FOOD SAFETY MANUAL

Practical Food Safety and Awareness (HOSP110)

AMU Stephen Clark

Clark
Household
Food Safety
Manual
Table of
Contents
Section 1 Introduction to Food
Safety……………………………………………….3
 What is food safety, and why should it matter.
 How food can become contaminated in the kitchen
 Higher risk populations for foodborne illness

Section 2 Safe Purchasing Practices…………….5

 Safe Grocery Store Practices
 Being safe when transporting food.

Section 3 Safe Storage Practices…………………7

 Freezer and Refrigerator
 Labeling and Expiration date awareness

Section 4 Safe Preparation Practices……………8

 Hygiene before, during, and after food preparation
 Internal Temperatures and knowing when food is safe for
consumption
 Fresh produce and ready to serve food items

Section 5 Safe Serving Practices……………….10

 Knowing when to refrigerate or reheat
 Hot or Cold Never Warm
Section 6 Household Food Safety……………..12
 What can I do
 Hygiene and why it’s important
 Food Borne Illness signs, symptoms , and what to do to
report an incident

Section 7 Appendices…………………………..15
Section 8 References…………………………...18
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 1
Introduction to Food Safety
What is Food Safety and why should it matter?

Food Safety refers to handling, preparing and storing food in a way to best

reduce the risk of individuals becoming sick from foodborne illnesses. Food

borne illness is a widespread problem, not only within the United States,

but around the world. It can occur by consuming one of three types of

hazards: physical (when some type of object gets into food by accident),

biological (when bacteria, viruses, molds, yeasts, or parasites contaminate

food), and chemical (when a harmful chemical gets into the food). Experts

agree that the home is the primary location where foodborne outbreaks

occur; however, many consumers do not believe the home to be a risky

place [1]. Experts estimate that each year 1 in 6 Americans experience

foodborne illness—resulting in of the known hospitalizations of 56,000 and

death of more than 1,300 [1].Food safety is a global concern that covers a

variety of different areas of everyday life, and the household kitchen is a

perfect p-lace to implement healthy practiced to reduce the likelihood of

your household contracting a foodborne illness [7]. Food Safety is achieved

through the efforts of many in the food safety chain from farm to table this

manual will highlight ways to keep the household kitchen safe.

5
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

How Can Food Become Contaminated in the

Household Kitchen?

Contamination is by far the leading cause of food-related illness. In the

USA, outrage and news coverage surrounding outbreaks occurring in the

early 1990s has resulted in an increased awareness of food safety issues

among consumers and an increase in regulatory initiatives to reduce the

incidence of foodborne disease, such as hazard analysis and critical control

point (HACCP) programs [18]. According to the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC) the foods we love and count on for good health can

sometimes be contaminated with germs that cause sickness and can even

be deadly [6]. Household kitchens unlike restaurant and industrial kitchens

have higher risks of contamination due to multi-use of space as well as a

lack of awareness and procedure to reduce risk being in place. There is

ample opportunity for food to become unsafe with lack of sanitation and

proper cleaning of surfaces and equipment, to refrigeration temperatures

being inadequate for keeping food safe from contamination. It is imperative

that a cooking routine be implemented within a household to ensure that

food safety standards are upheld and the risk of illness is minimized. The

CDC recommends a four step process to ensure a high level of food safety in

your household: Clean, Separate, Chill, and Cook these will be discussed in

more detail throughout this manual.

Higher Risk Populations for Foodborne Illness

6
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 2

Not only is the household kitchen identified as the riskiest place to contract

foodborne illness outbreak, households are likely to house individuals who

are at a higher risk of contracting an illness, and the sad thing is many

individuals do not perceive themselves or others in their family to be high

risk. “13% of Americans are 65 years and over, nearly 7% are less than 5

years old, almost 4 million women are pregnant every year, and 1% is

immune compromised due to disease, medical treatment, and/or organ

transplant. In addition 12 million people are receiving healthcare at home

as an extension of or replacement for traditional in-patient care. This

amounts to one quarter of the population being at increased risk [1].” This

is critical to know and be aware of when cooking within the home.

