ServSafe - Food Handler 5 - Preventing Cross-Contamination

Updated with the 2017 FDA Food Code

Preventing
Cross-Contamination

Preventing Cross-Contamination

Concepts You Will Learn

●
Food that may have been contaminated during receiving

●
How to prevent cross-contamination when storing,
prepping, and serving food

●
How to handle and store chemicals to prevent
cross-contamination

●
The Big Eight food allergens and how to prevent
them from causing an allergic reaction

How To Be Sure Non-Food Items
You Receive Are Safe

●
Non-food items include single-use:

o
Cups

o
Utensils

o
Napkins

●
Reject non-food items if:

o
Packaging is dirty or discolored

o
Packaging is water-stained or
leaking

o
Packaging has holes, tears, or
punctures

Page 4-1

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination
During Receiving

●
Keep contaminated food out of
the operation.

●
Reject food if it has these problems:

o
Dirty or damaged packaging (tears,
holes, punctures)

o
Cans that are dented, rusty, or have
swollen ends

o
Water-stained or leaking packages

o
Signs of pests

Page 4-1

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With the Way This
Food Has Been Stored?

●
Wrap or cover food before storing it.

o
This can stop contaminants from
falling into food.

The food is uncovered

Page 4-1

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With the Way This
Food Has Been Stored?

●
Only store food in containers
intended for food.

●
NEVER use old chemical containers
to store food.

The food is stored in
a chemical bucket

Page 4-1

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With the Way This Food
Has Been Stored?

●
Store raw and ready-to-eat food separately.

o
Includes unwashed and ready-to-eat fruits
and vegetables

o
Includes food transported for off-site service

Raw food has been stored
above ready-to-eat food

Page 4-1

If separate storage is not possible:

●
Store food in the following top to bottom order:

o
Ready-to-eat food

o
Seafood

o
Whole cuts of beef and pork

o
Ground meat and ground fish

o
Whole and ground poultry

●
This order is based on the minimum internal
cooking temperature of each food.

Page 4-1

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With the Way This Food
Has Been Stored?

●
Store food only in designated food-storage
areas.

●
Store food and nonfood items away from
walls and at least six inches (15 centimeters)
off the floor.

Food has been stored

with chemicals

Page 4-1

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination
When Prepping Food

●
Make sure items used during
preparation are cleaned and sanitized.

o
Workstations

o
Cutting boards

o
Equipment

o
Utensils

Page 4-2

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination When
Prepping Food

●
DO NOT allow ready-to-eat food to touch
surfaces that have come in contact with raw:

o
Meat

o
Seafood

o
Poultry

Page 4-2

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Preventing Cross-Contamination
When Prepping Food

●
Prep raw meat, seafood, and poultry
at a different time than ready-to-eat
food when using the same table.

●
Clean and sanitize work surfaces,
utensils, and equipment between
each product.

Page 4-2

7:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Page 4-2

To prevent contaminated produce from
causing a foodborne illness:

●
Keep unwashed and ready-to-eat fruits and
vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry,
and seafood.

●
Wash produce.

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What Safety Practices Should Be
Followed When Washing
Produce?

When washing produce:

●
Clean and sanitize the prep sink and
work area before starting.

●
Wash produce in running water
slightly warmer than the food.

●
Pull leafy greens apart.

Page 4-2

Apply Your Knowledge

Prepping That Food Safely

Which situation is unsafe?

__A. Bob debones raw chicken on a white cutting board. He immediately uses

the same knife and cutting board to dice onions.

__B. Mary trims a raw roast on a red cutting board. She washes her hands and

puts on new gloves. Then she uses a new knife to slice tomatoes on a
green cutting board.

__C. Ted preps salads from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. He cleans and sanitizes the

prep table and the knife and cutting board. Mary filets raw fish on the
same prep table at 9:30 a.m.

✔

Page 4-5

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

Can This Prevent Cross-
Contamination in a Self-Service
Area?

●
Make sure food is labeled.

●
Provide separate utensils for each item.

●
Keep food under the sneeze guard.

