NRFSP ICFSM key terms

An incident in which two or more people get the same illness after eating the same food, confirmed by laboratory analysis. Investigators use this definition to distinguish a true outbreak from unrelated single cases.

Any sickness caused by eating contaminated food. Symptoms range from mild stomach upset to life-threatening conditions, and the illness may appear hours or weeks after the meal was eaten.

Illness caused when live pathogens are swallowed in food and then grow inside the digestive tract. Symptoms usually appear after a delay while the organisms multiply, so the meal may not be the obvious cause.

Illness caused by a toxin that was already present in the food when it was eaten, not by living organisms. Because the poison is preformed, symptoms can begin very quickly after eating.

Illness in which bacteria grow in the gut and release toxins there, rather than the toxin being preformed in the food. Onset is usually slower than true intoxication but faster than a pure infection.

Groups at greater risk of serious foodborne illness, including young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Operations serving these groups must follow stricter controls such as no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food.

A danger to food safety caused by living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Biological hazards are the leading cause of foodborne illness and are controlled mainly by temperature, time, and hygiene.

A danger caused by a substance that can poison food, such as cleaning agents, pesticides, or unapproved additives. These are often introduced through improper storage, mislabeling, or careless spraying near food.

A foreign object that can injure a person who eats the food, such as glass, metal fragments, bone, or hard plastic. Controls include careful inspection, good equipment maintenance, and covering food during storage.

Any microorganism that can cause illness. In food safety the term usually means harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites that must be prevented from entering food or from multiplying to dangerous levels.

Single-celled microorganisms that can multiply in food and cause illness, either by infection or by producing toxins. Unlike viruses, they can reproduce in food given the right temperature, moisture, and nutrients.

A microscopic infectious agent that cannot multiply in food and only reproduces inside a living host. Viruses such as norovirus and hepatitis A spread mainly through human hands, water, and contaminated ready-to-eat food.

An organism that lives in or on another host and can cause illness when eaten. Common food sources include undercooked pork, fish, and contaminated water; freezing or thorough cooking destroys many of them.

A bacterium that can form a tough, dormant spore able to survive normal cooking heat and then grow when conditions improve. Spores are a key reason cooked food must be cooled quickly and held safely.

The temperature range, roughly 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C), in which bacteria multiply fastest. Food should spend as little time as possible in this range, and time limits apply cumulatively.

Keeping cold food at 41°F (5°C) or lower to slow bacterial growth. This requires monitoring refrigerator and display temperatures regularly and recording readings so problems are caught early.

Keeping hot food at 135°F (57°C) or higher until it is served. Food below this temperature must be reheated or discarded according to policy, and holding equipment must be checked frequently.

A written procedure that allows food to be held without temperature control for a limited time, provided it is marked and then discarded. It is used when temperature control is impractical, such as during busy service.

The process of bringing cooked food down to safe storage temperatures quickly, typically from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and then to 41°F within a further four hours. Fast cooling prevents spore formers from multiplying.

Bringing previously cooked food back to a safe serving temperature, usually 165°F (74°C) for at least 15 seconds within two hours. Reheating must be fast so the food does not linger in the danger zone.

The internal temperature a food must reach to kill pathogens, varying by food type. Poultry requires 165°F (74°C), while whole meats and fish require lower temperatures held for a set time.

Adjusting a thermometer so its reading matches a known reference, such as an ice-point or boiling-point check. Thermometers are calibrated regularly and whenever they are dropped or exposed to extreme temperature.

An instrument used to measure the internal temperature of food or the temperature of equipment. Probes must be cleaned and sanitized between uses to avoid contaminating food.

The transfer of harmful microorganisms from one food, surface, or utensil to another. It is prevented by separating raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods and by cleaning and sanitizing between tasks.

Food that is served without further cooking, such as salad, deli meat, or bread. Because no kill step follows, it must be protected from bare-hand contact and from contamination by raw foods.

Touching ready-to-eat food with uncovered hands. It is a major route for viruses and bacteria, so gloves, utensils, or deli paper must be used when handling such food.

The process of cleaning hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, including under the nails and up the forearms. It is required before starting work, after using the restroom, and after handling raw food.

A product used after handwashing, not instead of it. It can reduce germs on hands but does not remove soil or kill all pathogens, so it never replaces soap and water.

Removing dirt, food residue, and grease from a surface using soap or detergent and water. Cleaning must happen before sanitizing, because sanitizer cannot work effectively on a soiled surface.

Reducing microorganisms on a cleaned surface to safe levels using heat or chemicals. It is the step after cleaning and is required for food-contact surfaces, utensils, and equipment.

The correct strength of a chemical sanitizer, measured with test strips and mixed to the manufacturer's instructions. Too weak it fails to kill germs; too strong it can leave harmful residue on food-contact surfaces.

A systematic plan that identifies food safety hazards, sets control measures and limits, monitors them, and records results. It focuses on prevention at critical points rather than relying on end-product testing.

A step in a food process where a control measure can prevent, eliminate, or reduce a hazard to an acceptable level. Examples include cooking, cooling, and cold holding, each of which is monitored.

A measurable value that separates safe from unsafe food at a critical control point, such as a minimum internal temperature or a maximum holding time. If the limit is not met, corrective action is required.

Scheduled observation or measurement to confirm that a critical control point stays within its limit. Monitoring must be frequent enough to catch problems before unsafe food is served.

The step taken when monitoring shows a critical limit was not met, such as reheating, discarding food, or repairing equipment. The action and its outcome must be recorded in the HACCP records.

The manager's ongoing, deliberate effort to prevent food safety problems by identifying risks and putting written procedures in place. It is demonstrated through training, monitoring, and records rather than a single inspection result.

The complete set of policies, procedures, training, and records an operation uses to keep food safe. It includes prerequisite programs plus hazard-specific controls such as a HACCP plan.

Basic hygiene and sanitation practices that create the foundation for a HACCP plan, such as pest control, supplier approval, and personal hygiene. These controls are in place before specific hazard controls are designed.