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Serving It Safe! This Learn-at-Home Lesson provides a guide to safe food handling. Learn how you can do your part to Serving It Safe!

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition For North Dakota Day Care Children, Inc. 1408 20th Ave SW, Suite 5 Minot, North Dakota 58701-6494 ND Toll Free No.: 1-800-422-0326 E-mail Address: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.minot.com

Serving It Safe Learning Objectives: 1. To understand what a foodborne illness is and how pathogens may cause foodborne illness. 2. To understand the factors that affect bacterial growth and the spreading of viruses to food. 3. To identify the ways in which cross-contamination may occur. 4. To implement safe food handling practices in your kitchen. 5. To conduct a food safety self-inspection and identify opportunities for improving safe food handling practices. Serving It Safe was developed by Nutrition For North Dakota Day Care Children, Inc. (NDC), a sponsoring organization of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This lesson includes specially selected materials from the USDA, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and ServSafe Coursebook (5th Edition). NDC expects that the reader will use the information in this Learn-at-Home Lesson in a manner consistent with safe and responsible child care.

Serving It Safe! Right now, there may be an invisible enemy ready to strike. He’s called BAC (bacteria) and he can make you and those you care about sick. In fact, even though you can’t see BAC— or smell him, or feel him—he and millions more like him may have already invaded the food you eat. Through this learn-at-home lesson you’ll become familiar with the wide range of hazards present in everyday activities and the potentially serious consequences associated with them. Serving It Safe will also provide you with critical food safety principles to help keep your food safe. You’ll evaluate your own kitchen to see if you’re taking positive steps to Serving It Safe.

INTRODUCTION

To successfully complete this learn-at-home lesson you must: 1) complete and return the kitchen assessment activity on page 18-19 and 2) complete and successfully pass the post test on page 20-21 with a score of 80 or greater. The assessment activity and post test should be submitted to: NDC Education Coordinator NDC Food Program 1408 20th Ave SW Suite 5 Minot ND 58701-6494 Upon successful completion of Serving It Safe, NDC will issue you a certificate with one hour of food program credit. Any learn-at-home lessons are subject to the approval of your county licenser. Please contact your licenser to determine if this method of training and food program credit will meet your licensing requirements. There is a limit on self study hours that can be counted towards your education needs. You’re now ready to begin Serving It Safe! Begin by reading the materials starting on page 1.

INTRODUCTION

Serving It Safe

DID YOU KNOW?

• Each year, millions of people have foodborne illnesses.

• Most foodborne illness cases are not reported and do not occur at restaurants or foodservice establishments.

• Foodborne illnesses cost the U.S. billions of dollars each year. They cost lost productivity, hospitaliza-tion, long-term disability claims and even death.

What is a Foodborne Illness?

Foodborne illness or the flu? Commonly referred to as food poisoning, a foodborne illness is a disease carried or transmitted to people by food. Foodborne illnesses are caused by foods that contain bacteria or other microorganisms that are harmful to the human body. Foodborne illness is often mistaken for the flu, since many of the symptoms are similar: stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache. Symptoms can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to three weeks after an individual has come in contact with foodborne bacteria, although it usually happens in the first 48 hours. Contaminated food may cause anything from a short, mild-illness, to a life-threatening disease. Those most susceptible to foodborne illnesses are: • the elderly • children under five years of age • pregnant women • people with weakened immune systems Foodborne-Illness Outbreak The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a food-borne illness outbreak as an incident in which two or more people get the same illness after eating the same food. A foodborne illness is confirmed when laboratory analysis shows that a specific food is the source of the illness.

Nutrition for North Dakota Day Care Children, Inc. 1

Serving It Safe

When it comes to food safety, everything you do is significant. So is every person that handles food. In fact, the importance of the individual in serving safe food cannot be overemphasized. It’s important to understand that most foodborne illnesses are caused by viruses or other microorganisms spread by people. For certain individuals, especially young children, food-borne illnesses can be fatal. Many others may have discomfort lasting several days or longer.

