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Volume

RESTAURANT X
123 Main Street, Phoenix, Arizona

Food Safety Manual

 RESTAURANT X

Food Safety Training Manual

Note to New Author

Thank you for your interest and your enthusiasm in developing your own personal food safety system. Please remember that the
regulations set forth in this training manual reflect the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code. It is important to remember
when writing your manual, not to be less stringent than the requirements set forth in this document; doing so may lead to serious
food safety challenges within your operation. If your operation resides outside of the jurisdiction of Maricopa County, please be
sure to check with your local regulatory agency so that proper code requirements are followed.

This project was made possible by a USDA, FSIS Cooperative Agreement FSIS-C-05-2003
Table of Contents
Note to New Author i

Introduction 1

Foodborne Illness 1

Personal Hygiene 2

Cleaning and Sanitizing 4

Cross-Contamination and Food Storage 6

Food Storage Limits 7

Approved Foods 7

Toxic Chemicals and Pest Control 7

Food Temperatures 8

Emergencies 12
F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Introduction

WELCOME TO (RESTAURANT X)

(Restaurant X) takes pride in serving safe and great tasting food to our customers,
family and friends. Our customers may not notice the attention we give to food safety
but it is one of the most important focuses here at (Restaurant X). We all share the
responsibilities for making sure that the foods we prepare and serve to our customers
are safe.

WHY ARE FOOD SAFTEY PROCEDURES IMPORTANT?

According to the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that each year in the
United States alone there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness resulting in 325,000
hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths.

To help prevent this, there are laws that govern food handling. This manual is
designed to cover some of the practices that if done improperly could result in a
customer becoming sick.

Our restaurant uses a systems based approach to food safety often called a HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) plan. This means we have set procedures
on how to perform most tasks in the restaurant from receiving of foods, to
preparation, to the service to the customer.

Foodborne Illness
Let’s begin our discussion by talking about what is foodborne illness. There are three
main types of illness: Physical; Chemical; and Biological.

Physical foodborne illness is caused by when a foreign object enters the food and the
customer eats it. An example would be a pushpin falling out of a corkboard and
entering the food. The customer may bite down on the pin and break a tooth.

Chemical foodborne illness occurs when a chemical enters the food and a customer
ingests it. We need chemicals for cleaning and sanitizing of our establishment, but we
need to be careful to keep them separated from the food that we serve. An example of
a chemical foodborne illness may be an employee forgets to label a spray bottle
containing a yellow liquid (degreaser). Another employee gets the spray bottle
believing it is olive oil and begins to spray it on the pasta when it is done cooking. The
customer now gets pasta with degreaser to eat resulting in him becoming ill.

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The third type of foodborne illness is the most common – Biological. This can then be
further broken down into three more subcategories: Viruses; Foodborne Intoxications;
and Foodborne Infections. Viruses are pieces of DNA that can multiply within a living
organism such as Hepatitis A. Foodborne intoxications involve a bacteria growing
outside of a human and producing a toxin. The human then eats the toxin and
becomes ill normally within a matter of hours. Foodborne infections involve a human
eating the bacteria and then the bacteria produce a toxin within the person causing
illness.

Personal Hygiene
Good personal hygiene practices are an essential part of providing safe food to
our customers. Among these hygiene practices, the most important is hand
washing. Employees must wash their hands and forearms using the following
procedure:

• First, moisten hands with hot water and apply hand soap.
• Second, vigorously rub hands together scrubbing between your fingers,
under your fingernails, your forearms, and the back of your hands. You
must continue scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. It is the hand soap
combined with the scrubbing action that removes the dirt and germs from
your hands.
• Third, you must completely rinse your hands under running water and dry
them with a disposable paper towel.

You must be aware of what your hands are touching at all times. You should
recognize when your hands become contaminated and wash them to keep from
passing the contamination on to the food you are preparing and serving. It is
always necessary to wash your hands:

• When you first arrive at work;

• Prior to handling food, utensils, and single service articles;
• Before putting on gloves to handle ready-to-eat foods and between glove
changes.
• Before and after handling or touching any raw foods such as raw meats,
chicken, and eggs.
• After using the bathroom;
• After touching any part of your body or uniform;
• After handling dirty equipment, dishes or utensils;
• After taking a break;
• After any other activity that may contaminate your hands such as washing
dishes, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, eating or drinking,
coughing, or sneezing.

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You must wash you hands in an approved, designated hand sink. Sinks used to
wash dishes or prepare food are not approved for hand washing. The hand wash
sink must always be accessible and have an adequate supply of hot water, hand
soap, and paper towels.

