Food Service Bulletin
Tiffany Owen
SCI/220
May 12, 2011
Lena Walker

Food Service Bulletin
Each year an estimated 48 million illnesses and 3000 deaths occur in the United States from food-borne illnesses. Symptoms may occur within minutes, or could take a few weeks to appear. These symptoms are flu-like and can cause intestinal problems such as vomiting, cramping, and diarrhea, or even more severe illness and infection in people with a weakened immune system (diet-and-health.net). These illnesses can be prevented with proper storage and preparation of foods.
Some common safety issues related to food purchase can simply be the cleanliness of the store. While at the grocery store, always look for how clean the counters are where fresh meat or seafood is prepared and packaged, also the fresh produce area. Do not purchase foods from a dirty store because the foods may be contaminated. Purchase only Grade A or better eggs and avoid purchasing eggs that have cracks, or are leaking. Do not purchase foods that the expiration date has passed, and when purchasing milk or cheeses make sure they are pasteurized.
Some safety issues related to safe food storage are proper refrigeration and proper storage. Cold foods should immediately be refrigerated once brought home from the grocery store. Cold foods left unrefrigerated for even one hour can begin to grow unwanted bacteria. Make sure the temperature of the refrigerator is between 33ºF and 40ºF for proper food storage. If any raw foods such as ground beef or chicken are placed in the refrigerator, make sure to keep the packages away from other foods to avoid dripping and cross-contamination. Bacteria can grow at temperatures above 40ºF and 140ºF, so always be aware of foods being refrigerated or cooked at the right temperature to avoid the bacterial growth.
Preparation of foods correctly will also ensure no transmission of food-borne illnesses. Salmonella bacteria contaminate unpasteurized milk, eggs, raw beef, chicken, and pork. Always prepare raw meats separately from other foods to avoid cross-contamination. Other bacteria that can cause food-borne illness are E-Coli, Listeria, and Streptococcus A. While preparing food, always wash hands, counters, cutting surfaces, and any utensils used with hot soapy water before and after meal preparation. Another safety issue of preparing food is making sure meats are cooked thoroughly. Beef and lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140ºF, pork to 150ºF, and poultry to 165ºF. Eggs should also be cooked thoroughly and not runny.
There is a lot of credible information on the proper ways of storing and preparing foods. When doing research, make sure the source is recognized as a professional in this area. A few websites with vital information are www.usda.gov and www.diet-and-health.net. Education on food-borne illness, and the proper ways of handling raw foods is important to ensure that healthy and sanitary foods are being prepared and consumed. Knowing these tips and following them will prevent bacteria from spreading, and will prevent sickness from occurring.

References
(2011). Diet and Health. Retrieved from http://www.diet-and-health.net/Food/foodsafety.html
Wardlaw, Gordon M., & Smith, Anne M. (2011). Contemporary Nutrition (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. (348-351).

USDA. (2011). United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Foodborne_Illness_What_Consumers_Need_to_Know/ index.asp.