FOOD SAFETY GLOSSARY OF TERMINOLOGY

Approved Source - A supplier that has been inspected by a regulatory agency and found to be in compliance with all local, state or federal laws to protect public health.

Aseptically Packaged & UHT - Heat treated at high temps and packaged under sterile conditions.  Never exposed to light, air, or bacteria.

Bacillus Cereus - Food borne illness most commonly from improperly cooled or cooked rice and beans.

Bacteria - Tiny, one-celled microorganisms found in the environment. Bacteria multiply rapidly in food under the right conditions, and some bacteria can cause foodborne illness. Helpful bacteria can be used to make yogurt, vinegar and some cheeses.

Biological hazard - Exposure to food by disease-causing microorganisms or toxins that are found in some plants and fish.

Botulism - Toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum.

Calibration - the process of standardizing a temperature monitoring instrument to ensure that it will measure within a specific temperature range in which the instrument is designed to operate.

CDC - Center for Disease Control.      Investigates outbreaks of foodborne illness.

Chemicals - Chemical foodborne illnesses are among the most deadly. Chemicals and other “natural” toxins formed in food include agents such as scombrotoxin and ciguatoxin. Store  cleaning supplies in a different area away from stored food.

Chemical hazards - Substances such as cleaning solutions and sanitizers.

Clean - Free of visible soil.

Control Measures - Actions and activities that can be used to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.

Control Points - Points in the process of food preparation when harmful microorganisms can contaminate the food. When conditions such as time, temperature or moisture may  encourage the growth of microorganisms. Food handling practices that prevent foodborne illness are critical at these points.

Contamination - The unintended presence of harmful substances or microorganisms in food.

Cooking - A Point to remind consumers that thorough cooking will destroy harmful bacteria.

Corrective Actions - Actions to be taken when the results of monitoring at the CCP indicate a loss of control.

Critical Control Point (CCP) - A step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.

Critical Limit - A criterion which separates acceptability from unacceptability.

Cross Connection - Physical link that connects potable water with an unsafe water source. Backflow can result where contaminated water may enter the potable water system.

Cross-contamination - The transfer of harmful bacteria from one food to another. Harmful bacteria can not only be transferred from food to food, but also from hands to food.

Ciguatera - Also known as cigua-toxin.  Tropical reef fish that consume toxic algae and then consumed by predator fish.  Cannot be destroyed by cooking.

Coving - The curved edge between the wall and the floor to reduce corner and make easier to clean.

Danger Zone - The range of temperatures at which most bacteria multiply rapidly, between 41° F and 135° F.

Detergent - A chemical used to remove grease, dirt and food, such as washing-up liquid.

Disinfectant - A chemical that kills bacteria. Check that surfaces are clean of grease, dirt and food before you use a disinfectant. Chemicals that kill bacteria are sometimes called germicides, bactericides or biocides.

Employee - Any person working in or for a food service establishment who engages in food preparation or service, who transports food or Food containers, or who comes in contact with any food utensils or equipment.

Equipment- All stoves, ranges, hoods, meat blocks, tables, counters, Refrigerators, freezers, sinks, dishwashing machines, steam tables and similar items, other than utensils, used in the operation of a food service establishments.

Escherichia coli 0157:H7 - Strain of enteropathic E. coli found in ground beef, raw milk, chicken.

Exclude Employee - To prevent an employee from food service establishment due to illness.

FATTOM - The six conditions that pathogens need to grow.  Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture.

FDA - Food & Drug Administration. Develop the Model Food Code. Lists recommendations for food service regulations.

FIFO - First in, first out.  Rotation of stock during storage.

Food Allergy - the body’s negative reaction to a particular food or foods.

Food borne Illness - A general term often used to describe any disease or illness caused by eating contaminated food or drink.

Food borne infections - These occur when “enough” of the live bacterial cells that have  reproduced in the food, small intestine, or both are consumed. The severity of the infection depends on the virulence of the bacteria, resistance of the victim, and the number of cells that survive digestion.

Food borne intoxications - These result from a poison or toxin produced by reproductive bacterial cells in food or in the human body. Bacterial toxins have varying resistance to heat; some can even survive boiling. Other toxins can be a natural part of the food, for example, certain types of mushrooms.

Food borne Illness Outbreak - The Centers for Disease Control define an outbreak of food borne illness as illness that involves two or more persons who eat a common food, with the food confirmed as the source of the illness by a laboratory analysis. The only exception is that a single case of botulism qualifies as an outbreak.

Food contact surfaces -Surfaces of equipment and utensils with which normally comes in contact, and those surfaces from which food may drain, drip, or splash back onto surfaces normally in contact with Food.

Food poisoning - An illness that occurs when people eat food that has been contaminated with harmful germs (particularly bacteria and viruses) or toxins (poisonous substances).

Food Service Establishment - Any facility, where food is prepared and intended for individual portion service, and includes the site at which individual portions are provided.

Giardiasis - A common parasite from contaminated water.