If you work with food must always be clean and in good health; you should bathe
daily and wear clean cloths. You must never go to work if you are sick, especially
if you have symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or if you have any discharge
from your nose or eyes. You should notify your supervisor when you are sick and
certain illnesses will require you to stay home until your doctor has cleared you.
You must have fingernails that are cut and maintained and should not have
painted or fake fingernails. All jewelry must be removed prior to handling food
with the exception of a simple wedding band. While working with open food you
must have an effective hair restraint, such as a hat or hair net. Finally, you must
never eat or smoke in food preparation or food storage areas.

Direct bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods is prohibited. Ready-to-eat

foods are those that will not be subjected to further cooking or heating to destroy
bacteria; these may include, sandwiches, cut fruit, bread, tortillas, salads, or any
cooked food. In order to handle ready-to-eat foods, you can use utensils, tongs,
scoops, or wax paper. In situations where it becomes necessary to touch the food
with your hands, you must always wear disposable, non-latex gloves. Even though
you may use gloves to handle food with your hands, you must always wash your
hands prior to putting on the gloves and change the gloves when they become
contaminated, as in all of the situations previously mentioned. You must wash
your hands each time you change your gloves or contaminate the gloves.
1. What are the steps of hand washing?
A. Apply soap to your hands, rub your hands together for 20 seconds, rinse your hands, dry you hands with
a disposable paper towel, and turn off the faucet with the same paper towel used to dry your hands.
B. Apply soap to your hands, rub your hands together for 1 minute, rinse your hands, and dry you hands
with a clean cloth.
C. Rinse your hands under hot water for 20 seconds, dry your hands with a disposable paper towel, and
turn off the faucet with the same paper towel.
D. Immerse your hands in a solution of water and chlorine for at least 30 seconds and dry your hands with a
disposable paper towel.

2. When must you wash your hands?

A. At least every 30 minutes.
B. When your supervisor tells you.
C. When customers can see your hands.
D. Each time your hands become contaminated.

3. Where must you wash your hands?

A. In any sink that is free and accessible.
B. Only in an authorized and designated hand wash sink.
C. In the authorized hand sink or in the dish wash sink if the hand sink is not working or available.
D. In the sanitizer bucket.

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4. What should you do if the gloves you are using to handle food become contaminated?
A. Remove the gloves, store them in a clean place, wash your hands, and put the gloves back on.
B. Remove the gloves, throw the gloves away, and put on new gloves.
C. Remove the gloves, throw the gloves away, wash your hands, and put on new gloves.
D. Remove the gloves, handle the food with your bare hands but only if they are clean, and put the gloves
back on when you have time.

5. Where or when can you smoke and eat in the establishment?

A. You can smoke and eat in any area of the establishment but only when the food is covered and stored.
B. You can never smoke or eat in the kitchen or in areas where food is prepared or stored.
C. You can eat in the kitchen but not smoke.
D. You can eat in the kitchen but only during a break or lunch.

6. Are you allowed to work if you have a contagious illness?

A. Yes.
B. It depends on the type of contagious illness you have.
C. Never.
D. If no one can tell you are sick.
(1) A; (2) D; (3) B; (4) C; (5) B; (6) C

Cleaning and Sanitizing

Maintaining the kitchen scrupulously clean is vital to food safety. You should
recognize that even surfaces that appear clean might still have harmful germs that
you cannot see. Only by cleaning and sanitizing equipment, dishes, and surfaces
that come into direct contact with food, can we eliminate and destroy these
invisible germs.

There is a difference between washing and sanitizing. Washing removes visible

soil and contamination and sanitizing kills and reduces the number of harmful
bacteria that you cannot see. You are required to both wash and sanitize every
surface that comes into contact with food to assure that they are completely free
of any contamination.

Wiping cloths for cleaning and sanitizing must be available in every work area for
equipment such as meat slicers, counters, food preparation tables, cutting boards,
and utensils. Always wash, rinse, and sanitizer these surfaces before and after they
have come into contact with food. Also, because bacteria grow and multiply in
moist environments, moist wiping cloths must be stored in a bucket of water and
sanitizer when they are not in use. This sanitizing solution must be changed
frequently; food debris uses up the sanitizer quickly.

It is important that the disinfectant be at the proper concentration to ensure that

the germs are destroyed and that the solution is not dangerous. The only sure way
to measure the concentration is with a paper test strip. The white paper test strips

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will change to a medium blue if the chlorine is at the correct concentration-

between 50 and 100 parts per million. If you use other types of disinfectants, such
as quaternary ammonia or iodine, the appropriate test strips for these products
must be used according the manufacturer’s instructions.

