How Food Becomes Unsafe

In the restaurant is really important to be aware of how food becomes unsafe. There are five most common risk factors that cause foodborne illnesses.

•Purchasing food from unsafe sources: Food can become contaminated at any point in the supply chain. It is my responsibility to purchase food only from approved suppliers. An approved food supplier is one that has been inspected and meets all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

•Failing to cook food adequately: Cross-contamination occurs when microorganisms are transferred from one surface or food to another. A foodborne illness can result if cross-contamination occurs in any of these ways:

        o  Contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooking.

        o  Contaminated food touches or drips fluids onto ready-to-eat food.

        o  A food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food.

        o  Ready-to-eat food touches contaminated surfaces.

        o  Contaminated cleaning towels touch food-contact surfaces.

•Holding food at incorrect temperatures: Food has been time-temperature abused any time it has been allowed to remain too long at temperatures that favor growth of foodborne microorganisms. A foodborne illness can result if food is time-temperature abused in any of these ways:

        o  It is not held or stored at required temperatures.

        o  It is not cooked or reheated to temperatures that kill microorganisms.

        o  It is not cooled properly.