BC FOODSAFE Level 1 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Potentially hazardous food

Moist, protein-rich food with a pH above 4.6 that supports rapid bacterial growth - for example meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, cooked rice and sprouts.

Three hazard types

Biological (bacteria, viruses, parasites), chemical (cleaning agents, pesticides, allergens) and physical (glass, metal, bone, hair) hazards are the three categories food handlers must control.

Danger zone

The temperature range from 4°C to 60°C (40°F to 140°F) in which bacteria multiply fastest; time in this range accumulates across receiving, preparation, cooling and holding.

Food handler reporting duty

A food handler must tell the supervisor and stay away from food work when experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, fever, jaundice, or an infected cut or lesion on the hands.

FATTOM conditions

The six factors bacteria need to grow: Food, Acidity (pH), Time, Temperature, Oxygen and Moisture. Removing any one factor slows or stops growth.

Bacterial growth rate

Under ideal conditions bacteria can double about every 20 minutes, so a few cells can become millions within hours; this is why time and temperature control matter.

Spore-forming bacteria

Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus form heat-resistant spores that survive normal cooking and can germinate in warm, moist, low-oxygen food.

Staphylococcus aureus toxin

Formed in food when handlers with skin infections touch it; the toxin is heat-stable, so reheating does not make the food safe. Keep infected workers away from food.

Norovirus

A virus causing vomiting and diarrhea that spreads through hands, food, water and surfaces, does not grow in food, and needs only a tiny dose to infect.

Handwashing steps

Wet hands, apply liquid soap, scrub palms, backs, between fingers, thumbs, fingertips and under nails for 15–20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, then dry with a paper towel.

When hands must be washed

Before handling food, after using the toilet, after touching raw meat or garbage, after cleaning, after breaks, and after touching hair, face or a phone.

Glove use rules

Wash hands before putting gloves on and after removing them; change gloves when torn, soiled, or when switching tasks; gloves never replace handwashing.

Bare-hand contact rule

Ready-to-eat food must not be touched with bare hands; use tongs, deli paper, spatulas or single-use gloves instead to prevent contamination from skin.

Illness exclusion

Workers with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, jaundice or open hand lesions must stop handling food and report to the supervisor until symptoms resolve or a health professional clears them.

Receiving cold food

Refrigerated deliveries must arrive at 4°C (40°F) or colder, and frozen food must be solidly frozen with no signs of thawing or refreezing.

Delivery rejection criteria

Reject food with damaged, swollen or rusty cans, torn packaging, missing labels, expired dates, off odours, pest evidence, or temperatures above the required limit.

FIFO rotation

First In, First Out: label food with the date received, place newer stock behind older stock, and use the oldest product first to limit spoilage.

Refrigerator storage order

Top to bottom by required cooking temperature: ready-to-eat food, seafood, whole cuts, ground meat, then poultry on the bottom, all in drip-proof containers.

Refrigerator and freezer temperatures

Keep coolers at 4°C (40°F) or colder and freezers at -18°C (0°F) or colder, verifying with a probe or hanging thermometer at least daily.

Poultry cooking temperature

Poultry, stuffed foods and dishes containing poultry must reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) before being served.

Ground meat cooking temperature

Ground beef, pork and other ground meats must reach 71°C (160°F) throughout, because surface bacteria are mixed into the centre during grinding.

Two-stage cooling

Cool cooked food from 60°C to 20°C (140°F to 70°F) within 2 hours, then from 20°C to 4°C (70°F to 40°F) within 4 more hours.

Safe thawing methods

Thaw food in the cooler at 4°C or colder, under cold running water, in a microwave if cooked immediately, or as part of the cooking process.

Reheating for hot holding

Reheat food to 74°C (165°F) within 2 hours and only once, using a stove or microwave - never a hot-holding unit, which heats too slowly.

Cleaning versus sanitizing

Cleaning removes dirt, grease and food debris with detergent and water; sanitizing then reduces the remaining microorganisms on a surface that is already visibly clean.

Sanitizer test strips

Paper strips that change colour to show sanitizer concentration; they confirm the solution is strong enough to work but not so strong that it is toxic.

Manual dishwashing steps

Wash in hot detergent water, rinse in clean hot water, immerse in sanitizer for the labelled contact time, then air dry on a rack without towelling.

Sanitizing contact time

The period a clean surface must stay wet with sanitizer for it to work - commonly 1 to 2 minutes; follow the manufacturer's label and let items air dry.

Signs of pests

Droppings, urine stains, gnaw marks, grease rubs along walls, tracks in dust, burrows, nests, frass and live or dead insects all indicate an infestation.

Pest exclusion

Seal gaps and cracks, fit door sweeps and weather stripping, repair window screens, keep doors closed and use air curtains to stop pests entering.

Garbage storage rules

Use lined, lidded, leak-proof containers emptied at least daily, keep them away from food, equipment and doorways, and clean the containers regularly.

Licensed pest control operator

A trained professional who applies pesticides and monitors bait stations; treatments must be recorded, and stations kept away from food and food-contact surfaces.