The same principles of washing and rinsing apply when washing dishes by hand in
a three-compartment sink. Before starting you must clean each sink compartment
and drain board. Then pre-scrape the dishes to remove the excess food. Now
you can begin the three-step process:

• In the first compartment, thoroughly wash the dishes with detergent and
hot water.
• In the second, rinse the dishes in clean hot water to remove the soap.
(Mixing detergent with sanitizer can prevent the disinfectant from
eliminating the germs)
• Third, the dishes must be sanitized in a solution of sanitizer and room
temperature water. You must ensure that the sanitizer is at the adequate
concentration by using the appropriate chemical test strips. The dishes
should remain completely immersed in the solution for at least 30 seconds.

After cleaning and sanitizing it is necessary to let the dishes air dry on the drain
board or rack. Once dry you should store them in a clean place where they will be
protected from contamination.

1. What are the steps for washing dishes by hand?

A. Scrape off the excess food, wash with soap and hot water, rinse with hot water, sanitize, and air dry.
B. Scrape off the excess food, rinse with hot water, wash with soap and hot water, sanitize and air dry.
C. Scrape off the excess food, wash with soap and hot water, sanitize, air dry.
D. Scrape off the excess food, wash with soap and hot water, rinse with hot water, air dry, and sanitize.

2. The chlorine in the solution used to sanitize food contact surfaces must be at what concentration?
A. You must use a capful of chlorine for every gallon of water.
B. The concentration of chlorine is not important.
C. The concentration must be between 50 and 100 parts per million, which can be measured with a chlorine
paper test strip.
D. The concentration must be at 200 parts per million, which can be measured with a chlorine paper test
strip.

3. What is the difference between washing and sanitizing?

A. There is no difference.
B. Washing makes things look clean and sanitizing make them smell good.
C. Washing removes contamination and sanitizing whitens.
D. Washing removes contamination and sanitizing destroys microorganisms.

4. What are some of the critical food contact surfaces that must always be washed and sanitized?
A. Bathrooms, floors, and walls in the kitchen.
B. Break room, the surface of the griddle, and dining room tables.
C. Cutting boards, knives, utensils, and equipment.
D. Floor of the service area, the outside of equipment and display cases, and counters.

(1) A; (2) C; (3) D; (4) C

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Cross-Contamination and Food Storage

Cross-contamination occurs when harmful germs from raw foods or
contaminated surfaces are passed onto the food. This transfer of germs may
occur in any of the following situations:

• When hands that have touched raw food touch foods that are ready to eat.
• When raw or contaminated food touch foods that are ready to eat.
• When a ready to eat food comes into contact with surfaces that were not
properly washed and sanitized after having been in contact with a raw
food. Food contact surfaces include cutting boards, knives, utensils, and
food preparation tables.
• When dirty wiping cloths or wiping cloths contaminated with raw foods
are used on surfaces that come into contact with ready to eat foods.

You can prevent cross-contamination by washing and sanitizing every utensil,

cutting board, food preparation table, and work area before and after coming in
contact with food. Use the cleaning methods previously mentioned and
adequately wash you hands, especially after handling raw foods.

In addition, always stored raw meats, eggs, poultry, and fish in containers and
store them on the lowest shelves of the refrigerator. This will prevent the raw
products from leaking or falling onto foods that are ready to eat. Finally, all foods
must be stored at least six inches above the floor at all times.

1. How must raw animal foods be stored in the refrigerator?

A. On the floor of the walk-in cooler away from other foods
B. In containers stored on the lowest shelves of the refrigerator.
C. Raw shell eggs can be stored with cooked food and the other raw products on the lowest shelves.
D. All food products that are going to be cooked or reheated and raw foods can be stored together en the
walk-in cooler.

2. What must you use to sanitize equipment, tables, and other work surfaces that come into direct contact with the
food?
A. It is not necessary to sanitize things that cannot be completely submerged in the dish sink
compartments.
B. You must use a wiping cloth that has been soaked in a solution of water and an approved sanitizer.
C. You must use a wiping cloth that has been soaked in a solution of water, soap, and chlorine.
D. You must use a wiping cloth with chlorine but only at the end of the workday when all of the food is
put away.