Safe Purchasing Practices

Safe Grocery Store Practices

Throughout this class it was heavily stressed and discussed about the

importance of properly shopping at a grocery store or market. Things to take in

to consideration before, during, and after your trip. How planning is key and

essential to ensuring that the food you purchase is safe and not contaminated

when you select it, and reaches your home in the same state. When you walk

into a grocery store, begin by shopping for everything that is needed in the

middle aisles, because the middle aisles are mainly compromised of non-

perishables such as pastas, canned goods, cleaning supplies, and etc. Shopping

7
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

for these items first ensures your perishable refrigerated or frozen items will

remain at an optimal temperature longer and lower the risk of contamination.

Additionally while shopping you must ensure to separate your cart to lower the

possibility of cross-contamination. “The goal separate is to keep raw meat,

poultry, and seafood separate from ready to eat foods like salads and cooked

meat [1].” Another safe practice is to pay attention to expiration dates, for my

family this is very important because our items are shipped in and several

times when shopping I have witnessed items due to expire within 2-3 days or

are already expired in those cases items present a higher risk for

contamination and purchasers need to pay close attention to help reduce the

risk of foodborne illness. Foodsafety.gov gives a great list to become a safe

shopper:

 Check “sell-by” and “use-by” dates. Do not buy products that are out
of date.
 Do not buy or use damaged, swollen, rusted, or dented cans.
 Choose unbruised fruits and vegetables.
 Do not eat “self-serve” foods or free food samples.
 Do not buy or use cracked or unrefrigerated eggs.
 Pick up frozen and refrigerated items just before you check out at
the grocery store.
 Refrigerate groceries right away, and never leave perishable foods
out for more than 2 hours.
 Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other items in your
shopping cart and in your grocery bags.

Transporting food home safely, what you should know.

8
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 3

At this point in the food safety chain many things could’ve been done to prevent

contamination but this step in the process can erase all prior efforts. When

shopping you must plan beforehand to ensure best practices are taken to

reduce risk of contamination. Before leaving your home find out how long it will

take to get back home from the grocery store, do you have any other stops to

make, are you purchasing perishables and most importantly what is the

weather like that day. All of those things play a key factor into how you should

prepare to transport food from the grocery store to your home. If the weather is

hot (higher than 90 F) that day make sure to take a cooler and ask for ice from

the meat or deli department to ensure items don’t reach danger zone

temperatures and give bacteria or other biological hazards the opportunity to

multiply rapidly. Keep foods separate within your grocery bags, ensure raw

meats are placed in a plastic bag and kept separate from ready to eat foods

such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Safe Storage Practices

One of the four most common mistakes in handling and preparing food at home

is the inappropriate storage of food to include inadequate refrigeration [19].

Ensuring the refrigerator in the household is at the appropriate temperature

should be part of a household routine, just as folding the laundry, but for many

households this is overlooked. Freshness and safety is maintained with a few

simple steps which can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. When unloading

9
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 4

the groceries a good practice to implement is labeling items with the date of

purchase to ensure awareness of expiration and increase safety within your

household. “Many refrigerators are not cool enough, with the average

temperatures exceeding the recommended 40 degrees Fahrenheit [1]”.

Refrigerators should also not be packed too full because this compounds the

cooling problem and prevents proper flow of cold air throughout the

refrigeration increasing the risk of food-to-food cross contamination [1].

Labeling and expiration date awareness.

“When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, make sure to check the

expiration date on the labels. If the expiration date is acceptable do not buy

fish or meats that smell or look strange [9]”.Checking the expiration dates on

all foods is a great best practice because sometimes there is food on the

shelves out of date that has not been restocked due to human error. This will

eliminate possible old food being consumed inside the household. See

Appendix A for Food Safety Storage Chart from foodsafety.gov.

Safe Preparation Practices

Although foodborne disease data collection systems often miss the mass of

home-based outbreaks of sporadic infection, it is now widely accepted that

many cases of foodborne illness occur as a result of improper food handling

and preparation by consumers in their own kitchens [19].

10
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Hygiene before, during and after food preparation.

Hand washing and proper hygiene when preparing and handling food is the

one of the biggest risk reducers that can be controlled within a home kitchen.