Yes. Food is labeled, under a

sneeze guard, and has

separate utensils.

Page 4-3

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
DO NOT let customers refill their
dirty plates.

●
DO NOT let customers use
dirty utensils.

A dirty plate is being reused

Page 4-3

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
NEVER serve ice that was used to
keep food or beverages cold.

Ice used to cool beverages is

being served

Page 4-3

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
DO NOT touch parts of dishes or
glassware that come in contact with food.

●
Hold dishes by the bottom or edge.

●
Hold glasses by the middle, bottom, or stem.

His thumb is touching
the top of the plate.

Page 4-4

X

He is stacking glasses.

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
DONOT stack glasses when
carrying them.

●
Carry glasses in a rack or on a tray.

Page 4-4

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
DO NOT hold utensils by the parts
that come in contact with food.

●
Hold utensils by the handle.

He is touching the
tines of the fork.

Page 4-4

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
DO NOT use bare hands to handle
ready-to-eat food.

●
Use tongs, deli sheets, or gloves.

He is handling ready-to-eat

food with bare hands.

Page 4-4

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
NEVER scoop ice with your bare
hands or a glass.

●
Use ice scoops or tongs to get ice.

Ice is being scooped

with a glass and bare hands.

Page 4-4

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
NEVER use towels intended for
cleaning food spills for any other
purpose.

●
NEVER store towels in apron or
uniform pockets.

●
Store towels for cleaning food spills
in a sanitizer solution.

A towel is being stored

in an apron pocket.

Page 4-5

X

Preventing Cross-Contamination of Food

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
Never use the same utensil to handle:

o
Ready-to-eat food and raw meat, poultry, or
seafood

o
Different food items

●
Use separate utensils when serving different
food items.

●
Store serving utensils in food with the
handles extended above the rims of the
containers.

●
Cover food to protect it from contaminants.

The same utensil is being
used to handle each food.

Page 4-5

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Storing Utensils and Equipment

●
Utensils and equipment that touch
food must be stored at least six
inches (15 centimeters) off the floor.

Page 4-6

6" (15 cm)

Page 4-6

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

How Should Glasses and Cups Be Stored?

●
Store glasses and cups upside
down on a clean and sanitized surface.

Page 4-6

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

How Should Utensils Be Stored?

●
Store utensils with handles up.

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Storing Chemicals and
Cleaning Supplies

●
Always store chemicals and
cleaning supplies in the
designated storage area.

●
Always store chemicals in their
original containers.

●
Chemicals transferred to new
containers must be labeled

o
Include common name of chemical

Page 4-7

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

●
NEVER store chemicals or cleaning
supplies near food.

●
NEVER store cleaning equipment
near food.

Page 4-7

X

Chemicals are stored

near food.

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Storing Chemicals and
Cleaning Supplies

●
Dispose of chemicals according to
their labels.

●
Always dump mop water and other
dirty liquids into a designated service
sink with a floor drain.

●
NEVER dump mop water or other dirty
liquids into a toilet or urinal.

●
Doing so might contaminate the
cleaning equipment and spread
pathogens.

Page 4-7

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Which Situation Can Cause Cross-Contamination?

Page 4-7

Cutting boards should be

stored at least 6” (15 cm) off

the floor.

Cups should be stored

upside down.

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Which Situation Can Cause Cross-Contamination?

Page 4-7

Ice bucket should be stored at
least 6” (15 cm) off the floor

(and upside down).

Utensils should be stored with

handles up.

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

Which Situation Can Cause Cross-Contamination?

Page 4-7

Never store chemicals or

cleaning supplies near food.

Never store cleaning
equipment near food.

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

What Should You Do If
Cross-Contamination Happens?

●
Do your best to fix the problem.

Page 4-8

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

What Should You Do If
Cross-Contamination Happens?

●
Set aside the contaminated item so
that no one can use it.

Page 4-8

Preventing Cross-Contamination in Storage Areas

What Should You Do If
Cross-Contamination Happens?

●
Ask your manager what to do.

Page 4-8