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Food Storage Limits

Foods should always be used in the same order in which they were received. All
arriving food products should be marked with a date so you know which
inventory to use first.
In addition, any ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food (see definition below)
must be marked with a discard date at the time of opening or preparation. The
discard date must be 7 days after the food was prepared or opened, if the food has
been refrigerated at 41º F or less. (4 days if refrigerated at 45º F)

1. For how long can a ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food be stored in the refrigerator once it has been opened
or prepared?
A. For seven days if the food has been maintained below 41º the entire time.
B. For seven days but only if the food tastes, smells or looks bad.
C. For 14 days if the food has been held below 32º F the entire time.
D. If you follow the rule to use foods in the same order they were received, the food can be stored for an
indefinite amount of time.
(1) A

Approved Foods
Any foods served in your establishment must come from an approved source.
Homemade food cannot be used or offered for human consumption in a food
establishment. All packaged food must carry a label or seal on the packaging that
indicates the name of the processor or distributor, the name of the food, and the
ingredients.

All foods arriving at your workplace must be free of spoilage. Canned foods must
have an intact seal and be discarded if swollen. Potentially hazardous foods
should be rejected if they arrive at an unsafe temperature. Packaged foods should
be rejected or discarded if the arrive damaged.

1. Which of the following foods would be approved for use in your establishment?
A. Any homemade food.
B. Potentially hazardous foods that arrive at your establishment at room temperature.
C. Any food that is from an approved source, properly labeled, and in proper condition.
D. Any meat product that is packaged and labeled but does not have a valid mark of inspection.
(1) C

Toxic Chemicals and Pest Control

All chemicals, lotions, detergents, medicines, sanitizers, and cleaners must be
stored away from food, utensils, and food preparation areas. Any chemical
product that is not in its original container must be clearly labeled as to its

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contents. For example, when you transfer a chemical from its original container
to a spray bottle, the spray bottle must now be labeled with the name of the
chemical.
Pesticides and pesticide equipment cannot be present or stored in a food
establishment. Applying any pesticide is strictly prohibited unless it is done by a
professional, licensed pest control applicator. Pesticides should only be used as a
last resort, after every available preventive measure has been taken. The best way
to control cockroaches, mice, flies and other pests is to keep the establishment and
garbage areas clean, and to eliminate hiding places.

1. What is the best way to get rid of roaches?

A. Use a powder pesticide instead of a spray.
B. Leave the lights on all time, even when the business is closed.
C. Seal areas where the roaches can hide and keep the establishment clean.
D. Smash them with your food or a heavy object.

2. Where must you store chemicals such as cleaner and sanitizers?

A. At least 6 inches above the floor.
B. With equipment and clean utensils.
C. Away from any food or clean equipment and utensils.
D. On the shelf above food and utensils.
(1) C; (2) C

Food Temperatures
Cooking the food to the proper temperature is the best way to destroy harmful
germs that may be present in foods. Most types of germs are killed through
cooking. The cooking temperatures may vary depending on the type of food.

It is extremely important that you use a metal stem thermometer to check the
temperature of the food you are cooking. To correctly measure the temperature
you must insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food that is cooking.
The thermometers must be washed and sanitized before coming into contact with
the food, and between uses, to prevent contamination.

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TYPE OF FOOD TEMPERATURE EXAMPLE

(Degrees F)

POULTRY 165 chicken, turkey, chicken patties

GROUND BEEF 155 hamburgers, meat loaf, sausage

EGGS (THAT ARE NOT 155 custard, scrambled eggs on a buffet

FOR IMMEDIATE line
SERVICE)

NON-GROUND MEATS 145 steak, roasts, pork chops, corned beef

SEAFOOD 145 fish filet, shrimp, mussels

EGGS (THAT ARE FOR 145 eggs over easy, scrambled eggs to
IMMEDIATE SERVICE) order

Any food cooked in a microwave oven must be cooked to 165º F, stirred at least
once during cooking, and then left to stand covered for a minimum of two
minutes prior to serving.

Once the food has been cooked to the appropriate temperature, the food must be
kept free from contamination. In the same manner, all ready to eat foods should
be protected from contamination because they will be consumed without further
cooking.

The Temperature Danger Zone

Potentially hazardous food (or food that can support the growth harmful bacteria)
must be maintained above 130º F or less than 41º F at all times. This means that
food that is held cold in a refrigerator should be below 41º F and cooked food
that is being held hot must be held above 130º. Harmful bacteria grow and
multiply very quickly between 41º and 130º. The range of temperatures between
41º and 130º is called the temperature danger zone. Whenever possible, you must
avoid having foods in the temperature danger zone. Likewise, all potentially
hazardous foods should spend as little time as possible in the temperature danger
zone during preparation, reheating, and cooling.