What Causes a Foodborne Illness?

Meet the Culprits Most foodborne illnesses are caused by a relatively small number of microorganisms. Most of them can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted, but they’re there. They’re in food, on our bodies, on dirty counter tops and tables. When allowed to grow and spread to prepared foods, these invisible invaders can become a serious health hazard. Potentially harmful pathogens include: • Viruses • Bacteria • Parasites • Fungi (Yeasts and molds) How do harmful microorganisms invade our kitchens? • Food may contain harmful organisms when it is purchased. It may

also be contaminated during preparation and serving. • People may spread organisms from their bodies to food by touching,

coughing, or sneezing. • Unsanitary kitchens and equipment may spread organisms to people and/or food. • Disease-spreading pests, such as mice and flies, may be attracted

to overcrowded or dirty food storage areas.


Serving It Safe

Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne Illness. When someone gets sick from food contaminated with viruses, it is usually because the food was handled by someone who has a virus. It is common to have hepatitis A spread among children and workers in day cares if hand washing and sanitary precautions are not followed.

Viruses

It’s important that you know how to prevent viruses from contaminating food, especially since people often are the carriers. How can people spread viruses and contaminate food? • Infected individuals carry viruses in their feces and can transfer them

to their hands after using the bathroom. Ready to eat foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, deli meats, salads, breads etc. can

become contaminated if hands are not washed properly. • Infected individuals may also contaminate food surfaces that will

come into contact with food. Two viruses that can be spread by food are Hepatitis A and Norovirus (causes the stomach flu). Here is what you should know about each virus. Hepatitis A • The virus is often transferred to food when an infected person

touches food or equipment with fingers that have feces on them. • Eating only a small amount of the virus can make a person sick. • An infected person may not show symptoms for weeks but can be

very infectious. • Cooking does not destroy hepatitis A.


Viruses

Norovirus • The virus is often transferred to food when an infected person

touches food, kitchen surfaces or dishes with fingers that have feces (stools) on them. • Eating only a small amount of the virus can make a person sick. • Norovirus is very contagious. • The virus is often in a person’s feces for days after symptoms have

ended. How Can You Prevent the Spread of Hepatitis A and Norovirus to Food and Food Contact Surfaces? • Persons who have jaundice (yellowing of skin

and eyes) or who have been diagnosed with hepatitis A should not be handling food.

• Wash your hands after diapering or using the bathroom.

• If you or a child care helper have vomiting or di-arrhea you should not be around children or preparing food for children.

KEY POINTS

Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne illnesses. Norovirus and Hepatitis A are often transferred to food when infected individuals touch food or food surfaces with fingers that have feces on them.


Serving It Safe

Proper handwashing can prevent the transfer of viruses and bacteria to food. Always wash your hands with warm water and soap:

• Before handling food; • Before and after handling raw

meat, poultry, and seafood; • After using the bathroom; • After changing a diaper; • After tending to a sick person; • Touching your hair, face or body; • After blowing your nose, cough-

ing, or sneezing; • After handling pets; • After eating, drinking, smoking or

chewing gum; • After clearing dirty dishes from

the table and • After taking out the garbage. Review the proper way to wash your hands on page 17.

Bacteria

Certain types of bacteria are also responsible for a large number of foodborne illnesses. Like viruses, bacteria are not visible and cannot be smelled or tasted in food. Controlling the growth of bacteria in food is key to preventing foodborne illness. Although any food can become unsafe, certain types are more prone to support the growth of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi like molds, and parasites). Foods most likely to be sources of foodborne illness are: • Milk and dairy products • Meat (beef, pork, veal, buffalo, lamb) • Poultry • Fish • Eggs • Shellfish and crustaceans • Baked potatoes • Cooked rice, beans and vegetables • Tofu or other soy protein • Sprouts and sprout seeds • Sliced fruits and veggies (especially melons and tomatoes) • Untreated garlic and oil mixtures KEY POINT

Any type of food can become contaminated but certain ones are more prone to support the growth of harmful microorganisms.


