Graham 1 Gabbe Graham Mrs.

Hensel English III 20 November 2013 Food Safety Food safety is critical in everyday life. The results of not following food safety guidelines could cause foodborne illness, and may lead to death. Between the years 2009 and 2010 there were over 29,000 foodborne illness cases documented. Over 1,000 people were hospitalized and 23 died. (Tracking). In order to prevent foodborne illness the following steps are a few of many others that must be followed: checking your food for cleanliness, time-temperature management, and taking measures to prevent cross-contamination. Foodborne illnesses are infections or irritations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, or chemicals (National). There are many different food safety methods and guidelines to prevent foodborne illness. One method is checking your food for cleanliness. The first step of checking your food for cleanliness is the sight and sniff test (HealthLines). The sight and sniff test includes smelling and inspecting the food youre about to purchase to make sure its fresh. When buying eggs, inspect each egg carefully, making sure they are clean and none are cracked. If the eggs are cracked, this could be a sign of spoilage. Managing time and temperature when you are storing and preparing food is a must. When you manage the time and temperature of your food correctly, you may eliminate the

Graham 2 number of pathogens in your food or reduce them to safe levels. The temperatures at which bacteria grows best in food is from 41 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (Keep Food). This range of temperatures is also referred to as the temperature danger zone. When managing the time and temperature of food is not performed correctly it is called timetemperature abuse. Time-temperature abuse could cause the number of pathogens in food to double every 20 minutes. Perishable food items should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours (HealthLines). When the number of pathogens reaches dangerous level it is likely you may contract a foodborne illness. Avoiding cross-contamination is crucial when it comes to food. There are many steps to avoiding cross-contamination; one of them is washing your hands. People dont realize how many germs are carried on our hands; germs are picked up from every surface we touch. Hand sanitizers should never be used in the place of washing your hands. Hand sanitizers may kill germs, but are not effective in removing the germs from your hands. Another crosscontamination prevention method is cleaning and sanitizing utensils between uses. When using utensils for more than two hours they should be cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized again. You should also have a separate cutting board for fruits and vegetables as you use for meats to prevent cross-contamination (Food Safety). Another precaution to take is to never purchase canned food items if the cans are dented or bulged. If cans are an abnormal shape, this may be a sign of cross contamination as well. You must inspect your food to make sure it is clean, take measures to prevent crosscontamination, as well as, managing time and temperature correctly. Food safety should never be underestimated, following food safety guidelines and taking precautions is vital. Food safety prevents the spread of harmful pathogens. If food safety guidelines are not obeyed, the consumer

Graham 3 may get a food borne illness. In worst case scenarios, foodborne illnesses may even lead to death.

Graham 4 Works Cited "Food Safety: How to Avoid Cross Contamination." / Nutrition / Healthy Eating. N.p., 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. "HealthLines: 7 Steps to Food Safety." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.Works Cited "Keep Food Safe With Time and Temperature Control." : Food Safety : Food : University of Minnesota Extension. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. "National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)." Foodborne Illnesses. N.p., 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. "Tracking and Reporting Foodborne Disease Outbreaks." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.