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Reheating

Food that is cooked and refrigerated that is being prepared for immediate service
may be reheated to any temperature. However, if a food is cooked, cooled, and
reheated with the intention of holding it hot, the food must be reheated to a
temperature of at least 165º F. Reheating must be rapid. Cold foods placed into a
steam table will not reheat quickly enough. Instead use a microwave, stovetop, or
oven to heat the food before placing it in the steam table. A food should only be
reheated once.

Cooling

Cooling is usually the riskiest step in food preparation. If the food is not cooled
properly the food can remain in the temperature danger zone too long. It can be
very difficult to cool food quickly and most refrigeration units are not designed or
capable of this. Therefore, you should avoid cooling whenever possible. You
should prepare foods daily by cooking and holding hot only the food that will be
served during that day.

Nevertheless, the cooling of some foods in unavoidable and you must know the
proper way to cool foods quickly. Cooling foods rapidly can be achieved using
one or more of the following methods, based on the type of food that is to be
cooled:

• Separate the food into smaller portions or thinner portions and place them
in shallow containers;
• Stir the food while the container is submerged in a water and ice bath;
• Use metal containers to allow easier heat transfer
• Add ice as an ingredient;
• Use equipment designed for quick cooling of foods;
• Leave the food partially covered or uncovered. (If it is protected from
contamination)

Thawing

Foods must never be left to thaw at room temperature. At room temperature the
outer part of the food will thaw quickly and may remain in the temperature danger
zone for too long while the center of the food continues thawing. The safest way
to thaw food is inside a refrigerator. Inside the refrigerator the temperature of the
food will always remain below 41º F, out of the temperature danger zone. When
you thaw raw products, place them in a container and store the container on the
lowest shelf in the refrigerator to prevent contamination of the other foods. You
may also thaw foods under cold running water or in a microwave if it is part of the
cooking process.

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Thermometers

Any refrigeration equipment you use must be equipped with a thermometer that
measures the internal temperature. Use a metal stem thermometer to check foods
you are cooking, holding hot or cold, or cooling. Thermometers must be cleaned
and sanitized prior to being inserted into the food and between uses to prevent
contamination of the food.

1. Hot, cooked potentially hazardous food must be maintained above what temperature?
A. Above 130º F at all times.
B. Between 41° F and 130° F at all times.
C. Above 41° F at all times.
D. At any temperature if the food is already completely cooked.

2. Cold potentially hazardous food must be maintained at what temperature?

A. Below 41° F at all times.
B. Between 41° F and 130° F at all times.
C. Above 41° F at all times.
D. At any temperature if the food is packaged and from an approved processor.

3. Why must potentially hazardous food be kept out of the temperature danger zone?
A. To prevent altering the smell and color of the food.
B. To prevent the bacteria from growing and multiplying.
C. To prevent frozen foods from thawing.
D. Because customers like to eat foods that are either very hot or very cold.

4. Raw chicken must be cooked to what temperature?

A. Greater than 130º F.
B. Greater than 145º F.
C. Greater than 155º F.
D. Greater than 165º F

5. What is the proper procedure for cooling food?

A. Leave the food at room temperature for 2 hours and then store it in the walk-in cooler.
B. Always cool the food in the same container in which it was cooked.
C. The methods you use to cool the food are not important so long as the food is reheated to above 165º F.
D. The food should be cooled in uncovered, shallow containers inside the walk-in cooler.

6. What is the correct procedure for reheating food?

A. You should quickly reheat the food to a minimum temperature of 165º F before placing it in the steam
table.
B. First the food must reach room temperature and then it can be reheated to 165º F within 2 hours.
C. If the food is going to be held hot in a steam table, it can be reheated to any temperature.
D. Reheating procedures are not important as long as the food is handled properly before hand.

7. What is the correct procedure for thawing food?

A. At room temperature.
B. In a hot water bath.
C. Inside a refrigerator or under cold running water.
D. At room temperature if the food is in its original packaging.

(1) A; (2) A; (3) B; (4) D; (5) D; (6) A; (7) C

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Emergencies
You should know how to respond to emergency situations. If a sewer or waste
system backs up in the drains, or if the water supply is cut off or damaged, you
should notify the manager and close the business right away. You should also
close the business if there is an extended power or hot water outage.

If a piece of equipment that you rely on to keep foods hot or cold fails, you must
think and act quickly. If possible, shift food into an alternate refrigerator or
warming unit. If you are unsure how long a refrigerator or freezer has been
malfunctioning, take the temperature of foods inside the unit using a metal stem
thermometer. If the food is above 45 degrees, discard it. If frozen food has
thawed, do not refreeze it, and discard it if the temperature exceeds 45 degrees.

If you are unsure how to respond to an emergency, you should call the health
department for advice.

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