Some Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused By Bacteria • Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis

(caused by Bacillus cereus) • Listeriosis (caused by Listeria

monocytogenes) • Hemorrhagic colitis (caused by

Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli) • Clostridium perfringens gastroenteri-

tis (caused by Clostridium perfringens)

• Botulism (caused by Clostridium

botulinum) • Salmonellosis (caused by Salmonella

spp.) • Shigellosis (caused by Shigella spp.) • Staphylococcal gastroenteritis

(caused by Staphylococcus aureus)

Serving It Safe

Fungi

Two types of fungi that typically cause problems with food are molds and yeasts. Molds spoil food causing discoloration and an unpleasant smell and taste. Here are some things you should know about molds:

What To Do With Moldy Food? Keep or Toss? • Throw out all moldy food, unless the mold is a natural part of the product (i.e. cheese such as Brie, Camembert, and Gorgonzola)

• The FDA recommends cutting away moldy areas in hard cheese at

least one inch around the mold. You can also follow this practice on food such as salami and firm fruit and vegetables.


• Certain molds can be dangerous to people by causing allergic reactions, nervous system disorders, and kidney and liver damage.

• Molds grow well under almost any condition but they

grow very well in acidic food with low water activity such as jams, jellies, and cured salty meat such as ham, bacon, and salami.

• Refrigeration slows the growth of mold but does not

kill mold.

Serving It Safe

Yeast Yeasts grow well in jellies, jams, syrup, honey, and fruit or fruit juice. Some signs of spoilage from yeasts include: • A white or pink discolora-

tion or slime (i.e. on jelly). • A smell or taste of alcohol. Throw out any food that has been spoiled by yeast.

Serving It Safe By Selecting Foods Carefully

For most of us food safety begins in the supermarket aisle. Whether you’re making a quick trip to pick up dinner ingredients...or buying a week’s worth of groceries all at once, there are a few easy steps you can follow to ensure that the food you bring home will arrive safely. At The Store • Select cold food last. Picking up perishable

food like meat, poultry, and eggs at the end of your shopping trip ensures that they stay refrigerated until right before checkout.

• Check dates. Don’t buy food that is past the

“Sell-By”, “Use-By”, or other expiration dates. • Check the packaging. Never choose meat or poultry with packag-

ing that is torn or leaking. Make sure frozen food is frozen solid and refrigerated food feels cold.

• Buy clean eggs. At the store, chose refrigerated Grade A or AA

eggs with clean, uncracked shells before the “Sell-By” or “EXP” (expiration) date on the carton. When purchasing egg prod-ucts or egg substitutes, choose containers that are tightly sealed.

• Inspect fresh produce. Don’t buy fresh fruits or vegetables that are

bruised or damaged. • Check cans and jars. Avoid purchasing dented cans or cracked

jars.


Serving It Safe

About Food Labels “Sell By” date: Tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires. “Best If Used By” (or before) date: This is not a purchase or safety date. It is the date recommended for best flavor or quality. “Use-By” date: This is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.

Serving It Safe By Selecting Foods Carefully

At The Store Continued... • Place meat, poultry, and seafood in plastic bags. By bagging these

foods before placing them in your cart, you’ll guard against cross-contamination which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food, spreading bacteria from one food to another.

• Separate foods in your grocery cart. Keep raw meat, poultry, sea-

food, and their juices away from other food to further prevent cross contaminating. Keep them separated during checkout and in your grocery bags.

Transporting Groceries Once your groceries are packed for the trek home, there are some easy “timing” tips you should follow to keep foods safe. • Go straight home. Plan to drive directly home

from the grocery store. Don’t leave groceries in the car while you run other errands. The key is to always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. This is true of all situations—and is known as the “2-Hour Rule.”

