Food Handler key terms

An illness caused by eating food contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins. Symptoms often include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, and may appear hours or days after the food was eaten.

A foodborne illness outbreak occurs when two or more people get the same illness after eating the same food. Investigators interview those affected and compare what they ate to find the source.

Food that needs time and temperature control for safety because it supports rapid growth of harmful germs. Examples include meat, poultry, dairy products, cooked rice, cut melons, and sprouts.

Food that is served without any further washing or cooking step to make it safe. Examples are salad greens, deli meat, sliced fruit, and bakery items, so it must be handled with clean hands and clean utensils.

Harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, or the toxins they produce, that can make food unsafe. These are the most common cause of foodborne illness in food service.

Unsafe chemicals that get into food, such as cleaners, sanitizers, pesticides, or unapproved additives. Storing chemicals away from food and labeling every container helps prevent this kind of hazard.

A hard or foreign object that can injure someone who eats the food, such as glass, metal shavings, bone, plastic, or fingernails. Good equipment care and careful handling reduce the risk of these hazards.

Washing hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, then drying them. Hands must be washed before handling food and after using the restroom, eating, or touching the face or hair.

Touching ready-to-eat food with uncovered hands. It is a major way germs spread, so food handlers should use gloves, tongs, deli paper, or other utensils instead wherever rules require it.

Disposable gloves worn over clean hands to handle ready-to-eat food. They must be changed when torn or soiled and between different tasks, and they never replace proper handwashing.

A hat, hairnet, or other covering that keeps hair out of food and off food-contact surfaces. It also applies to beards and helps stop hair from becoming a physical hazard in food.

A food safety action that keeps a worker out of the operation entirely, usually because of a diagnosed illness caused by certain germs. The person may not work with food or enter food areas until cleared.

A food safety action that limits what an ill worker may do. The person is kept away from exposed food and food-contact surfaces, often by being moved to duties that do not involve food.

The requirement that food handlers tell their manager when they have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, or a sore throat with fever, or when they are diagnosed with certain illnesses.

The transfer of harmful germs from one food or surface to another. It happens when raw meat juices drip onto ready-to-eat food, or when a board used for raw chicken is then used for salad.

When an allergen from one food gets into a food that is supposed to be free of it, usually through shared utensils, surfaces, fryers, or hands. Even a tiny amount can cause a serious reaction.

A protein in a food that triggers an immune reaction in sensitive people. Common ones include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame.

The presence of anything harmful in food, including germs, chemicals, or foreign objects. Keeping food covered, hands clean, and surfaces sanitized helps protect food from it.

The rule that raw animal foods be stored below ready-to-eat food in the cooler, arranged by required cooking temperature. This stops juices from dripping onto food that will not be cooked again.

Cutting boards in different colors assigned to different food types, such as raw meat, produce, and bread. The colors help workers avoid using the same board for raw and ready-to-eat foods.

A barrier placed over self-service food displays that blocks droplets from a person's mouth or nose. It protects open food on salad bars and buffets from contamination by customers.

The temperature range where bacteria grow fastest, which is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C). Food should be kept out of this range as much as possible during storage, prep, and holding.

Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F (5°C) or lower until it is served. This slows bacterial growth, and the food temperature should be checked at least every four hours.

Keeping hot TCS food at 135°F (57°C) or higher until it is served. Food that drops below that temperature must be reheated or thrown away according to local rules.

The temperature measured at the center or thickest part of food, which must reach a minimum safe level to kill germs. The required level depends on the food, such as poultry or ground beef.

Adjusting a thermometer so its reading is accurate. It is checked using ice water at 32°F (0°C) or boiling water, and should be done before use and after the thermometer is dropped.

Cooling cooked food from 135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within two hours, then from 70°F to 41°F (21°C to 5°C) within four more hours. Food that misses these limits must be discarded.

Warming previously cooked food to at least 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds within two hours before it goes into hot holding. This kills germs that may have grown during storage.

Bringing frozen food to a safe temperature before cooking. Approved methods include thawing in the cooler, under cold running water, in a microwave followed by immediate cooking, or as part of the cooking process.

Labeling ready-to-eat TCS food with the date it was prepared or opened so it is used within seven days when held at 41°F (5°C) or lower. This limits how long germs can grow.

Removing food, dirt, and grease from a surface with soap or detergent and water. Cleaning must happen before sanitizing, because a sanitizer does not work well on a soiled surface.

Reducing germs on a cleaned surface to a safe level using heat or a chemical sanitizer. It happens after cleaning and requires the correct concentration and enough contact time to work.

The strength of a chemical sanitizer, usually measured in parts per million (ppm). Using too little will not kill germs, and using too much can leave unsafe residue on food-contact surfaces.

The amount of time a sanitizer must stay wet on a surface to work, as stated on the product label. Surfaces should be left to air-dry once the required time has passed.

A sink setup with three sections used to wash, rinse, and sanitize dishes by hand. Each step gets its own compartment, and items are air-dried after they leave the sanitizer.

A paper or plastic strip dipped into sanitizer solution to check its concentration. The color change is compared with a chart to confirm the sanitizer is at the correct strength.

Letting dishes and surfaces dry in the air instead of wiping them with a towel. Towel drying can put germs back on a sanitized item, so items should be placed to drain and dry.

Any surface that touches food directly, such as cutting boards, utensils, plates, and prep tables. These surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized often to prevent contamination of food.