- Info
Course Contents
Chapter 1. Foodborne Illness and Injury
- Microbial, chemical, and physical hazards and the types of illness or injury they cause.
- Foodborne disease intoxication vs. infection.
- Common symptoms of microbial foodborne disease.
- Populations particularly susceptible to foodborne disease.
- Food allergies and intolerances.
- Foods that account for 90% of known food allergenic reactions
Chapter 2. Food Microbiology
- Pathogenic, spoilage, and beneficial microorganisms.
- Microbial growth phases.
- Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi in food.
- Why Listeria monocytogenes is not adequately controlled by refrigeration alone.
- Acid and low-acid foods and the potential for microbial growth.
- Water activity and microbial growth.
- Growth behavior of mesophiles, psychrotrophs, and thermophiles.
- The Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ) concept.
- Oxygen requirements for microorganisms.
Chapter 3. Food Protection
- Definition and examples of potentially hazardous foods.
- Situations in which raw materials, ingredients, or processed food products are exposed to TDZ temperatures.
- The “First In First Out” system and how it helps to maintain safe food.
- Storage conditions that prevent food contamination.
- Safe thawing of frozen foods and ingredients.
- Preventing post-processing contamination and microbial growth.
- Hazards associated with reduced oxygen packaging
Chapter 4. Worker Hygiene and Personal Practices That Cause Food Contamination
- Symptoms and conditions that would exclude a person from working with food.
- Personal hygienic practices that employees who handle food should follow at home to maintain overall cleanliness on the job.
- How protective clothing prevents food contamination.
- The proper way to wear a hair restraint.
- Personal practices on the job that can contribute to food contamination.
- Preventing cross-contamination when moving between unsanitary and sanitary food-handling areas.
- When and how to wash hands correctly.
- When and wear to use disposable hand gloves.
Chapter 5. Safe Water Use
- Characteristics and uses of potable water in processing plants.
- Risks associated with municipal, ground, and surface water.
- Significance of detecting coliforms in the potable water supply.
- When water should be tested.
- Back flow prevention devices and how they work.
- Situations in which aerosols and floor splash can cause food contamination.
- Examples of a direct cross connections.
- Example of indirect cross connections.
Chapter 6. Design and Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds
- How trees, bushes, and grass outside buildings increase food safety risks.
- How improper grading of roads, parking lots, and receiving yards causes standing water problems.
- How the type and placement of interior and exterior light fixtures affects food safety risks.
- The best path for the movement of raw materials and ingredients through the plant.
- Minimizing contamination through proper construction of doors, windows, walls, floors, and drains.
- Maintaining proper air flow to minimize food safety risks.
- Proper placement of storage and waste containers inside and outside buildings.
Chapter 7. Design, Use, and Maintenance of Equipment and Utensils
- Definition and examples of a food contact and non-food contact surfaces.
- Desirable characteristics of materials used as food contact surfaces.
- Examples of equipment sanitary design principles that minimize food safety risks.
- How proper placement of equipment minimizes food safety risks.
- How a preventative maintenance, repair, and calibration programs impact food safety.
Chapter 8. Food Safety Regulations
- Federal government agencies responsible for food safety regulations.
- Federal agency that regulates pesticides, sanitizers, and water quality.
- General rules for determining whether a food is regulated by federal or state and local regulations.
- Two general conditions that qualify a food as adulterated.
- The purpose and scope of Good Manufacturing Practices.
- What to do and what not to do when an inspector arrives at your processing establishment.
Chapter 9. Cleaning as Part of the Sanitization Process
- The 5 steps for cleaning and sanitizing and the goal of each.
- Why it is necessary to thoroughly clean a surface before sanitizing it.
- Properties of select cleaners and the soils they remove.
- Ideal characteristics to look for when purchasing a cleaner.
- Manual and mechanical cleaning procedures and which situations to use them.
- Precautions to take when using high pressure cleaning methods.
Chapter 10. Sanitizers and the Sanitization Process
- Characteristics of an ideal sanitizer.
- Advantages and disadvantages of various physical and chemical sanitizing treatments.
- How pH affects the activity of hypochlorite sanitizers.
- Strategies for monitoring for pathogens in food or on food contact surfaces.
- Advantages for using indirect methods over direct methods to verify sanitizing effectiveness.
- The concept and usefulness of ATP bioluminescence testing.
- The zone concept for developing a microbiological sampling program.
Chapter 11. Food Defense and Plant Security
- Recommendations for evaluating food security risks.
- Types of individuals capable of intentionally contaminating food and possible motivations for each.
- Critical security areas and why it is important to concentrate control efforts in these areas.
- Signs that indicate an employee might be a security risk.
- Examples of ways to limit access to critical interior and exterior security areas.
- Examples of ways to increase visibility on the grounds and inside food processing and storage buildings.
Chapter 12. Controlling Food Hazards – The HACCP Approach
- The HACCP concept and why it is more effective in preventing foodborne illness and injury than the traditional inspection system.
- The purpose of prerequisite programs.
- Factors that determine whether or not a food safety hazard is significant.
- Critical control points and monitoring procedures.
- The importance of record keeping in HACCP.