• Do a “Weather Check.” When the outside temperature reaches 90

degrees F or higher, you should refrigerate your perishables more quickly—within 1 hour. Bring a cooler with ice to pack perishables for the drive home if it will be greater than 1 hour before you refrigerate them.


Serving It Safe

Combat Cross-Contamination Cross-contamination is the trans-fer of harmful bacteria to a food from other foods, cutting boards, utensils, surfaces or hands. For example, poultry or meat juices in your grocery cart can drip onto fresh fruits or veggies. Another example where cross-contamination can occur is when meat juices drip from meat onto fresh produce or ready to eat foods in your refrigerator. To avoid cross-contamination place raw meats, poultry, and seafood in containers or sealed plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other food in the refrigerator.

Serving it Safe Through Food Storage Practices

The Cool Rules

The Chill Factor—The Importance of Time and Temperature Control One of the most important things you can do to prevent foodborne illness is to minimize the amount of time food spends in the danger zone. The danger zone where foodborne microorganisms grow is at temperatures between 40° and 140° F. That’s why foods that are potentially hazardous when kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours, provide the ideal conditions for harmful microorganisms to grow. The rate of growth is especially faster between 70° and 125° F. The longer a food stays in the temperature danger zone, the more time microorganisms have to grow and make food unsafe. Divide and Conquer Improperly cooling foods also can contribute to ideal conditions for microorganisms to grow. This can happen when hot food is stored in too large of a container in a refrigerator or freezer and the food doesn’t cool down quickly enough. Divide large amounts of leftovers (i.e. soup, stew, chili, etc.) into small shallow containers.


Refrigeration at 40 degrees F or below is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Microorganisms grow more rapidly at warmer temperatures and keeping a constant refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees F or below helps slow growth of these harmful microbes.

Serving It Safe

Have a Refrigerator Thermometer—Use this Tool to Keep It Cool Place a refrigerator thermometer in your refrigerator to make sure the temperature is consistently 40 degrees F or below.

Refrigerator thermometers are available at grocery, hardware and discount stores.

Serving it Safe Through Food Storage Practices

Abide By the Thaw Law Thawing foods at room temperature also puts food in the danger zone. If you need to thaw foods quickly it is recommended to either thaw the food in the microwave or submerge the food in cold water (refer to the thaw law on this page). Avoid the Pack Attack Don’t overstuff your refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe. Rotate Before It’s Too Late Use or discard chilled foods as recommended in the USDA Cold Storage Chart (refer to page 11 and 12) Don’t Go Too Low It’s important to keep your refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees F or below. Don’t go too low though. As you approach 32 degrees F, ice crystals can begin to form and lower the quality of foods such as raw fruits, veggies and eggs. A refrigerator thermometer will help you determine whether you are too close to this temperature.


The Thaw Law—Food should never be thawed or stored on the counter or defrosted in hot water. There are 3 safe ways to defrost food:

Serving It Safe

Refrigerator Thawing—planning ahead is key so you can provide adequate time for thawing meats in the refrigerator. Cold Water Thawing— place your frozen item in a leak proof bag and submerge in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Once thawed, the food should be cooked immediately. Microwave Thawing— after de-frosting food in your microwave, plan to cook it immediately because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook. Any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed and an optimal temperature for their growth may have been reached.


Serving It Safe

Serving it Safe Through Keeping It Clean

Food safety doesn’t end with buying, transporting, and storing food safely. In fact, once you have food home...the safety of your food is, literally in your hands. Follow these basic guidelines and remember, safe food preparation always begins with “clean.” Keep Yourself Clean • Handwashing is the most critical aspect of personal

cleanliness. Always wash your hands with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds (refer to page 4 for guidelines of when to wash your hands).

Cover Your Cuts • Use gloves to handle food if you have a cut or infection. You can con-

taminate food if you have an infection in a cut on your hand. A band aid is not enough.

Use Clean Utensils and Clean Countertops Harmful bacteria can spread throughout your kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils, and countertops - causing cross contamination. • Wash cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water

after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item.

