if food does not cool to 41°f within six hours, what is the next step to take?

Food Safety, Sanitation, and Personal Hygiene

4 Preventing Foodborne Illness

Nutrient-treatment and Storage Procedures

Proper food handling and storage can prevent about foodborne illnesses. In order for pathogens to grow in food, certain conditions must be present. Past controlling the environment and atmospheric condition, even if potentially harmful bacteria are present in the unprepared or raw food, they will not exist able to survive, abound, and multiply, causing illness.

In that location are six factors that bear upon bacterial growth, which can exist referred to by the mnemonic :

1. Food
2. Acid
3. Temperature
4. Time
5. Oxygen
6. Goisture

Each of these factors contributes to bacterial growth in the following ways:

• Food: Leaner require nutrient to survive. For this reason, moist, poly peptide-rich foods are adept potential sources of bacterial growth.
• Acid: Bacteria do not grow in acidic environments. This is why acidic foods similar lemon juice and vinegar do non support the growth of bacteria and tin be used as preservatives
• Temperature: Well-nigh leaner will grow rapidly betwixt 4°C and 60°C (40°F and 140°F). This is referred to as the (see the section below for more information on the danger zone).
• Time: Leaner require time to multiply. When small numbers of bacteria are present, the risk is usually depression, simply extended fourth dimension with the correct conditions volition allow the bacteria to multiply and increase the risk of contamination
• Oxygen: There are 2 types of bacteria. crave oxygen to grow, so will not multiply in an oxygen-free environment such as a vacuum-packaged container. will just grow in oxygen-free environments. Food that has been improperly processed and so stored at room temperature can be at risk from anaerobic bacteria. A common example is a product containing harmful Clostridium botulinum (botulism-causing) bacteria that has been improperly processed during canning, and so is consumed without any further cooking or reheating.
• Moisture: Bacteria need moisture to survive and will grow quickly in moist foods. This is why dry and salted foods are at lower risk of being hazardous.

Identifying Potentially Chancy Foods (PHFs)

Foods that accept the FATTOM conditions are considered . PHFs are those foods that are considered perishable. That is, they will spoil or "go bad" if left at room temperature. PHFs are foods that support the growth or survival of disease-causing bacteria (pathogens) or foods that may exist contaminated by pathogens.

By and large, a nutrient is a PHF if it is:

• Of brute origin such as meat, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, poultry (or if it contains whatsoever of these products)
• Of plant origin (vegetables, beans, fruit, etc.) that has been oestrus-treated or cooked
• Any of the raw sprouts (bean, alfalfa, radish, etc.)
• Whatever cooked starch (rice, pasta, etc.)
• Any type of soya protein (soya milk, tofu, etc.)

Table ii identifies common foods as either PHF or not-PHF.

Tabular array 2. Common PHF and non-PHFs

PHF	Not-PHF
Chicken, beefiness, pork, and other meats	Beef jerky
Pastries filled with meat, cheese, or cream	Bread
Cooked rice	Uncooked rice
Fried onions	Raw onions
Opened cans of meat, vegetables, etc.	Unopened cans of meat, vegetables, etc. (as long equally they are not marked with "Keep Refrigerated")
Tofu	Uncooked beans
Coffee creamers	Cooking oil
Fresh garlic in oil	Fresh garlic
Fresh or cooked eggs	Powdered eggs
Gravy	Flour
Dry soup mix with water added	Dry soup mix

The Danger Zone

One of the most important factors to consider when handling food properly is temperature. Tabular array 3 lists the nearly temperatures to be enlightened of when treatment food.

Table three. Important temperatures to retrieve

Celsius	Fahrenheit	What happens?
100°	212°	Water boils
lx°	140°	Most pathogenic bacteria are destroyed. Keep hot foods higher up this temperature.
xx°	68°	Food must be cooled from 60°C to twenty°C (140°F to 68°F) inside two hours or less
four°	40°	Food must exist cooled from 20°C to 4°C (68°F to 40°F) within four hours or less
0°	32°	H2o freezes
–18°	0°	Frozen food must be stored at −xviii°C (0°F) or below

Effigy one. Danger Zone Chart, Used with permission from BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC). [Epitome description]

The range of temperature from four°C and threescore°C (40°F and 140°F) is known every bit the , or the range at which most pathogenic bacteria will grow and multiply.

