Retail Food Safety flashcards
Retail Food Safety · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Temperature danger zone
- The temperature range of 41°F to 135°F in which bacteria grow most rapidly; TCS foods should not be held in this range for more than 4 hours cumulative.
- TCS food
- Time/Temperature Control for Safety food: food that requires time or temperature control to limit pathogen growth, such as meat, dairy, cooked rice, and cut melons.
- Spore-former
- A bacterium that forms protective spores surviving cooking, such as Clostridium botulinum and Bacillus cereus; spores can germinate and produce toxins in warm, anaerobic conditions.
- Foodborne intoxication
- Illness caused by ingesting preformed toxins in food, such as Staphylococcus aureus toxin; symptoms can appear quickly and do not require live bacteria.
- Handwashing duration
- The recommended handwashing procedure includes scrubbing hands and arms with soap for 10 to 15 seconds, then rinsing and drying with a single-use towel.
- Exclusion vs. restriction
- Exclusion means the employee cannot work in the operation; restriction means they cannot work with exposed food or clean equipment but may perform other duties.
- Big Six pathogens
- Six highly infectious pathogens requiring exclusion: Shigella, Salmonella Typhi, E. coli O157:H7, Norovirus, Hepatitis A, and nontyphoidal Salmonella.
- Glove use
- Single-use gloves must be changed when torn, soiled, or when switching tasks; hands must be washed before donning gloves and after removing them.
- Cooling time limits
- Cooked TCS foods must be cooled from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F within 4 more hours, for a total of 6 hours.
- Reheating temperature
- Reheat TCS foods to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours; do not use hot-holding equipment to reheat food.
- Date marking
- Ready-to-eat TCS foods held more than 24 hours must be marked with a discard date 7 days from preparation, with day 1 being the prep day.
- Thawing methods
- Thaw food under refrigeration at 41°F or below, under running water at 70°F or below, as part of cooking, or in a microwave immediately followed by cooking.
- Thermometer calibration
- Ice-point method: immerse probe in ice water and adjust to 32°F; boil-point method: adjust to 212°F at sea level.
- Sanitizer concentration
- Chlorine sanitizer should be 50–100 ppm; quaternary ammonium 200–400 ppm; iodine 12.5–25 ppm; verify with test strips.
- Manual warewashing steps
- Wash in 110°F+ detergent water, rinse, sanitize in 77°F+ water or per label, then air dry; do not towel dry.
- Cross-contamination
- The transfer of pathogens from raw foods or contaminated surfaces to ready-to-eat foods; prevent by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods and sanitizing surfaces.
- Cleaning vs. sanitizing
- Cleaning removes visible soil; sanitizing reduces pathogens to safe levels; both are required on food-contact surfaces.
- Handwashing sink requirements
- Handwashing sinks must be accessible, supplied with hot and cold water, soap, and single-use towels, and used only for handwashing.
- Pest exclusion
- Seal openings larger than 1/4 inch, install self-closing doors and air curtains, and maintain exterior lighting away from doors to prevent pest entry.
- Approved supplier
- A supplier licensed and inspected by the regulatory authority; food must be purchased only from approved sources to ensure safety.
- Shellstock tag retention
- Shellstock tags must be kept for 90 days from the date the last shellfish is sold or served, to allow traceback.
- Receiving temperatures
- Cold TCS foods must be received at 41°F or below; frozen foods solid; hot foods at 135°F or above; reject if out of range.
- HACCP seven principles
- Hazard analysis, determine critical control points, establish critical limits, monitor, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping.
- Active managerial control
- The operator's proactive system to control foodborne illness risk factors, including written procedures, monitoring, and corrective actions.
- Critical limit
- A measurable value that must be met to control a hazard at a critical control point, such as 165°F for 15 seconds.
- Corrective action
- The step taken when monitoring shows a deviation from a critical limit; includes fixing the problem and documenting the disposition of affected food.
- Certified food protection manager
- A manager certified by an accredited program who is on staff during operating hours and responsible for food safety management.
- Imminent health hazard
- A significant threat that requires immediate closure, such as sewage backup, no hot water, or pest infestation; notify the regulatory authority.
- FDA Food Code
- A model code published by the FDA that serves as the basis for state and local food safety regulations; the most recent version may be adopted.
- Risk factors
- The five key risk factors for foodborne illness: improper holding, inadequate cooking, contaminated equipment, poor personal hygiene, and unsafe sources.
- HACCP plan requirement
- A HACCP plan is required for specialized processes such as smoking, curing, sous vide, or reduced-oxygen packaging, and must be approved by the regulatory authority.
- Record keeping
- Maintain temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and training records for at least 90 days or as required by regulation; records must be available for inspection.