• After cutting raw meat, poultry, and seafood, wash cutting boards, knives, and countertops with hot, soapy water.


Did You Know?

Just running fingers through your hair, wiping or touching your nose, scratching your scalp or ear, or touching a pimple or having an infected cut can contaminate food. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria carried in the nose of 30-50 percent of healthy adults. It is estimated that 20-35 percent of us also carry it on our skin. This bacteria can be transferred to your hands which in turn can touch food. If allowed to grow in food, the consequences can be severe.

Serving It Safe

Serving it Safe Through Keeping It Clean

Cutting Boards Proper cutting board “care-and-feeding” is a key component of preventing cross-contamination. Here’s what you can do for food safety: • Always use a clean cutting board for food preparation. • Try to use one cutting board for fresh produce—and a separate one

for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. • Sanitize cutting boards with a freshly made solution of 1 tablespoon of

unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water. • Once cutting boards become excessively worn or develop hard to

clean grooves, replace them. Kitchen Cleanup • Use hot, soapy water and a clean dishcloth (or

paper towels) to clean kitchen surfaces and wipe up spills. Avoid using sponges (the average kitchen sponge harbors 7.2 billion bacteria).

• Wash dishcloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.

Countertop Cleaning Tips Using a mixture of one teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per quart of water can provide some added protection against bacteria on surfaces. Flood the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels.


Did You Know?

Some of the cleanest looking kitchens can have the most bacteria. This can be the result of kitchens being cleaned with bacteria laden dishrags. Once a dishrag has been used, bacteria can grow rapidly. Bacteria can come from wiping soiled kitchen surfaces, touching raw meat and then touching your dishrag, and so on. Bacteria are then spread all over your kitchen when that same dishrag is used to clean counters, the kitchen table, and the top of the stove. You can cut down on bacteria growth by changing dishrags daily, using paper towels to wipe down surfaces, washing your hands regularly, and sanitizing countertops frequently.

Serving It Safe

Serving it Safe By Cooking Food Safely

Cook Food to A Safe Temperature—It’s A Matter of Degrees! Cooking food to a safe temperature is the best way to ensure safety. That’s because when food reaches a safe minimum internal temperature, bacteria that may be lurking are destroyed. The only accurate way to know if food is cooked safely is to measure the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry, fish and egg products with a food thermometer. You can’t tell by looking—use a food thermometer to be sure. Color and texture are not reliable indicators of safely cooked food. Cook Foods Right…refer to the safe cooking temperatures on the next page. ...And Keep Foods Hot Once a food item has reached a safe temperature for eating it’s important that you keep the food out of the danger zone for bacterial growth if it is not to be eaten right away. To keep foods safe the temperature of the food should be kept at least 140 degrees F or greater. Once a food has been served any leftovers should be refrigerated as quickly as possible (no longer than two hours later). Remember that children in your care are at higher risk for foodborne illness and it is important that you never serve raw or undercooked eggs, meat, or seafood. You also should not serve raw seed sprouts (i.e. alfalfa sprouts).


How to Use A Food Thermometer

1. Place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food. • Make sure it’s not touching bone, fat,

or gristle. • For whole poultry, insert the

thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thick-est part of the breast.

• For combination dishes, place the thermometer in the center or thickest portion of the food. Egg dishes and dishes containing ground meat or poultry should be checked in several places.

2. Wait the amount of time recommended for your particular type of thermometer (read manufacturer’s instructions). 3. Refer to the chart on page 16 to determine if a safe temperature to eat. 4. Clean your thermometer with hot, soapy water before and after each use.

Serving It Safe

Cooking Temperature USDA does not recommend cooking meat and poultry at oven temperatures lower than 325° F. This can cause food to remain in the “Danger Zone” too long, allowing bacteria to multiply rapidly. Is It Done Yet? Use a clean thermometer to measure the internal temperature of food to make sure meat, poultry, egg dishes, casseroles, and other types of food are cooked all the way through. Microwave Musts When cooking in the microwave oven, make sure there are no cold spots in food because bacteria can survive there. For best results, cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking. Observe stand times before serving. Boil and Bubble Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a boil when reheating.