Time-temperature Control of PHFs

Pathogen growth is controlled by a fourth dimension-temperature relationship. To kill micro-organisms, food must exist held at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time. Cooking is a scheduled procedure in which each of a series of continuous temperature combinations can be equally effective. For example, when cooking a beef roast, the microbial lethality achieved at 121 minutes after information technology has reached an internal temperature of 54°C (130°F) is the same as if it were cooked for 3 minutes after it had reached 63°C (145°F).

Tabular array 4 show the minimum time-temperature requirements to keep food prophylactic. (Other time-temperature regimens might be suitable if it can be demonstrated, with scientific data, that the regimen results in a safe food.)

Table iv. Temerature control for PHFs

Critical control point	Blazon of food	Temperature
Refrigeration	Cold food storage, all foods.	iv°C (xl°F) or less
Freezing	Frozen food storage, all foods.	−xviii°C (0°F) or less
Freezing	Parasite reduction in fish intended to be served raw, such every bit sushi and sashimi	−20°C (−iv°F) for vii days or −35°C (−31°F) in a blast freezer for 15 hours
Cooking	Food mixtures containing poultry, eggs, meat, fish, or other potentially hazardous foods	Internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) for at least xv seconds
Cooking	Rare roast beef	Internal temperature of 54°C to 60°C (130°F to 140°F)
Cooking	Medium roast beefiness	Internal temperature of lx°C to 65°C (140°F to 150°F)
Cooking	Pork, lamb, veal, beef (medium-well)	Internal temperature of 65°C to 69°C (150°F to 158°F)
Cooking	Pork, lamb, veal, beefiness (well done)	Internal temperature of 71°C (160°F)
Cooking	Poultry	Internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) for 15 seconds
Cooking	Stuffing in poultry	74°C (165°F)
Cooking	Basis meat (Includes chopped, ground, flaked, or minced beef, pork, or fish)	70°C (158°F)
Cooking	Eggs[1]	63°C (145°F) for 15 seconds
Cooking	Fish[2]	70°C (158°F)
Holding	Hot foods	sixty°C (140°F)
Cooling	All foods	threescore°C to 20°C (140°F to 68°F) within 2 hours and 20°C to 4°C (68°F to 40°F) within four hours
Reheating	All foods	74°C (165°F) for at least 15 seconds

The Top 10 List: Do's and Don'ts

Effigy ane illustrates the elevation ten improper food-treatment methods and the percentage of foodborne illnesses they cause.

Effigy 2. Elevation 10 causes of foodborne affliction. Nautical chart created by go2HR under CC Past. [Image description]

This section describes each nutrient-handling practice outlined in the height ten listing and the means to forbid each trouble.

i. Improper cooling

Many people think that in one case a food has been properly cooked, all disease-causing organisms (pathogens) have been killed. This is non true. Some pathogens can form oestrus-resistant spores, which can survive cooking temperatures. When the food begins cooling down and enters the danger zone, these spores begin to grow and multiply. If the food spends also much time in the danger zone, the pathogens will increase in number to a point where the food will make people ill. That is why the process is crucial. Cooked nutrient must be cooled from 60°C to twenty°C (140°F to 70°F) in two hours or less, AND and so from xx°C to four°C (lxx°F to 40°F) in four hours or less.

Figure 3. Nutrient Cooling Process, used with permission from BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

Fifty-fifty in modern walk-in coolers, large cuts of meat will not cool down properly. Neither will whole poultry. Even big pots (4 L/1 gal. or more) of soup, stews, gravy, etc., can accept a day or more to absurd to iv°C (40°F). All the same, you can cool these foods down rapidly past using one or more of the following methods depending on the type of food existence cooled:

• Place the nutrient in (with the nutrient no deeper than 5 cm/2 in.) and put the pans in the libation.
• When the food is cooling, do non tightly encompass. Doing so only seals in the heat.
• Do not stack the shallow cooling pans during the cooling stride. This will defeat the purpose of shallow panning past preventing cold air from reaching the food. Yous may demand to add more than shelves to your cooler.
• Cut large cuts of meat or whole poultry into smaller or thinner portions. Then place these portions into shallow pans for cooling.
• Employ or cooling sticks to cool foods quickly.
• Use rapid cooling equipment such equally walk-in coolers with wire shelving and good air flow. Dwelling house-fashion refrigerators or reach-ins do not absurd nutrient well.
• Stir the food in a container placed in an ice-h2o bath.
• Apply containers that help rut transfer, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Plastic does not transfer estrus well.
• Use ice equally an ingredient (e.g., in stews or soups).
• For big pots of cooked desserts (due east.g., custard), divide it into serving sizes and then cool.