Knowing if the surfaces you’re cooking on are sanitized, and the equipment

you’re using is clean, as well as if all the bacteria from the refrigerator door is

washed from your hands aren’t normal proceeding thoughts of food preparers

when making a fresh salad for your family dinner. Washing hands before you

begin preparing ensures the removal of all bacteria from the surface of your

hands before. Washing hands only before and after is not enough and too many

people make this mistake inside their household. Washing hands during

preparation is a great best practice because it will eliminate food-to-food cross

contamination. Another recommended step is to use gloves and separate

utensils when preparing different food items. This practice will further reduce

the possibility of cross-contamination.

Internal Temperature, Knowing When Food is Safe for

Consumption.

Preparing meats such as beef, chicken, fish, and seafood is extremely

important to make sure each are safe for consumption. One myth many

household food preparers make is just by washing chicken prior to cooking,

this is not the safest is not recommended due to the high risk of spreading

bacteria to other areas of the kitchen such as the sink, hands and surfaces. It is

11
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

also not recommended to thaw meat at room temperature due to the inability

to monitor the external and internal temperatures do not rise above 40 degrees

F. When thawing it is recommended to use a refrigerator, soak it in hot water,

or use the defrost function on your microwave [2]. Make sure to cook meat to

the recommended internal temperatures and verifying with a food

thermometer. See Appendix B for a chart from www.foodsafety.gov. One last

best practice is to make sure to purchase a food thermometer and check the

internal temperature of your food while preparing to ensure all present

biological hazards are killed prior to consumption.

Fresh Produce and Ready to Serve Food Items.

Preparing fresh produce and ready to eat items such as a rotisserie chickens

can be challenging and present a few opportunities for contamination to occur.

A few things to keep in mind when handling and this group of foods is

temperature, it has been mentioned prior about foods entering the danger zone

this can easily happen during preparation and prior to serving if the cook is not

paying attention and allows fresh cut vegetable and fruits to sit out at room

temperature hours before a meal is served. This is where planning is

important, know your meal and what needs to be prepared as well as what

time you plan to serve the meal, this will help ensure that items don’t reach the

zone for contamination to occur. Below are a few steps that the CDC

recommends when handling fruits and vegetables [4].

12
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

o Wash your hands, kitchen utensils, and food preparation surfaces,

including chopping boards and countertops before preparing fruits

and vegetables.

o Clean fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting, or cooking unless

the package says the contents have been washed. Even if the package

says it has been washed best practice is to always wash. This prevents

dirt and germs on the surface from getting inside when you cut.

o Keep fruits and vegetables separate from fish, meats, poultry, and

seafood.

o Refrigerate fruits and vegetables that have been cut, peeled, or

cooked within 2 hours.

13
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 5
Safe Serving Practices
Serving the prepared dish is essentially the last step and potential for

foodborne illness to occur. Ensuring food is served at the right necessary

temperature can be quite a challenge, but as discussed prior this is part of the

meal planning and preparation process. I never fully understood why

restaurants served food in courses but it makes sense to reduce the possible

risk of contamination of food. Remembering that the danger zone is 40

degrees F- 140 degrees F and food that is served cold remains cold while

consuming and food served hot remains hot while it is consumed. It is smart

to serve meals in courses to ensure salads don’t reach dangerous temperatures

and meat stays at optimum temperature for safe consumption

Knowing when to refrigerate or reheat

14
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

The refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer should

be set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures will help prevent any

bacteria in your foods from spreading and multiplying. When food is removed

from the freezer it is recommended to cook or thaw immediately. Perishable

foods will need to be kept out of the danger zone temperatures. The less time

any food spends in the range of 42 degree to 140 degrees Fahrenheit the

better. Inserting a food thermometer will be the only way to know for sure if

the temperatures stay above the danger zone. Do not leave prepared

perishable food out longer than two hours without refrigerating. Refrigerate

any leftovers as soon as possible after cooking. “If left to sit at room

temperature, bacteria in the food will multiply quickly [9]”.

Hot or cold never warm.

Food should be consumed either hot or cold and never warm at room

temperature because at room temperatures bacteria has optimum environment

to multiply. Consuming food immediately after cooked is the safest and will be

consumed with little bacteria growing back onto the foods. In cooking, it is not

the oven temperature but the reading at the center of the food that is crucial.