Serving It Safe Safe Cooking Temperatures Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb…………………………...160° F Turkey, Chicken……………………………………165° F Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb Medium …………………………………………….160° F Poultry Whole poultry and poultry parts………………..165° F Fresh Pork Medium……………………………………………...160° F Ham Fresh (raw)………………………………………….160° F Pre-cooked (to reheat)…………………………..140° F Eggs & Egg Dishes Eggs …………………Cook until yolk & white are firm Egg Dishes………………………………………….160° F Seafood Fin Fish……………………………………………...145° F Shrimp, Lobster & Crabs Flesh pearly & opaque Clams, Oysters & Mussels Shells open during cooking Scallops Milky white or opaque/firm Leftovers & Casseroles I.e. Hamburger Hotdish………………………….165° F Nutrition for North Dakota Day Care Children, Inc. 16

Good Handwashing

Handwashing is the most critical aspect of personal hygiene. It’s easy to assume that handwashing is very basic but many of us fail to wash our hands properly or as often as needed. Take a minute and review the steps for thorough handwashing: 1. Wet your hands and arms with running

water as hot as you can comfortably stand.

2. Apply soap (preferably liquid soap). Apply

enough soap that you can build up a good lather.

3. Scrub hands and arms vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Be sure to scrub

well beyond your wrists, including the exposed areas on your arms. Clean under your fingernails and between fingers. A nailbrush might be useful.

4. Rinse hands and arms under running water to remove soap. 5. Dry hands and arms with a single use paper towel (preferable). Can hand sanitizers be used in place of handwashing? Hand sanitizers are not recommended to use in place of good handwashing with running water and soap. In limited instances where you may not have access to soap and water, hand sanitizers may be used.


Think About It?

When you’re preparing food you may not think about some habits you may do which would require handwashing. Ask yourself—do I? Ever lick my fingers after spilling or accidentally getting food on them? Run my fingers through my hair and then return to preparing food? Scratch my face or nose during food preparation? Stop during food preparation to answer the phone and then resume my food prep activities? Wipe a child’s nose when I’m preparing food and resume food prep activities?

This self-assessment is designed to have you review your food safety practices in your child care. Read through each statement and answer either yes or no to the questions. A yes answer indicates that you practice the listed item, a no answer indicates that this is an area that needs to be changed. The Self-Assessment must be completed and returned to the NDC Education Coordinator.

Serving It Safe Self Assessment


Personal Hygiene ______ 1. Are all food handlers well-groomed (clean clothing, clean hair, clean hands including fingernails)? ______ 2. Do all food handlers wash their hands frequently (after using the bathroom; after coughing or sneezing; after wiping noses; after handling raw meat or poultry; before handling any food; after handling dirty dishes; after handling garbage) ______ 3. Are proper hand washing procedures followed (i.e. lather-ing up with soap above wrists and scrubbing for at least 15-20 seconds)? ______ 4. When you have a cut or sore on your hand, do you cover it with water-proof protection (i.e. bandaid and a plastic glove)? ______ 5. Are those who prepare food in good health free from vomiting, diarrhea, hepatitis A, norovirus, or any diseases that may lead to foodborne illness?

Food Purchasing/Storage ______ 1. Are all foods purchased from reliable suppliers and meet food program standards (i.e. USDA inspected meats)? ______ 2. I do not allow any home canned goods to be used in my child care. ______ 3. Are my food storage areas kept clean? Is the dry food storage area between 50 and 70 degrees F? ______ 4. Are foods stored so that I will use the first ones purchased before the last ones that were purchased? ______ 5. Do I periodically check the refrigerator temperature so it’s maintained below 41 degrees F and above freezing? ______ 6. Do I throw away foods that have exceeded the recommended number of days for keeping in the refrigerator?