2. Advance preparation

Advance grooming is the cause of many nutrient-poisoning outbreaks, usually because food has been improperly cooled. Oftentimes, foods that are prepared well before serving spend besides much time in the danger zone. This may happen for i or more of the post-obit reasons:

• The food is left out at room temperature as well long.
• The food is not heated or reheated properly (to a high enough temperature), or non cooled properly.
• The food is brought in and out of the danger zone too many times (e.thousand., cooked, hot held, cooled, reheated, hot held, cooled, reheated again).

To prevent problems of accelerate preparation:

• Try to gear up all foods for same-solar day utilize and as close to serving fourth dimension as possible.
• To prevent outside contamination of foods prepared in accelerate, cover them tightly afterward they accept been properly cooled.
• Reheat leftovers only in one case. If leftovers are not consumed subsequently being reheated, throw them out.
• For foods prepared and held refrigerated in the cooler for more than than 24 hours, mark the date of preparation and a "serve by" date. More often than not, PHFs should be thrown out if not used within three days from engagement they were made.
• If you lot must gear up foods in accelerate, be sure you properly absurd and refrigerate them.

iii. Infected person

Many people behave pathogens somewhere on or in their bodies without knowing it—in their gut, in their olfactory organ, on their easily, in their oral fissure, and in other warm, moist places. People who are carrying pathogens oft accept no outward signs of affliction. However, people with symptoms of illness (diarrhea, fever, airsickness, jaundice, sore throat with a fever, hand infections, etc.) are much more likely to spread pathogens to food.

Another trouble is that pathogens tin can be present in the cooked and cooled food that, if given plenty time, can all the same grow. These pathogens multiply slowly but they can eventually achieve numbers where they can make people sick. This ways that foods that are prepared improperly, many days before serving, yet stored properly the entire time can make people ill.

Some pathogens are more dangerous than others (eastward.chiliad., salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter). Even if they are only present in low numbers, they tin can make people very ill. A food handler who is carrying these kinds of pathogens tin easily spread them to foods – usually from their easily. is extra unsafe. Set up-to-eat food gets no further cooking after being prepared, so whatsoever pathogens will not be killed or controlled by cooking.

To prevent problems:

• Make sure all nutrient handlers wash their hands properly afterwards any chore that could dirty their hands (e.g., using the toilet, eating, handling raw meats, bravado their nose, smoking).
• Food handlers with infected cuts on their hands or artillery (including sores, burns, lesions, etc.) must not handle food or utensils unless the cuts are properly covered (e.g., waterproof cast covered with a latex glove or finger cot).
• When using or , food handlers must still wash their hands. Equally well, gloves or cots must be replaced if they are soiled, have a hole, and at the end of each day.
• Food handlers with infection symptoms must not handle utensils or nutrient and should be sent home.
• Where possible, avoid direct mitt contact with food – especially set-to-swallow foods (e.g., use plastic utensils plastic or latex gloves).

4. Inadequate reheating for hot holding

Many restaurants prepare some of menu items in advance or use leftovers in their units the next day. In both cases, the foods travel through the danger zone when they are cooled for storage and again when they are reheated.

Foods that are hot held before serving are particularly vulnerable to pathogens. In addition to travelling through the danger zone twice, even in properly operating hot hold units, the nutrient is close to the temperature that will allow pathogens to grow.

