a volunteer’s guide to safe food handling

Cooking for Crowds 1

A Volunteer’s Guide to Safe Food Handling


Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Why Risk It?

Chapter 2 The Causes of Foodborne Illness

Chapter 3 Controlling Conditions That Cause Foodborne Illness

Chapter 4 Safe Purchasing, Storage, Preparation, and Service for a Crowd

Chapter 5 Facilities and Equipment

Chapter 6 Planning and Conducting Safe Events

Chapter 7 Incorporating Food Safety Strategies in Your Organization’s Kitchen

Appendix

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Introduction

The Cooking for Crowds curriculum is designed for use with non-profit audiences that cook food for the public as part of food fund-raisers. Although the target audiences traditionally do not have professional training in cooking large volumes of food for the public or access to commercial food service equipment, they do take great pride in serving their customers terrific tasting food. This curriculum is intended to show nonprofit groups the food safety risks that develop when cooking large volumes of food, and how to reduce those risks so that the food prepared by the group is both safe and delicious. While many of the food safety strategies recommended in this curriculum are similar to those used by com-mercial food establishments, they have been translated into practi-cal methods to meet the specific needs of nonprofit audiences. For more Cooking for Crowds resources, visit extension.psu .edu/food-safety-and-processing/food-service-and-retail.

Time and Temperature GuidelinesAll times and temperatures recommended throughout this curriculum are based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) consumer temperature guidelines. Due to the impracticality of cooling large volumes of food using the USDA consumer temperature guidelines, recommendations for cooling food are based on the Food and Drug Administration Food Code guidelines.

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6 Cooking for Crowds


Why Risk It?

NONPROFIT FOOD FUNDRAISERS are an excellent way to social-ize with the community while earning money for organizational activities. Whether it’s a chicken barbecue, church dinner, or hot dog sale, food fundraisers have several things in common:• Preparation of food for the public• Financial gain for the organization• Community support• Pride in serving great tasting food

You and your organization have so much to gain from a suc-cessful food fundraiser. Conducting a successful food fundraiser includes ensuring the food you and your organization prepare and serve is safe for customers to eat. Don’t risk your customers’ health or damaging the reputation of your organization’s name. Follow the information in this guide to make your next food fundraiser enjoy-able and safe.

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Why Do You Need to Know about Food Safety?Whether you have volunteered at one food fundraising event or have been volunteering for years, there are several things you must keep in mind to have a safe and successful event.

Foodborne Illness Does OccurFoodborne illness happens when a person becomes ill from eating food that contains a biological, chemical, or physical hazard. A foodborne outbreak occurs when two or more people experience the same illness after eating the same food.

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention estimates that 48 million people acquire a foodborne illness annually. Of these cases, about 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 people die.

Outbreaks of foodborne illness do occur at the local level, which we do not necessarily hear about in the news, as well as at nonprofit food events. Examples include an outbreak of salmonellosis that sickened more than 103 people at a church dinner because of chicken or pork that was time-temperature abused and a case where three people died as a result of eating food that was prepared in indi-viduals’ homes and then not held at proper temperatures.


Microorganisms that cause foodborne illness

TYPE OF MICROORGANISM

DOES IT GROW IN FOOD?

DESTROYED BY PROPER COOKING? EXAMPLES EXAMPLES OF FOOD

ASSOCIATIONS PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES

Bacteria Yes Yes Salmonella Salmonella in eggs • Cool foods properly• Cook foods to proper tem-

peratures• Clean and sanitize equip-

ment and utensils• Wash hands properly• Ensure proper storage and

holding temperatures• Separate raw and cooked

foods

Campylobacter Campylobacter in chicken

Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli

E. coli in ground beef

Clostridium perfringens C. perfringens in meats/gravies

Clostridium botulinum C. botulinum in home-canned foods

Shigella Shigella on ready-to-eat foods

Bacillus cereus Bacillus cereus in rice

Vibrio Vibrio in shellfish

Staphylococcus aureus S. aureus on handled food

Listeria monocytogenes Listeria on ready-to-eat foods

Yersinia Yersinia in pork

Bacterial Spores No No C. botulinum spores C. botulinum spores in home-canned foods

• Cool foods properly• Do not use home-canned

foods at food fundraisers• Clean and sanitize equip-

ment and utensils• Wash hands properly• Ensure proper storage and

holding temperatures

C. perfringens spores C. perfringens spores in meat gravy

B. cereus spores B. cereus spores in cooked rice

Bacterial Toxins Yes (under optimal con-ditions, toxin is produced in food)

No S. aureus toxin S. aureus toxin in handled food such as cooked meat, pastries, deli foods

• Cool foods properly• Ensure proper storage and

holding temperatures

B. cereus toxin B. cereus toxin in cooked rice held at room temperature for hours

C. botulinum toxin C. botulinum toxin in improperly home-canned foods

Continued on the next page

nate food. There are many different types of pathogenic microorganisms, and each acts dif-ferently in food. See the table on the following pages for examples of each described below.

• Bacteria are found on raw food or added through the handling of food. If food is mishandled, any bacteria present will

grow and multiply. Proper cooking will destroy bacteria, but freezing will not. Some bacteria produce bacterial spores. Spores may be thought of as bac-teria that have a protective coating and normally do not grow in food. However, under specific conditions, spores can shed


Thermometer Review (Adapted from the USDA Technical Paper on Kitchen Thermometers)

Types of Thermometers

Digital (Thermocouple)

• Reaches and displays the final temperature the fastest—within 2 to 5 seconds

• Can accurately read the temperature of thin food such as hamburger patties, pork chops, and chicken breasts

• Not designed to remain in the food while it is cooking; should be used near the end of the estimated cooking time to check for final cook-ing temperatures

• Can be calibrated for accuracy

Digital (Thermistor)

• Can measure temperature in thin food as well as thick food

• Place the tip in the cen-ter of the thickest part of the food

• Not designed to remain in the food while it is cooking

• Not all can be calibrated; check the manufactur-er’s instructions

Bimetallic

• Measures the tempera-ture of a food in about 15 to 20 seconds

• Not designed to remain in the food while it is cooking in the oven

For accurate temperature measurement, the probe of the bimetallic-coil ther-mometer must be inserted the full length of the sens-ing area (usually 2 to 3 inches). If measuring the temperature of a thin food, such as a hamburger patty

or boneless chicken breast, the probe should be inserted through the side of the food so that the entire sensing area is positioned through the cen-ter of the food. Some models can be calibrated. Check the manufacturer’s instructions.