Use recommended internal temperatures for cooking rather than relying on

oven temperatures or the color determination when deciding if food is safe for

consumption. The less time food spends in the range of 40 degrees to 140

degrees Fahrenheit the better because these are the temperatures where

bacteria will have opportunity to grow and spread. As stated above

15
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 6

refrigerators are recommended to be 40 degrees Fahrenheit this shows that

once the food is taken out of the refrigerator bacteria starts to grow and

spread. The only way to eliminate all the bacteria prior to consuming will be to

make sure the internal temperatures reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Household Food Safety

The home is a multifunctional setting which directly impacts upon the need

for better food safety. Unlike commercial enterprises home kitchens are

multipurpose areas and researchers have observed women’s purses that

once sat on public ladies restroom floors upon kitchen countertops [1]. Pets,

old newspapers, dirty laundry, house plants and soil are common in home

kitchens. The multiple uses of home kitchens provide risky potential to

introduce an assortment of pathogens that can spread to food, multiply, and

16
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

result in illness. Many highly vulnerable populations consume the majority

of their food in the comforts of their own home [19]. Currently 60% of my

household is at higher risk for contracting a foodborne illness; my wife is

pregnant and two of my children are under the age of 5. There are

numerous factors likely to contribute to outbreaks of foodborne illness in

the home, including a raw food supply that is frequently contaminated, a

lack of awareness among the general public, mistakes in food handling and

food preparation at home and the deliberate consumption of raw and

undercooked foods of animal origin, often described as ‘risky eating

behavior’ [19]. Even though food handlers are the last line of defense in the

food safety chain, most have not had a food safety course recently or at all.

The opportunities for children to learn safe food handling in schools is

dwindling as the number of family and consumer science classes are

becoming less common. Many food network television shows lack proper

instruction and provide unsafe information to the consumer resulting in a

lack of knowledge needed to keep themselves and their families safe from

foodborne illness [1]. It is widely discussed that inconsistent practices

among home food handlers can contradict much of the endeavors in place

for improving and maintaining food safety earlier in the food safety chain

process.

What can I do?

17
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Food safety and security is a responsibility to many, but as the last line of

defense for our household it is my wife and my responsibility to ensure

we learn about food safety rules and also stay up to date on how to safely

prepare food within our home to prevent a foodborne illness from

occurring [10]. We must know where our food comes from and research

the safety standards in place to ensure that chemical, physical, or

biological hazards aren’t present within our homes water source and

surrounding areas available food sources. We must stay up to date on

recent outbreaks of foodborne illness in our area. Outside of actions

listed previously in this manual keeping a food journal for our children

and ourselves will help determine potential allergies, intolerances, and

foodborne illness related incidents that may occur.

Hygiene and why it is important.

Hygiene is the first step to help reduce the risk for a food borne illness

breakout started within the home. The first part is washing hands before,

during preparation, and after. Hygiene can also go as far as purchasing

throw away gloves for the preparation of food inside the home. Also

purchasing hair nets to make sure hair does not fall into the food while

preparing. Lastly ensuring all persons wash hands prior to consumption of

food to remove the potential of contamination from occurring while

consuming a meal.

18
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Food borne illness signs, symptoms, and what to do to

report and incident.

The most common signs and symptoms of food borne illnesses are diarrhea

and vomiting usually lasting from one to seven days. Other signs and

symptoms could include abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, and fatigue.

Reporting incidents are commonly not done due to the fact that most people

just think they are under the weather and do not really know how or if they

have had an outbreak caused by a food borne illness. Reporting an incident

should be done through the local Public Health Department and in my

family’s case the US Naval Hospital Okinawa Japan’s Public Health Office as

well as National reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention through their website by visiting www.cdc.gov. Make sure to

have adequate information regarding the incident in order for a proper

investigation to take place. The problem with reporting is many people

don’t report and serious outbreaks occur.

