3. What Happened?
May 2014
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified 12
people sick in four different states. Seven were
hospitalized.
Symptoms:
– Bloody diarrhea and severe stomach cramps for
greater than 72 hours
– No one developed kidney failure (Hemolytic Uremic
Syndrome)
4. What They Found
• CDC interviewed 11 of the
12 ill people
• All reported eating burgers
at a restaurant before
getting sick
• Eight individuals reported
eating ground beef prepared
rare, medium rare, or
“undercooked”
5. What They Found
• Bar 145°, a restaurant
involved in the outbreak,
prides itself on cooking
burgers to 145°F
6. Discussion
What do you think went wrong?
How could this have been prevented?
What do you think about the management at Bar
145°?
7. What Went Wrong
• Escherichia coli (E.coli) O157:H7 was present in ground
beef packed and shipped to restaurants by Wolverine
Packing Company
• Restaurants didn’t heat the burgers to a safe temperature
(155oF)
• Wolverine Packing Company recalled 1.8 million pounds of
ground beef
– About $7.2 million worth of meat
– Wolverine didn’t survive the outbreak and was bought
out
8. Learning Objectives
• Understand symptoms, sources and control of Shiga
toxin producing E. coli
• Describe four procedures for correct thawing
• Identify FDA Model Food Code minimum temperature
and times for animal products, reheated and
commercially prepared foods
• Explain correct use and calibration of thermometers
9. Key Terms
• Calibration – Ensuring a temperature measuring device has an
accurate reading by testing against a known temperature
• Commercially processed – A food that has undergone
temperature treatments, processing and/or packaging by a
government-inspected facility
• Core/internal temperature – Temperature at the last place in the
food to be heated (usually the center of the thickest part; could be
the cold spot)
• Temperature abuse – When food is either left in the temperature
danger zone for an extended period of time or does not reach its
safe internal temperature.
10. Shiga Toxin Producing E. coli
• Generic E. coli may not harm you
– Some types are in your gastrointestinal tract and keep
you healthy
• Some E. coli produce toxins that can make you very
sick and cause lifelong complications (paralysis,
blindness, kidney damage)
• Symptoms
– Abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
– Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (kidney failure)
11. Foods Involved
• Ground meats
• Non-intact or mechanically tenderized cuts of meat
• Unpasteurized milk, fruit juice or apple cider
• Produce (lettuce, spinach, sprouts)
• Commercially processed raw cookie dough
• RTE foods cross-contaminated
13. Temperature Abuse
• Temperature abuse occurs when a food is either left
in the temperature danger zone (above 41°F and
below 135°F) for an extended period of time, or does
not reach its safe internal temperature.
• Temperature abuse can be due to inadequate
cooking, cooling, holding or reheating.
14. Thawing Frozen Food
Approved Methods
• In refrigerator/cooler at 41°F or colder
• In microwave oven
– If food is cooked immediately after and
manufacturer’s instructions are followed
• In package submerged under running potable water at
70°F or lower
• As part of cooking process
15. Factors Affecting Cooking Rate
• Initial temperature of food
• Bulk (size)
• Food composition
– Fat increases cook time, moisture decreases time
• Char on outside increases cook time
• Airflow and hotspots in ovens
16. Minimum Proper Cooking Temperatures
INTERNAL COOKING
TEMPERATURE
FOOD ITEM
130°F for 112 minutes
145°F for 4 minutes
Roast beef
135°F for 15 seconds Commercially processed, fully cooked foods
145°F for 15 seconds
Raw eggs cooked for immediate service
Fish, except as listed below
Meat, except as listed in the next 2 rows
Commercially raised game animals, rabbits
155°F for 15 seconds
Mechanically tenderized or injected meats
Raw eggs not for immediate service
Comminuted (ground) meat, fish, or commercially
raised game animals
Ratites (ostrich, rhea and emu)
17. Minimum Proper Cooking Temperatures
INTERNAL COOKING
TEMPERATURE
FOOD ITEM
165°F for 15 seconds
Poultry
Baluts (partially developed duck embryo)
Stuffed fish, meat, pork, pasta, ratites & poultry
Stuffing containing fish, meat, ratites & poultry
Wild game animals
165 °F and held for 2
minutes*
Food cooked in a microwave oven
* Minimum temperature must be reached in all
parts of the food
165°F for 15 seconds Reheated, properly cooled and stored foods
18. Temperature Summary
INTERNAL COOKING
TEMPERATURE
FOOD ITEM
130°F for 112 minutes
145°F for 4 minutes
Roast beef
135°F for 15 seconds Commercially processed, fully cooked foods
145°F for 15 seconds
Raw eggs for immediate service
Fish
Meat
155°F for 15 seconds
Raw eggs not for immediate service
Anything ground, tenderized or injected (except
poultry)
165°F for 15 seconds
Poultry
Anything stuffed
Stuffing containing fish, meat & poultry
Wild game animals
Reheated foods
165 °F and held for 2 min Food cooked in a microwave oven
19. Non-Continuous Cooking of Animal
Foods
• Non-continuous cooking is a process where cooking is halted,
food is cooled and held for complete cooking at a later time, prior
to sale or service.