To prevent problems:

• Do not utilize hot hold units to reheat food. They are not designed for this purpose. Instead, rapidly reheat to 74°C (165°F) (and concord the food at that temperature for at to the lowest degree 15 seconds before putting information technology in the hot agree unit. This will impale any pathogens that may have grown during the cool-down footstep and the reheat footstep.
• If using direct rut (stove pinnacle, oven, etc.), the temperature of the reheated food must reach at least 74°C (165°F) for at least 15 seconds within two hours. Proceed a thermometer handy to cheque the temperature of the nutrient.
• If using a microwave, rotate or stir the food at least once during the reheat step, as microwaves estrus unevenly. Also, the food must exist heated to at least 74°C (165°F) and so stand covered for 2 minutes after reheating earlier calculation to the hot hold unit. The snapping and crackling sounds coming from food existence reheated in a microwave practise not hateful the food is hot.

five. Improper hot holding

Hot agree units are meant to keep hot foods at threescore°C (140°F) or hotter. At or above this temperature, pathogens will not grow. However, a mistake in using the hot hold unit can outcome in foods existence held in the – betwixt 20°C and 49°C (70°F and 120°F), temperatures at which pathogens grow very quickly.

To prevent problems:

• Make sure the hot agree unit is working properly (e.thousand., heating elements are non burnt out; water is non too low in steam tables; the thermostat is properly set up and then nutrient remains at threescore°C (140°F) or hotter) Check it daily with a thermometer.
• Put only already hot (74°C/165°F) foods into the hot hold unit.
• Preheat the hot hold unit to at least 60°C (140°F) before you showtime putting hot foods into it.
• Do not use the hot agree unit to reheat cold foods. It is not designed for or capable of doing this rapidly.
• After the lunch or dinner blitz, do not turn off the heat in the hot concord unit and then leave the food there to cool. This is very dangerous. When you do this, the food does not cool downwardly. It stays hot in the super danger zone and lets pathogens grow quickly. Foods in hot hold units should exist taken out of the units later the meal fourth dimension is over and cooled right away.

six. Contaminated raw food or ingredient

We know that many raw foods often contain pathogens, nevertheless certain foods are often served raw. While some people believe these foods served raw are "skilful for you lot," the truth is that they have e'er been dangerous to serve or eat raw. Some examples include:

• Raw oysters served in the beat out
• Raw eggs in certain recipes (e.g., Caesar salad, eggnog made from raw eggs)
• Rare hamburger
• Sushi/sashimi
• Steak tartare

These foods accept acquired many food-poisoning outbreaks. Always remember: you cannot tell if a food contains pathogens merely by look, taste, or odour.

To prevent issues:

• Buy all your foods or ingredients from approved suppliers.
• If available, buy foods or ingredients from suppliers who also have nutrient rubber plans for their operations.
• Where possible, utilise processed or pasteurized alternatives (eastward.g., pasteurized liquid eggs).
• Never serve these types of foods to high-risk customers (due east.g., seniors, young children, people in poor health, people in hospitals or nursing homes).

vii. Dangerous source

Foods from canonical sources are less likely to contain high levels of pathogens or other forms of contagion. Canonical sources are those suppliers that are inspected for cleanliness and condom by a government food inspector. Foods supplied from unreliable or disreputable sources, while being cheaper, may incorporate loftier levels of pathogens that can cause many food-poisoning outbreaks.

Wing-past-night suppliers (body sales) oftentimes exercise not care if the product is prophylactic to sell to you, but approved suppliers exercise! Every bit well, many fly-by-night suppliers have obtained their product illegally (e.1000., closed shellfish fisheries, rustled cattle, poached game and fish) and often practise not have the equipment to properly process, handle, store, and transport the food safely.

Of detail concern is seafood from unapproved sources. Seafood, particularly shellfish, from unapproved sources can be heavily contaminated with pathogens or poisons if they accept been harvested from closed areas.

To preclude problems:

• Buy your food and ingredients from approved sources only. If you are not sure a supplier has been approved, contact your local environmental health officer. He or she tin find out for you.
• Do non have the chance of causing a food-poisoning outbreak by trying to save a few dollars. Think, your reputation is on the line.

viii. Use of leftovers

Using leftovers has been the cause of many outbreaks of food poisoning because of improper cooling and reheating (of "hot" leftovers). Leftovers that are intended to be served hot pass through the danger zone twice (during the initial cooling of the hot nutrient and when reheating). Those leftovers intended to be served without reheating, or as an ingredient in other foods (e.thousand., sandwich filler), get through the danger zone during cooling and and then, when being prepared and portioned, often stay in the danger zone for another long period. The time in the danger zone adds up unless the food is quickly cooled and so chop-chop reheated (if beingness served hot), or kept cold until serving (if non existence served hot).

