ServSafe Manager key terms

A proactive food safety approach in which management identifies risks, sets written procedures, trains staff, monitors performance, and takes corrective action to prevent foodborne illness. It is the ongoing system used daily.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point; a seven-principle written system that identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards and sets controls at critical points to keep food safe.

A step in food handling where a control measure can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

The measurable minimum or maximum value that must be met at a critical control point, such as a cooking temperature or sanitizer strength, to keep a hazard under control.

The scheduled observation or measurement, such as taking food temperatures or checking sanitizer levels, that shows whether a critical control point is working; results are recorded.

A planned step taken when monitoring shows a critical limit was not met; it fixes the problem, handles affected food safely, and helps prevent the problem from recurring.

A microorganism that causes illness, such as certain bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Pathogens are the main target of food safety controls in a food service operation.

Single-celled microorganisms that can multiply rapidly in food under the right conditions and may cause foodborne illness directly or by producing toxins.

A very small infectious agent that cannot grow in food but can be carried on food, hands, or surfaces and cause illness after being eaten.

A tough, dormant form of some bacteria that survives normal cooking and can later grow into active bacteria if food is cooled slowly or held warm too long.

A poison produced by some microorganisms, such as certain bacteria or molds, that can cause illness even after the microbe that made it has been killed.

A memory aid for the conditions bacteria need to grow: food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen, and moisture. Removing or changing any one condition can slow growth.

The temperature range, usually 41°F to 135°F, in which bacteria multiply fastest. Food should be kept out of this range as much as possible.

Food that requires time and temperature control for safety because it supports rapid bacterial growth, such as meat, dairy, cooked rice, cut leafy greens, and shellfish.

A substance, usually a protein in certain foods, that triggers an immune reaction in sensitive people; even tiny amounts can cause a severe or life-threatening reaction.

The transfer of an allergen from a food or surface containing it to a food that should not contain it, often through shared utensils, hands, or equipment.

The process of washing hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, then drying them, to remove dirt and pathogens and prevent contamination.

Touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands. It is prohibited for most ready-to-eat foods unless a specific written procedure or regulatory allowance applies.

Disposable gloves worn to prevent bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food. They must be changed when dirty, torn, or between tasks and never washed and reused.

A hat, hairnet, or other covering that keeps hair out of food and off food-contact surfaces; effective restraints also cover facial hair in many operations.

Removing a food handler from work because of a diagnosed illness or symptoms that can spread through food, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, until cleared.

Yellowing of the skin and eyes that can signal hepatitis A. Food handlers with jaundice must be reported and excluded from work until medically cleared.

A vendor inspected and permitted by the regulatory authority and known to handle food safely. Buying from approved sources helps ensure food is safe and properly labeled.

The step where deliveries are checked for temperature, packaging, and condition before acceptance. Unsafe or unacceptable food should be rejected.

First In, First Out; a stock rotation method in which older food is used before newer food to reduce spoilage and waste.

Labeling ready-to-eat TCS food with the date it was prepared or opened and the date by which it must be used or discarded, usually within seven days at 41°F or lower.

Adjusting or checking a thermometer against a known standard, such as ice-point water or boiling water, so its readings are accurate.

The arrangement of food in coolers so raw foods are placed below ready-to-eat foods and raw meats are ordered by cooking temperature to prevent drips.

The transfer of pathogens from one food, surface, or object to another, such as raw meat juices dripping onto ready-to-eat food.

The lowest temperature that food must reach throughout to be safe, such as 165°F for poultry and stuffed foods or 145°F for whole seafood.

The process of bringing cooked food from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and then to 41°F within four more hours; improper cooling is a common cause of illness.

Heating previously cooked and cooled food to at least 165°F for 15 seconds within two hours before it is placed in hot holding.

Keeping cooked food at 135°F or higher until served. Food should be checked regularly and discarded if it drops below that temperature.

Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F or lower until served. Food should be checked regularly and never stacked above the load line.

Removing visible dirt, food, and grease from surfaces with soap or detergent and water; it is the first step before sanitizing.

Reducing pathogens on a cleaned surface to safe levels using heat or a chemical sanitizer at the proper concentration and contact time.

The measured strength of a sanitizing solution, often checked with test strips, that must be within the manufacturer's range to work effectively and safely.

The amount of time a sanitizer must stay wet on a surface to kill pathogens, usually specified on the product label.

A manual warewashing setup with compartments for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing, plus drainboards, used when a dish machine is unavailable.

A prevention-based pest control program using inspection, sanitation, exclusion, and least-hazardous treatments to keep pests out and eliminate infestations.