• Raw animal foods may be partially cooked during preparation
and finished just before service if proper procedure is followed.
• Cooking Procedure Part 1:
– Initial heating is no longer than 60 minutes.
– Immediately after initial heating food is cooled properly
according to TCS guidelines.
– Food is held cold or frozen according to TCS guidelines.
20. Non-Continuous Cooking of Animal
Foods
• Cooking Procedure Part 2:
– Food is cooked using a process that heats all parts of
the food to the proper time/temperature combination
before sale or service.
– Food is cooled, hot-held, served immediately or held
using time as a public health control.
– Food is prepared and stored according to written
procedures previously approved by the regulatory
authority
21. Reheating Food
• Protect food from contamination
• Food must reach minimum internal
temperature of 165°F for minimum
15 seconds within 2 hours
• Dispose of reheated food if it does
not reach 165°F in 2 hours
• Discard uneaten portions of
reheated food
23. Procedure for Measuring Temperature
• Follow thermometer manufacturer’s instructions
• Measure core temperature of solid TCS food: refrigerated,
being cooked, reheated, cooled or thawed
• Insert clean, sanitized probe into center of thickest part of
food
– Alcohol wipes are acceptable
• Stir liquid food before measuring to ensure even
temperature
25. Temperature Measuring Devices
• Temperature-measuring devices include
thermometers, thermocouples, thermistors and other
devices that measure the temperature of food, water
or air.
• Temperature measuring devices should be stored
safely in an easily accessible location.
Keeping a log is a great way to monitor
temperatures and times and prevent
temperature abuse in cooking, cooling,
holding and reheating.
26. Checking Accuracy
• Check the accuracy of all food thermometers:
– At least once a day
– Every time it is dropped
– After being exposed to extreme temperatures
• Methods to check the accuracy:
– Boiling water method
– Ice water method
• If incorrect, calibrate!
• Keep a calibration and testing log
31. Consumer Advisory
• Must have a reminder and disclosure to inform
consumers of the significantly increased risk of
consuming undercooked foods (beef, eggs, fish, lamb,
milk, pork, poultry, shellfish)
• Reminders include: Brochures, deli case or menu
advisories, label statements, table tents, placards, or
other effective written means
• Disclosures must indicate which items on the menu
are included in the reminder
32. Example CA from the Food Code
“Regarding the safety of these items, written information
is available upon request”
“Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry,
seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of
foodborne illness”
“Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry,
seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of
foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical
conditions”
35. Discussion
Can your staff communicate the
risks of under cooked burgers?
How could you explain
the risks to them?
36. Activity
List the minimum required cooking temperatures and
times for the following foods:
• Ground beef
• Chicken breast
• Rib eye steak
• Broiled fish
• Pork chop cooked in microwave
• Canned baked beans
• Lasagna
37. Quiz
Which of the following is not a safe method to thaw food:
a) At ambient temperature (ordinary room temperature)
b) In a refrigerator at 41°F or colder
c) Submerged under running potable water at 70°F or
below
d) As part of the cooking process
38. Quiz
Which of the following is not a safe method to thaw food:
a) At ambient temperature (ordinary room
temperature)
b) In a refrigerator at 41°F or colder
c) Submerged under running potable water at 70°F or
below
d) As part of the cooking process
39. Quiz
When cooked, poultry must reach a minimum internal
temperature of:
a) 145°F
b) 155°F
c) 165°F
d) 175°F
40. Quiz
When cooked, poultry must reach a minimum internal
temperature of:
a) 145°F
b) 155°F
c) 165°F
d) 175°F
41. Quiz
Cooked liquid food, such as soups, stews and sauces
made from TCS ingredients should be:
a) Placed in plastic containers for cooling
b) Heated to 175°F
c) Stirred before temperature is measured to ensure
that temperature is even throughout
d) Placed in metal containers at a maximum depth of 4
inches
42. Quiz
Cooked liquid food, such as soups, stews and sauces
made from TCS ingredients should be:
a) Placed in plastic containers for cooling
b) Heated to 175°F
c) Stirred before temperature is measured to ensure
that temperature is even throughout
d) Placed in metal containers at a maximum depth of 4
inches
43. Quiz
According to the FDA Food Code, TCS food that has
been cooked and cooled must be reheated to a minimum
internal temperature and time of:
a) 145°F for 15 seconds
b) 155°F for 15 seconds
c) 165°F for 15 seconds
d) 175°F for 15 seconds
44. Quiz
According to the FDA Food Code, TCS food that has
been cooked and cooled must be reheated to a minimum
internal temperature and time of:
a) 145°F for 15 seconds
b) 155°F for 15 seconds
c) 165°F for 15 seconds
d) 175°F for 15 seconds
45. Review
• Proper thawing and reheating
• Monitor cooking time and temperature
• Consumer advisory
• Thermometer calibration
Ask participants where they think things went wrong
Escherichia coli – esh-uh-rik-ee-uh koh-li - \ˌesh-ə-ˈrik-ē-ə\The letters and numbers mean this particular bacteria produces Shiga toxin. These are also called STEC- Shiga Toxin producing E Coli
1.8 million lbs beef at $4/lb = $7.2 million
STEC first came into public’s attention with the Jack-in-the-box outbreak in 1993.
