figure 19–5, is useful for assuring that all areas of the kitchen, including floors, walls, ranges, ovens, and refrigerators, are cleaned on a regular basis. Equipment used in the direct handling of food must also receive extra care and attention. Countertops and other surfaces on which food is being prepared should be sanitized or disinfected with a chlorine bleach solution (¼ cup bleach to a gallon of water or 1 tablespoon per quart of water) between every preparation of different food types (meat, salads, fruit). A fresh bleach solution must be mixed daily to retain its disinfecting strength.

28. Caution: Never mix bleach with anything other than water—a poisonous gas can result! Cutting boards should be nonporous and always washed with hot, soapy water and sanitized with a bleach solution after each use. Separate cutting boards should be designated for different food preparations (e.g., meat, raw poultry, salad, fresh fruits) to reduce the risk of cross contamination ( Fravalo et al., 2009). Cutting boards can be labeled or color coded to indicate their specific purpose.

29. Dishwashing Dishes may be washed by hand or with a mechanical dishwasher. If washing by hand: Wash dishes with hot water and detergent. Rinse dishes in hot, clear water. Sanitize dishes with chlorine bleach solution or scald with boiling water. Air dry (not dried with a towel) all dishes, utensils, and surfaces. If a mechanical dishwasher is used to wash dishes, the machine must meet local health department standards. Some state licensing regulations provide guidelines as to which dishwashing method is perm

30. Sanitation of Food Service Areas The eating area also requires special attention. Tables used for classroom activities must be washed and sanitized with a disinfecting solution: before and after each meal before and after each snack Children and adults must always wash their hands carefully before eating and especially before they begin to set the table or to prepare and serve food.

31. Children should also be taught that serving spoons are used to serve food and then replaced in the serving dishes. They must never be allowed to eat food directly from the serving dishes or serving utensils. Continuous assessment of sanitation and food service conditions is essential for preventing food-related illnesses. A functional tool for monitoring the food environment and food handling practices is illustrated in Figure 19–6.

32. Food poisoning refers to a variety of food-borne illnesses that may be caused by the presence of bacteria, viruses, parasites, or some forms of molds growing on foods. Descriptions of common food-borne illnesses, including the source of contamination, symptoms, and prevention methods, are presented in Table 19–1.

33. Foods that are visibly moldy, soured, discolored, or beginning to liquefy should not be used; nor should food from bulging cans or cans in which the liquid is foamy or smells strange. However, many foods infected with disease-producing organisms provide the consumer with few notable clues. These foods may smell and appear safe, yet be capable of causing severe illness. Adhering to proper sanitation procedures, food preparation guidelines, and food handling techniques significantly decreases the risk of most food-borne illnesses (Ewen et al., 2009; Luber , 2009).

34. The introduction of irradiation as a food preservation technique has played an important role in reducing the incidence of some food-borne disease (Arvanitoyannis, Stratakos , & Tsarouhas , 2009). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this technology as a “processing aid” for destroying illness-producing microorganisms, such as salmonella and E. coli in beef and poultry products, lunch meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and processed foods containing eggs.

35. It is also used to eliminate parasites and insects in spices and teas, slow the sprouting process (as in potatoes), delay ripening, and decrease spoilage. This procedure involves briefly exposing foods to low levels of gamma radiation; the amount of exposure and the types of foods that can be irradiated are closely regulated by the FDA (Trigo et al., 2009). The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the use of irradiated ground beef for the School Lunch Program since 2004.

36. Irradiated foods must carry the symbol and message shown in Figure 19–7. Irradiation is allowed in nearly 40 countries and is endorsed by the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the CDC, among other groups.

37. Although some consumer groups remain skeptical about food irradiation, the practice is considered to be a safe and effective method for improving food safety. Irradiated foods are not radioactive, nor do they retain any radioactivity. Nutrient loss during irradiation, particularly of vitamins A, E, and C, and thiamin is minimal and significantly less than losses that occur during most conventional food preservation methods ( Alothman , Bhat, & Karim, 2009).

38. Irradiation serves an important role in improving food safety, but it is not the solution to preventing all food-borne illness. Concerns that irradiation will be used to cover up unsanitary food processing procedures or that consumers will depend on this process to prevent food-related illnesses have been raised by various groups. However, no technology will ever replace the need for consumers to follow safe food handling practices.

39. bacteria – one-celled microorganisms; some are beneficial for the body but pathogenic bacteria cause diseases. viruses – any of a group of submicroscopic infective agents, many of which cause a number of diseases in animals and plants. parasites – organisms that live on or within other living organisms. irradiation – food preservation by short-term exposure of the food to gamma ray radiation.

40. Conditions for Bacterial Growth Because our environment contains numerous bacteria, why do food-borne illnesses not occur even more frequently than they do? For illness to occur the following conditions must be present: Potentially hazardous food —bacteria generally prefer foods that are high in protein, such as meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.

41. Oxygen —some bacteria require oxygen. Others cannot tolerate oxygen. A few bacteria can grow in environments with or without oxygen. Temperature —temperature is probably the most critical factor in bacterial growth. The hazard zone of 41°F–140°F is the ideal range in which bacteria grow most rapidly. Time —a single bacterial cell can multiply into one million cells in 5 hours under ideal conditions. Water —bacteria grow in foods with a higher moisture content. Acidity —bacteria prefer conditions that are near neutral (pH 7.0).

42. Food infections result when food containing large amounts of viable (live), disease-producing bacteria is ingested. Salmonella, E. coli, and campylobacter are examples of bacteria that commonly cause this type of food-borne illness. Symptoms typically develop within 12–24 hours after contaminated food has been ingested and bacteria have had sufficient time to multiply.

43. Food intoxications occur when food containing the bacterial toxins is consumed. Symptoms usually develop within a shorter time period (1–6 hours), with the exception of botulinum toxins, which take longer to cause illness (8–36 hours).

44. The incidence of food-borne illnesses remains a significant health threat to populations, especially young children, in the United States and worldwide (CDC, 2009). Large-scale food production and increased demands for exotic and out-of-season produce have made food-related diseases more difficult to control and prevent. International food inspection and production systems have also been slow to improve. In the United States, new legislation and resources have been added to increase food inspections and recalls, but they are still inadequate to address the complexity of the current food supply

45. For example, the USDA regulations allow federal meat inspectors to conduct brief (several second) visual examinations of animal carcasses. Because bacteria are not visible to the human eye, the results of any “inspection” must be questioned. Thus, the consumer must assume full responsibility for choosing, storing, and preparing these products to minimize the chances of becoming ill. Since protein-based foods such as milk, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry are the most common carriers of infectious agents and/or toxins, extra care must be taken whenever preparing these items.

46. Safe-handling instructions attached to packaging should be followed carefully (Figure 19–8). Most bacteria and toxins are destroyed when foods are cooked to the proper temperatures (Figure 19–9). It is NEVER safe to allow young children to eat raw or undercooked eggs, meat products, fish, or seafood because their immature immune systems leave them more vulnerable to food-borne illness ( Pesavento et al., 2010). Remember that cold temperatures STOP most (not all) bacterial growth, while heat KILLS most (not all) bacteria.