Allergens

Some customers are allergic to certain foods and contact could lead to severe sickness or even death. When allergens come in contact with foods or surfaces, this is called cross-contact and could be dangerous to customers with allergies. When cooking for and serving customers with allergies, cross-contact must be avoided.

Common Allergens

There are many foods that contain the proteins that cause allergic reactions (allergens), but eight foods are the most common. These are the Big 8 and food handlers must be aware of them:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Soy
• Fish (like bass, flounder, and cod)
• Tree nuts (like almonds, walnuts, and pecans)
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Crustacean Shellfish (like crab, lobster, and shrimp)

Serving Food Safely

When serving customers with food allergies, use the following steps to avoid cross-contact:

• Inform the customer how each menu item is prepared and ask your manager if you’re not sure. (You should know of any menu item containing Big 8 ingredients.)
• Disclose all “secret” ingredients.
• Suggest menu items without food allergens.
• Clearly inform the kitchen of any allergen special order.
• Hand deliver the special order separately.

Preparing Food Safely

Cross-contact must be avoided during preparation and cooking.

• Read ingredient labels and recipes for allergens.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize everything you’ll use to prepare the food, including the table. Your establishment might require separate utensils for allergen orders.
• Wash your hands and put on new gloves. Avoid cross-contact with other foods, drinks, your gloves, equipment, utensils, etc.
• Use separate fryers and cooking oil when frying foods (for example, chicken fried in oil that has fried shrimp can cause cross-contact).

If Cross-Contact Occurs

If something comes in contact with a food allergen, keep it away from the customer. Never serve cross-contact foods to the allergic customer. Put them to the side. Inform your manager if you think cross-contact has occurred.

If an Allergic Reaction Occurs

If a customer experiences an allergic reaction, call your local emergency number and inform your manager. You must take action to protect the customer.

Personal Hygiene

Good hygiene includes understanding the proper length of fingernails, correct use of gloves, and what should and should not be worn at work, as well as proper handwashing procedures, where to eat and drink while at work, and when to report symptoms of illness to your boss.

Handwashing

Anyone working in a foodservice establishment will handle food or drink during a shift. Proper handwashing is the best way to ensure pathogens are not passed from employee to customer.

Handwashing Procedure

Washing your hands for 20 seconds is the easiest way to keep foods and surfaces contamination free. Food handlers must:

1. Dampen hands and arms under hot running water (as hot as can be tolerated).
2. Apply enough soap to work into a rich lather.
3. Lather hands and arms, between fingers, and under fingernails for 10 to 15 seconds. (The entire handwashing process should take a minimum of 20 seconds.)
4. Rinse hands and arms well under hot running water.
5. Dry hands and arms with a paper towel or hand dryer and never on an apron, part of a uniform, or clothing.

Then, use a paper towel to turn off the tap and to open the bathroom door so as not to contaminate hands on the way back to work.

When to Wash Your Hands

Wash hands before work, after using the bathroom, and after any of the following:

• Touching your hair, face, body, clothing, or aprons
• Before and after touching raw meat, poultry, or seafood
• Taking out the trash
• Sneezing, coughing, or tissue use
• Using chemicals
• Smoking, chewing gum, or using tobacco
• Busing dirty tables
• Eating or drinking
• Touching money
• Going in or out of the kitchen
• Touching service animals or aquatic animals, like lobsters from a tank
• Touching dirty enquipment, work surfaces, clothes, or anything that might contaminate hands

Always wash hands before beginning a new task, or before putting on gloves.

Hand Cleaning Products and Supplies

Some establishments may include further steps to ensure pathogens are not passed from food handler to customers, such as hand sanitizers.

Hand Sanitizers

Do not use hand sanitizer as a replacement for handwashing. Only use hand sanitizer after handwashing. Wait for sanitizers to dry before touching anything in the kitchen and before putting on gloves. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using the sanitizer.

Handwashing Sink Supplies

Handwashing is designated to its own sink, which should have hot and cold running water, soap, single-use paper towels or a hand dryer, and a garbage can. Inform your manager if any of these are missing.

Where to Wash Your Hands

Food service establishments must have a designated handwashing sink with fully stocked supplies and should be used according to proper procedure.

• Never wash hands in sinks used for other tasks.
• Never use handwashing sinks to dump used water, prep food, fill containers, or wash dishes.
• Handwashing sinks should always be accessible and never blocked by food, equipment, or kitchen supplies.

Other Hand Concerns

Beyond handwashing, safe food handlers must also understand how to properly use gloves and how to keep hands and fingernails hygienic.

Using Gloves

Gloves are never a replacement for handwashing and should be used properly. Never touch ready-to-eat foods (a food that can be eaten without further prep, washing, or cooking, such as sandwiches or salads) with bare hands. You could pass pathogens and contaminate the food.

• Only use disposable gloves that fit your hand (not too tight or too loose).
• Never blow into or roll gloves when putting them on.
• Never rinse, wash, or reuse gloves.
• Always wash hands before using gloves or when you begin a new task.

Hand Care

Food handlers should keep hands and fingernails clean and well groomed.

Fingernail care— Nails should be short, filed, and clean. Long or ragged nails can be hard to keep clean and may harbor pathogens.

Nail polish and false fingernails— Never wear nail polish because it could flake into food and cause physical contamination, or hide dirt that may be under nails. Never wear false nails, which are also hard to keep clean and may fall off, causing physical contamination. (Some establishments may allow polish or false nails to be covered with gloves. Check with your manager.)

Wounds on hands— Wounds can contain pathogens. Cover hand or wrist wounds with a tight bandage or finger cot and a disposable glove. Completely cover arm wounds with a tight, clean bandage to prevent leakage. Cover body wounds with a dry, durable, tight fitting bandage.

Wearing Appropriate Things

Good hygiene includes wearing clean clothes to work and bathing daily to project a positive and professional image. Dirty skin, hair, and clothing could harbor pathogens that can lead to foodborne illness. Food handlers must adhere to guidelines for covering hair, wearing clean clothing, using aprons, and wearing jewelry.

Hair Covering

Clean hair must be covered while working with food, when in food prep areas, and when working in dish rooms where items are being cleaned. Hair should be restrained with a clean hat or hair covering. Beards should be covered with a beard guard.

Clothing

Clothes should be clean, including uniforms, chef coats, and aprons. If these dirty items must be stored at the establishment, they should be kept away from the kitchen and food prep areas. Your own clothes should also be stored in the same way. Management will dictate storage areas.

Aprons

Take your apron off when you leave the kitchen or food prep area, especially when going to the bathroom or taking out the trash.

Jewelry

Jewelry can harbor pathogens that could come into contact with food. Do not wear jewelry while in food prep areas or while prepping food. Never wear rings except for a plain, smooth band. Never wear watches or bracelets of any kind. Your manager may ask you to take off other pieces of jewelry unless you are a server, which may mean you can wear approved jewelry items.

Other Safe Practices

Good hygiene goes beyond clean clothing and washing hands, and helps keep you and everyone you work with safe which in turn keeps customers safe. Procedures for eating and drinking are in place to prevent hazards.

Eating, Drinking, and Tobacco Use

Your saliva contains pathogens, so there are guidelines and designated areas for eating, drinking, chewing gum, and tobacco use. Never eat, drink, chew gum, or use tobacco in service areas, food prep, or dishwashing areas. Some establishments may allow drinking from covered containers while in those areas.

Illness

Being sick at work means you might be passing pathogens to coworkers, customers, food, and/or equipment. Inform your manager if you experience vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellow eyes or skin), or sore throat with fever. You could be experiencing foodborne illness.