Food Preparation Equipment ______ 1. Are dishes and kitchen utensils in contact with food properly cleaned and sanitized after each use? ______ 2. Are cutting boards free of deep cuts? ______ 3. Are cutting boards and food contact work surfaces properly cleaned and sanitized after each use? ______ 4. Is a clean dish rag used when washing dishes and sponges banned from your kitchen?

Preparation and Serving of Foods ______ 1. Do children wash their hands with running water and soap before and after eating? ______ 2. Are tables, chairs, and high chairs cleaned and sanitized? ______ 3. Do I use a meat thermometer to ensure meat, poultry and fish are cooked to the proper temperature? ______ 4. Do I thaw foods in the refrigerator, the microwave, or submerged in cold water rather than on the countertop?

This self-assessment is designed to have you review your food safety practices in your child care. Read through each statement and answer either yes or no to the questions. A yes answer indicates that you practice the listed item, a no answer indicates that this is an area that needs to be changed. The Self-Assessment must be completed and returned to the NDC Education Coordinator.

Serving It Safe Self Assessment


Preparation and Serving of Foods Continued... ______ 5. During food preparation I don’t keep food in the danger zone (temperatures between 40—140 degrees F) for more than 2 hrs? ______ 6. Are raw fruits and vegetables washed thoroughly before serving with running water and a produce brush used to loosen dirt on thicker skinned items? ______ 7. Are leftovers reheated to at least 165 degrees F and served immediately? ______ 8. Is partially consumed milk or formula in bottles discarded or partially consumed milk in sippy cups discarded? ______ 9. Is baby food removed from original containers and served in dishes for infants? The remainder in the original container is tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator and used within 72 hours? ______ 10. Is food warmed just before eating and not kept in the danger zone for more than 2 hours? ______ 11. Is uneaten food on plates discarded? ______ 12. I don’t serve undercooked eggs or undercooked meats to my day care children? ______ 13. I don’t serve alfalfa sprouts to my day care children? ______ 14. I put leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within one hour after a meal? List Your Name: __________________________________________________

Please Tell Us: 1. Overall I would rate the things I learned as: Very Valuable Valuable Somewhat Valuable Not Valuable 2. Do you think this lesson will help you in your child care setting

to prevent children from developing a foodborne illness? Yes Somewhat No 3. Tell us what you like about the lesson: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 4. What will you do differently in your child care setting as a result of this lesson? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What suggestions do you have for future lessons or improve-

ments in this one? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Complete pages 20-22 and return to NDC along with pages 18-19.

Serving It Safe Post Test Name _______________________________ To successfully complete the post test, you must score at least 80 points or greater on the following questions. Each point is worth four points for a total of 100 points.

_______ 1. Most foodborne illnesses are caused by? A. Bacteria C. Mold B. Viruses D. Parasites _______ 2. Your child care helper comes to work at your day care and recently had norovirus. You should: A. Let her work because she is symptom free now B. Let her work but don’t allow her to prepare food C. Restrict her from working until her Doctor allows her to work _______ 3. Which statement is not true about hepatitis A? A. Eating only a small amount of the virus can make a person sick. B. Cooking to high enough temperatures will kill hepatitis A. C. An infected person may not show symptoms for weeks but can be

very infectious. D. The virus is often transferred to food when an infected person touches

food or equipment with fingers that have feces on them. _______ 4. True or False? If a young child develops a foodborne illness it may be fatal. _______ 5. Which of the following foods most likely wouldn’t be prone to supporting foodborne pathogen growth? (select the best answer) A. Fresh cut tomatoes E. Uncooked rice B. Baked potatoes F. A homemade garlic and oil C. Hamburger hotdish mixture D. Cookie dough ________ 6. True or False? You plan on making grilled cheese sandwiches and notice the cheddar cheese for the sandwiches has mold on it. If you cut away at least 1/2 inch around the mold it will be safe to serve?

