Safe Food
Contaminates
Big 6
The Safe Food Handler
Flow of Food
50

Food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking

Ready-To Eat Food

50

This is the most common cause of food contamination. 

People

50

Controlling these two factors can prevent bacteria from causing food-borne illness. 

Time and Temperature

50

Personal items such as coats and water bottles should be stored here.

In a designated area, away from food

50

When taking the internal temperatures of food, thermometers should be inserted in this part. 

The thickest part (usually the center)

100

These foods require time and temperature control for safety.

TCS Foods

100

A fingernail or bandage found in food is this type of contaminate. 

Physical Contaminate 

100

This clean practice can prevent viruses, such as Hepatitis A and Norovirus from spreading. 

Washing hands/good personal hygiene 

100

When washing hands, food handlers must scrub their hands and arms for this long.

20 seconds

100

This is the safer and faster method for calibrating thermometers.

The Ice Point Method

200

Pre-school age children, elderly people, and people with compromised immune systems are considered this.

High-Risk Populations

200

Chemicals should be stored here to prevent chemical contamination.

Away from prep areas

200

Shigella Spp, Salmonella Typhi, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, and E. Coli are all considered this type of pathogens and can be prevented by controlling time and temperature. 

Bacteria

200

After prepping food, food handlers must remove this before using the restroom.

Apron

200

Monitoring time and temperature, regularly recording temperatures, and minimizing the time food spends in the temperature danger zone are methods to prevent this type of abuse.

Time-Temperature Abuse

300

This agency regulates and inspects meat, poultry, and eggs.

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

300

Milk, eggs, soy, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, and wheat are considered these.

The Big 8 Food Allergens

300

Jaundice is a symptom most commonly associated with this virus. 

Hepatitis A

300

Food handlers that have a food-borne illness, sneeze or cough, and touch food without washing their hands pose this risk.

Contaminating food

300

This range is considered the Temperature Danger Zone

41˚F and 135˚F (5˚C and 57˚C)

400

When two or more people report the same illness from eating the same food, the food-borne illness is considered this.

Foodborne-Illness Outbreak

400

FAT TOM, or food, acidity, temperature, time, oxygen, and moisture and the conditions that this needs to grow.

Bacteria

400

This form of biological contamination is commonly linked to contaminated water and seafood, such as fish that eat other fish.

Parasites

400

Food handlers with symptoms of the Big 6 Foodborne illnesses should be...

Excluded from the workplace

400

Pathogens survive and grow rapidly in the temperature danger zone, but even more rapidly within this range.

 70°F and 125°F (21°C and 52°C)

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