19
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 7

Appendices
Appendix A

Category Food Refrigerator Freezer

(40 °F or (0 °F or
below) below)
Salads
Egg, chicken, ham, tuna & macaroni 3 to 5 days Does not
salads freeze well

Hot dogs
opened package 1 week 1 to 2 months

unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months

Luncheon meat
opened package or deli sliced 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months

unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months

Bacon & Sausage

Bacon 7 days 1 month

20
C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Sausage, raw — from chicken, turkey, 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 months

pork, beef

Hamburger & Other

Ground Meats Hamburger, ground beef, turkey, veal, 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
pork, lamb, & mixtures of them

Fresh Beef, Veal,

Lamb & Pork Steaks 3 to 5 days 6 to 12
months

Chops 3 to 5 days 4 to 6 months

Roasts 3 to 5 days 4 to 12
months

Fresh Poultry
Chicken or turkey, whole 1 to 2 days 1 year

Chicken or turkey, pieces 1 to 2 days 9 months

Soups & Stews

Vegetable or meat added 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months

Leftovers
Cooked meat or poultry 3 to 4 days 2 to 6 months

Chicken nuggets or patties 3 to 4 days 1 to 3 months

Pizza 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 month

Appendix B
Category Food Temperature (°F) Rest Time
Ground Meat & Meat Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb 160 None
Mixtures Turkey, Chicken 165 None
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb Steaks, roasts, chops 145 3 minutes
Poultry Chicken & Turkey, 165 None
whole
Poultry breasts, roasts 165 None
Poultry thighs, legs, 165 None
wings
Duck & Goose 165 None

21
 C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

Section 8
Stuffing (cooked alone 165 None
or in bird)
Pork and Ham Fresh pork 145 3 minutes
Fresh ham (raw) 145 3 minutes
Precooked ham (to 140 None
reheat)
Eggs & Egg Dishes Eggs Cook until yolk and white are firm None
Egg dishes 160 None
Leftovers & Casseroles Leftovers 165 None
Casseroles 165 None
Seafood Fin Fish 145 or cook until flesh is opaque and None
separates easily with a fork.
Shrimp, lobster, and Cook until flesh is pearly and opaque. None
crabs
Clams, oysters, and Cook until shells open during cooking. None
mussels
Scallops Cook until flesh is milky white or opaque None
and firm.

References
1. Brenenner, C. B., Berning, J., & Martin-Biggers, J. (2013). Food Safety in Home Kitchens: A

Synthesis of the Literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public

Health,10, 4060-4085. doi:10.3390/ijerph10094060

2. Care Spot. (2018). Healthcare 101: Food Safety Tips to Keep Your Kitchen and Family Safe.

Retrieved from https://www.carespot.com/blog/healthcare-101-food-safety-tips-keep-your-

kitchen-and-family-safe

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, September 5). How Food Gets

Contaminated. Retrieved December 26, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/production-

chain.html

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, July 31). Food Safety for Fruits and

Vegetables. Retrieved December 27, 2018, from

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/steps-healthy-fruits-veggies.html

22
 C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, August 24). Get Ready to Grill Safely.

Retrieved December 27, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/bbq-

iq.html

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, September 8). Challenges in Food Safety.

Retrieved December 26, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/challenges/index.html

7. Ciaran, K. P., M.D., & Schneider, L. C., M.D. (Eds.). (2012). Food Allergy, Intolerance, and

Sensitivity: Are the foods you eat making you sick? Harvard Medical School Special Health

Reports. Retrieved December 26, 2018.

8. Food Safety: Healthy People 2020. (2018). Retrieved December 26, 2018, from

https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/food-safety

9. Gavin, M. L. (Ed.). (2014, November). Food Safety for your Family (For Parents). Retrieved

December 27, 2018, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/food-safety.html

10. Hernandez, S. L. (2016, April 26). Food Security: Is our Food and Water Supply Safe? Retrieved

December 26, 2018, from https://inhomelandsecurity.com/food-security-is-our-food-safe?

11. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Biological hazards. University, MS: Author

12. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Chemical hazards. University, MS: Author

13. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Cleaning and sanitizing. University, MS: Author

14. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Cooking foods. University, MS: Author

15. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Physical hazards. University, MS: Author

16. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Preventing contamination when using cutting boards.

University, MS: Author

17. Institute of Child Nutrition. (2016). Preventing cross contamination during food storage.

University, MS: Author

23
 C L A R K H O U S E H O L D F O O D S A F E T Y M A N U A L

18. Knight, A. J., & Michelle, T. R. (2007). Serving food safety: Consumer perceptions of food

safety at restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management;

Bradford,19(6), 476-484. doi:10.1108/09596110710775138

19. Scott, E., PhD. (2003). Food safety and foodborne disease in 21st century homes. The Canadian

Journal of Infectious Disease,14(5), 277-280. Retrieved December 25, 2018.

24