Contamination tin can likewise occur with leftover foods when they are stored in the libation. Improperly stored leftovers can accidentally exist contaminated by raw foods (e.m., blood dripping from a college shelf).

To forbid problems:

• Reheat leftovers just in one case. Throw out whatsoever leftovers that have already been reheated once.
• Practise non mix leftover foods with fresh foods.
• Be certain to follow the proper cooling and reheating procedures when treatment leftovers. These are disquisitional control points.
• Absurd leftovers in uncovered containers carve up from whatsoever raw foods. Afterwards they are cooled, cover them tightly.

nine. Cantankerous-contamination

You can expect sure foods to contain pathogens, especially raw meat, raw poultry, and raw seafood. Employ extreme caution when y'all bring these foods into your kitchen. Cross-contamination happens when something that can cause illness (pathogens or chemicals) is accidentally put into a food where not previously found. This tin include, for example, pathogens from raw meats getting into ready-to-consume foods like deli meats. It can also include nuts (which some people are very allergic to) getting into a food that does not usually have nuts (due east.g., tomato sauce).

To prevent problems:

• Employ separate cutting boards, separate cleaning cloths, knives/utensils, sinks, preparation areas, etc., for raw and for fix-to-swallow foods. Otherwise, wash all of these items with detergent and them with bleach between employ.
• Use dissever storage areas for raw and prepare-to-eat foods. Ever store ready-to-consume foods on separate shelves and above raw foods. Store dry foods higher up moisture foods.
• Prepare set-to-eat foods at the beginning of the day earlier the raw foods are prepared.
• After treatment raw foods, e'er launder your hands properly earlier doing anything else.
• Keep wiping or cleaning cloths in a container of fresh bleach solution (30 mL/1 oz. of bleach per 4 Fifty/ane gal. of water) when not in use.
• Utilize clean utensils, non your hands, to handle cooked or set up-to-eat foods.
• If a client indicates a food allergy, follow notwithstanding steps to avert cross contamination and use separate or freshly sanitized tools and utensils to prepare food for the individual with the allergy.

10. Inadequate cooking

Proper cooking is one of the best means of making certain your operation does non cause a food-poisoning outbreak. Proper cooking kills all pathogens (except spores) or at least reduces their numbers to a point where they cannot make people sick. Inadequate cooking is oftentimes washed past blow: for instance, cooking still-frozen poultry or meat; attempting to cook a blimp bird using the same fourth dimension and temperature every bit an unstuffed bird; using an inexperienced cook.

To forestall problems:

• Don't rely on cooking times lone. Bank check the of the nutrient beingness cooked.
• For big cuts of meat or large batches of food, check the temperature in several spots.
• Be extra conscientious when cooking partially frozen foods. There can be cold spots in the food that are not properly cooked. The normal cooking fourth dimension will take to be increased.
• When grilling or frying meat, cook until the juices run clear. Cooked fish until information technology flakes easily. Make thin, not thick, hamburgers.

Image descriptions

Effigy 1 paradigm description:

At 100°C (or 212°F), water boils. Above 74°C (or 165°F), bacteria die, although spores and toxins may survive. Nutrient that is existence cooked or reheated should hitting 74°C (or 165°F). You can concord hot food for service at 60°C (or 140°F). Between 4°C and 60°C (or 40°F and 140°F) is the "Danger Zone." Go on food out of this temperature range considering bacteria will multiply apace. Between 0°C and 4°C (or 32°F and xl°F), most bacteria will survive merely volition non multiply quickly. Water freezes at 0°C (or 32°F). Between 0°C and −18°C (or 0°F and 32°F), most bacterial will survive but not grow. Frozen food is stored at −18°C (or 0°F).

[Return to Figure 1]

Figure 2 prototype clarification:

1. Improper cooling, 30%.
2. Advance preparation, 15%.
3. Infected person, 12%.
4. Inadequate reheating, 10%.
5. Improper hot property, 8%.
6. Contaminated raw nutrient, 4%.
7. Unsafe source, 3%.
8. Use of leftovers, 2%.
9. Cantankerous-contamination, 2%.
10. Inadequate cooking, 1%.
11. All other causes, 3%.

[Return to Figure 2]

---

hartwayincer.blogspot.com

Source: https://opentextbc.ca/foodsafety/chapter/preventing-foodborne-illness/

Share this post