Food Safety
Food Science 1st Matt McAllister
Food borne Illness
The CDC has come up with a list of how food born illness can occur. Food safety is important in this list. Improper cooking temperatures of food, dirty utensils, and poor hygiene is all included to how food borne illness can occur.
Danger Zone
E. coli can double in number every twenty minutes in good bacteria growing conditions. The food might not seem different but it can be harmful. Meat and dairy products, especially, must be outside of the danger zone to be consumable.
Cross Contamination
Good hand washing is the best way to prevent cross contamination. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds and wash all areas of your hands. Cross contamination can cause food poisoning.
Pathogens
Over 40,000 cases are reported in the U.S. every year from Salmonella. It is transmitted through contaminated food and contact with fecal matter. Raw and under-cooked chicken is one of the main causes of salmonella.
Hand washing Tips
It is important to dry hands and arms with single use paper towels and not a rag or apron. Using a rag or apron could achieve cross contamination.
Health Codes
The FDA is responsible for setting and regulating policies on foods, dietary supplements, drugs, vaccines, and biological medical products.
Chemical Hazards
Chemicals are present in the environment in which food is grown, harvested, transported, stored, packaged, processed, and consumed. The physical contact of the food with its environment results in its contamination.