HACCP - A system which identifies, evaluates, and controls hazards which are significant for food safety.

HACCP Plan - A document prepared in accordance with the principles of HACCP to ensure control of hazards which are significant for food safety in the segment of the food chain under consideration.

Hazard - A biological, chemical or physical agent or factor with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.

Hazard Analysis - The process of collecting and evaluating information on hazards and conditions leading to their presence to decide which are significant for food safety and therefore should be addressed in the HACCP plan.

Hepatitis A - The human disease most easily transmitted to food.  Common from food handlers practicing poor personal hygiene.

Immuno-compromised - An individual with an existing disease or weakened physical condition who may be more susceptible to becoming ill from food borne illness.

Listeriosis - A general term for bacteria, molds, fungus, or viruses that can be seen only with a microscope. Infection with Listeria monocytogenes usually found in vegetables, milk, cheese, meat, seafood.

Moisture content - The amount of water in food.

Monitor - The act of conducting a planned sequence of observations or measurements of control parameters to assess whether a CCP is under control.

MSDS Sheets - Material Safety Data Sheets. List chemical compounds, storage, disposal and first aid treatment. Required for all chemicals in facility.

Norwalk or Noro virus - Virus that contaminates raw oysters/shellfish, water and ice, salads, frosting, person-to-person contact.   Commonly transmitted by poor personal hygiene.

NSF International and UL - Group that test and certify our food service equipment for safety and health standards.

pH - Symbol for degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance, measured on a scale from 0 to 14.0.

Parasites - These tiny organisms can cause severe illness. Parasites need nutrients from their host to complete their life cycle. They are always associated with raw or undercooked meat and fish, including pork, bear meat and others.

Pathogen - Any disease producing agent, microorganism or germ.

Perishable Foods - Any food of such type or in such condition as may spoil; provided, that foods which are in hermetically sealed containers processed by heat or other means to prevent spoilage and properly packaged, dehydrated, dry or powered foods so low in moisture content as to retard development of microorganism are not considered readily perishable.

Personal hygiene - The way a person maintains their health, appearance and cleanliness.

Physical hazard - The presence of foreign particles, like glass or metal, in foods.

Potentially hazardous food – Also known as TCS foods, time temperature control for food safety. Moist, high-protein, low acid foods (pH of 4.6-7.5) that consist, in whole or in part, of milk or milk products, shell eggs, meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, baked or boiled potatoes, tofu and other soy-protein foods, plant foods that have been heat-treated, raw seed sprouts, or
synthetic ingredients.

Ready –to-eat foods - Foods that require no further cooking.

Restrict Employee - To limit the activities of a food handler from handling food or food contact equipment due to illness.

ROP - Reduced oxygen packaging of foods.

Safe Temperatures - As applies to potentially hazardous foods, means Temperatures of 41 degrees F or below, or 135 degrees F or above.

Sanitizer - A two-in-one product that acts as a detergent and a disinfectant.

Sanitized - Free of harmful levels of disease-causing microorganisms and other potentially harmful contaminants.

Salmonellosis - Infection with Salmonella species. Found in meat, poultry, egg or milk products.

Scombroid - A biological toxin also known as Histamine poison from fish that have been allowed to be time and temperature abused.

Sell-by - Dates used by retailers to guide rotation of shelf stock.

Single-Service Articles - Any cups, containers, closures, plates, straws, place mats, napkins, doilies, spoons, stirrers, paddles, knives, forks, wrapping materials, and all similar articles, which are constructed wholly or in part from paper or paper material, foil, wood, plastic, synthetic or other readily destructible materials, for one time and one person use and then discarded.

Staphylococcus - Toxin produced by certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus; often found in custard or cream-filled baked goods, ham, poultry, eggs, potato salad, cream sauces, sandwich fillings.

Tableware - Multi-use eating and drinking items, including flatware, knives, forks, spoons, glasses, cups, etc.

Temperature - a critical measurement for ensuring the safety and quality of many food products

Water activity - The amount of water that is available for bacterial growth. Water activity ( Aw  ) is the amount of water available for deterioration reactions and is measured on a scale of 0 to 1.0. Bacteria, yeast, and mold multiply rapidly at a high water activity--above 0.86. Meat, produce and soft cheeses have Aw  in this range (between 0.86 and 1.0).

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture. Inspect and grade meats, poultry, dairy and eggs and produce shipped across state lines.

Use by date - Date used to indicate last date product is to be consumed by.

Utensil - Implements such as pots, pans, ladles or food containers used in the preparation, storage, transportation or serving of food. 

Verification - The application of methods, procedures, and tests, in addition to those used in monitoring to determine compliance with the HACCP plan, and/or whether the HACCP plan needs modification.

Viruses - Viruses grow or reproduce only on living cells. They are often found in untreated water or sewage-contaminated water, and viruses from human feces on unwashed hands can infect others by passing the virus to food. Normal cooking may lower the risk of illness but may not destroy all viruses