Thermometer Calibration

There are two ways to check the accuracy of a food thermometer. One method uses ice water, the other uses boiling water. Many bimetallic thermometers have a calibration nut under the dial that can be adjusted. Check the package for instructions.

To use the ice water method, fill a large glass with finely crushed ice. Add clean tap water to the top of the ice and stir well. Immerse the food thermometer stem a minimum of 2 inches into the mixture, touching neither the sides nor the bottom of the glass. Wait a minimum of 30 seconds before adjusting. Without removing the stem from the ice, hold the adjusting nut under the head of the thermometer with a suitable tool and turn the head so the pointer reads 32°F.

For the boiling point method, insert the stem into boiling water. Without removing the stem from the water, hold the adjusting nut under the head of the food thermometer with a suitable tool and turn the head so the thermometer reads 212°F.

Remember that water boils at a lower tempera-ture in high altitude areas. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office for the exact tem-perature of boiling water in your area.

Thermometer Use and Care

As with any cooking utensil, food thermometers should be washed with hot, soapy water. Most thermometers should not be immersed in water. Wash carefully by hand and sanitize after each use.

Most available food thermometers will give an accurate reading within 2 to 4°F. However, the reading will only be correct if the thermometer is placed at the proper location in the food. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the food and in two places to get an accurate internal tempera-ture reading.

Digital thermocouple thermometer

Digital thermistor thermometer

Bimetallic thermometer

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Planning and Conducting Safe Events

THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT when planning a food fundraiser. A safe and successful food fundraiser has three elements: the food, the people, and the type of event. Properly planning each of the three elements will go a long way to reducing the risk of foodborne illness.

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The Food—Selecting a Menu with Food Safety in MindIn order to lower the risk of a foodborne out-break, consider the type of food you buy and prepare. Be aware of the following foods:

• Time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods. Proper handling is the only way to ensure TCS foods are safe to eat.

• Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. When working with RTE foods, remem-ber that there can be no bare-hand contact with the food and prevent cross-contamination.

• Other hazardous foods that should not be used at food fundraisers:— Home-canned foods— Home-processed wild game or

non-commercially processed meat or poultry

— Unpasteurized cider— Raw milk or raw milk products— Home-prepared foods, except home-

made baked goods that are non-TCS (for example, fruit pies, cakes and cookies, candy, and bread)

The People

Your VolunteersThe volunteers who work at food fundraisers are an essential part of making the event safe and successful. All volunteers must understand the importance of food safety during purchase,

storage, preparation, and service. Before your next food fundraiser, ask:

• Are the volunteers who will be prepar-ing and serving the food at the fundraiser aware of food safety concerns related to cooking large volumes of food?

• Have they worked at a food fundraiser before?

• Will they follow the food safety guide-lines for the event even though they may not practice the same food safety guide-lines at home?

Holding a short training session for the volunteers before the actual event may be nec-essary. Call your Penn State Extension county office, local health office, or the Pennsylva-nia Department of Agriculture office nearest you for a training session for you and your volunteers.

The CommunityThe success of a food fundraiser depends on community support. What types of people will you be serving? Will there be susceptible populations present in large numbers? Know-ing the people you will be serving will allow you to take precautions to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. It is safest to assume some-one from a susceptible population will attend your event.

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Pre-event Checklist | Sub and Sandwich Sale

TASK TASK COMPLETED

DATE COMPLETED SIGNATURE AND NOTES

LicenseCheck to see if a food license is required to conduct a sub sale ❑

Purchasing Transport TCS foods in a cold storage container ❑

Separate raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods during transport ❑

StorageAdequate refrigerator space is available for TCS foods ❑

Cross-Contamination A central kitchen is available for sandwich assembly ❑

Appropriate types and numbers of food-grade containers are available ❑

Gloves are available for volunteers to use for sandwich assembly ❑

Cold Holding Equipment Appropriate cold holding equipment is available to store

and/or transport subs❑

Volunteers Volunteers have been trained in safe food handling practices ❑

Cleaning and SanitizingDetergent and sanitizer are available for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and preparation areas

❑

HandwashingSoap, warm potable water, and paper towels are available for handwashing

❑

InsuranceIn the event of an outbreak, the organization has the appropriate insurance

❑

WaterSafe water service is available ❑


Appendix

• A Food Safety Assessment of Your Organization’s Food Fundraiser• Fundraising Planning Form• Record-Keeping Forms• Blank Checklists• Safe Food Handling Fact Sheets• Resources

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extension.psu.eduPenn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Extension is implied.

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Produced by Ag Communications and Marketing

© The Pennsylvania State University 2018

Code AGRS-086 1.5M01/18nvo

This manual and educational program were prepared by Penn State Extension food safety special-ists and associates and county-based educators, with assistance from members of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Bureau.

For additional information about Cooking for Crowds, visit extension.psu.edu/food-safety-and -processing/food-service-and-retail or contact the Penn State Extension office in your county.

To find a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Regional office near you, go to www.agriculture .pa.gov/regional-offices.

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