_______ 7. You are unpacking your groceries and you notice that some of the fresh chicken juices inadvertently spilled onto your fresh peaches. You should: A. Throw the peaches away. B. Wash the peaches with lots of water and a little soap before eating

them. C. Wash the peaches with lots of water before eating. D. Wash the peaches and use them in a cobbler or crisp. _______ 8. Which of the following practices for thawing meat would be considered safe ? A. Thaw meat on the kitchen counter top. B. Partially thaw meat in a resealable bag submerged in cold water

and change the water every 30 minutes and after 3 hours place meat in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it.

C. Defrost meat in the microwave and cook immediately. D. B and C _______ 9. You are checking the temperature of your refrigerator. What would be the best temperature to maintain quality and keep foods out of the danger zone? A. Above 32° F but less than 45° F B. Above 32° F but less than 41° F C. Above 32° F but less than 38° F _______ 10. You purchased some fresh deli ham on Monday that was portioned and packaged at the store. Within how many days should you use the meat if you plan to refrigerate (not freeze it)? A. 3-5 days B. One week C. 8-10 days D. 2 weeks


Serving It Safe Post Test Continued... Name _________________________ To successfully complete the post test, you must score at least 80 points or greater on the following questions. Each point is worth four points for a total of 100 points.

List the safe internal temperature that should be reached for each of the following items? ________ 11. Meatloaf made with ground beef ________ 12. Chix nuggets ________ 13. Leftover tator tot hotdish ________ 14. Pork chops ________ 15. Quiche (made with eggs) ________ 16. True or False? The only accurate way to know if food is cooked to a safe temperature is to use a thermometer to test the internal temperature of the food. ________ 17. A bacteria that is carried in the nasal passages and on the skin of some healthy adults is? A. Salmonella spp. B. E. Coli C. Clostridium Perfringens D. Staphylococcus aureus ________ 18. A bacteria that may be present in an infected cut on your hand is? A. Salmonella spp. B. E. Coli C. Clostridium Perfringens D. Staphylococcus aureus ________ 19. True or False? It is okay to work with food as long as you have covered a cut on your hand with a bandaid?

________ 20. A friend of yours informed you about a great new way to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving. She suggests that you cook your turkey upside down in a roasting pan, cover it and roast in a very slow oven at 275 degrees F. and you will have the most moist turkey ever. What would you tell her? A. That sounds like an awesome idea and you’ll have to try it! B. Ask her if she has tried it and find out how long she has to roast a 12

lb. turkey so it reaches a safe internal temperature. C. Avoid roasting your turkey at that temperature because it isn’t a

safe temperature for cooking meats. Good handwashing is one of the most important things you should do to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens to food. Fill in the blanks with the best answer for washing your hands. 21. Step 1: Wet your hands with running _________ (cold or hot—hot is defined as hot as you can comfortably stand) water. Step 2: Apply soap and enough to build up a good lather. 22. Step 3: Scrub your hands and above the wrists for ____________ seconds. Step 4: Rinse hands and arms thoroughly under running water. 23. Step 5: Dry your hands with ________________________ (a single use paper towel or a hand towel). 24. Dishrags in your kitchen should be changed how often?

_____________________________________________________ __________ 25. The ratio of unscented bleach to water for sanitizing countertops in your kitchen is: A. 1 tsp./1 quart B. 1 tbsp./1 gallon C. 1/2 cup/1gallon


Serving It Safe


Send the completed materials and lesson to: Education Coordinator NDC 1408 20th Ave SW, Suite 5 Minot ND 58701-6494 Comments and feedback will be written on your materials and returned to you. A certificate with 1 hour of food program credit will be issued with successful completion of the lesson and a score of 75 or greater on the post test. Your Name: ______________________________________ Your Address: ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

For Office Use Only: Self Assessment Completed: Yes No Post-Test Score: ____________ Circle: Passed Not Passed Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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