Four children died of hemolytic uremic syndrome and 600 others were reported sick after eating undercooked patties contaminated E.coli. The chain was faced with several lawsuits, each of which was quickly settled (but left the chain nearly bankrupt and losing customers). At the time, Washington state law required that hamburgers be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 155 °F (68 °C), the temperature necessary to kill E. coli bacteria, although the FDA requirement at that time was only 140 °F (60 °C), which was the temperature Jack in the Box cooked.
After the outbreak, E. coli O157:H7 is considered an adulterant, so there is a zero tolerance in beef
This outbreak could have been prevented by cooking to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination
STEC- Shiga Toxin producing E Coli
Cold spot – internal temperatures
Cooking end point – final temp
Cooking monitoring – using a thermometer
Correct thawing – 4 ways refrigeration, under running potable water, microwave, part of cooking process
HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome) kidney condition that happens when red blood cells are destroyed and block the kidneys' filtering system.
Generic E. coli may not make you sick; ones that produce toxins (STEC) will make you very sick.
There are seven major STECs. (If anyone asks, they are: O157:H7, O111:H8, O103:H11, O26:H11, O145:NM, O45:H2, O121:H19)
Mechanically tenderized cuts of meat; intact muscle tissue is sterile, but bacteria can be pushed into the meat when grinding, blade or needle tenderizing, cubing, injection marinating, etc.
Unpasteurized milk cannot be legally sold in NC.
Juice is often made from fallen, scarred and bruised fruit. Animals relieving themselves under the trees pose a high risk of potential contamination
Have been outbreaks linked to raw flour
Produce irrigated with contaminated water, or contaminated by animals in the field
With the char think about roasting a marshmallow, if you burn it first it takes longer to then achieve a gooey center than if it was slow roasted farther away
Comminuted means ground/chopped and then fused back together. Think ground beef patty, fish sticks, chicken nuggets
All temps are fair game, but these are most important
Written procedure is required as a means to prevent temperature abuse
Food gets reheated to 165°F. Idea is that anything could have contaminated the food, so you need to take it to the temperature that would kill off any vegetative cells
Thermometers – Air- Must be accurate +-3oF, food- Must be accurate +-2oF
Bimetallic stemmed thermometers: measure 0oF - 220oF; Insert up to the dimple; Adjust with calibration nut; For thick foods (roast)
Thermocouple: Digital; senses the temperature on the tip of the probe; for thick and thin foods; different probes – immersion, surface, penetration, air
Infrared (Laser): measures the temperature of food/equipment surfaces
Keep thermometers in a convenient place, otherwise they won’t be used
Temp logs are great way to make sure employees are taking temps, especially for large batch foods made on a regular basis
There are two ways to check the accuracy of a food thermometer: ice water and boiling water. Many food thermometers have a calibration nut under the dial that can be adjusted. Check the thermometer package for instructions.
Only purchase thermometers that can be calibrated.
After checking the accuracy, if the thermometer is not correct, it needs to be calibrated. If it is a thermocouple and the unit needs to be sent back to the manufacturer, then the thermocouple should not be used.
For some digital thermometers, the temperature reading is inaccurate when the battery is dying. Try changing the battery and rechecking it
Boiling water. To use the boiling water method, bring a pot of clean tap water to a full rolling boil. Immerse the stem of a food thermometer in boiling water a minimum of 2 inches and wait at least 30 seconds. (For ease in handling, place the stem of the food thermometer through the clip section of the stem sheath and, holding the sheath horizontally, lower it into the boiling water.) Without removing the stem from the pan, 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 or 100°C. A consumer using tap water in unknown atmospheric conditions would probably not measure water boiling at 212°F because water boils at a lower temperature in a high altitude area.
Ice-point method. 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. (For ease in handling, place the stem of the food thermometer through the clip section of the stem sheath and, holding the sheath horizontally, lower it into the water.) 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 or 0°C.
Whole muscle, intact beef can be served undercooked (below 145F) without Consumer Advisory IF establishment is not a highly susceptible population and surface temperature reaches 145F and there is a cooked color change on all sides (3-401.11(C))
Ask class what foods they serve raw and/or undercooked at their establishments. Where are the reminders and disclosures?
Research shows that servers are not great at communicating risk. Best practice includes training servers on how to communicate risks.
Whole muscle beef can be served undercooked without Consumer Advisory
ground beef-155
Chicken breast-165
Rib eye steak-145
Broiled fish-145
Pork chop cooked in microwave-165
Canned Baked Beans - 135
Lasagna-165
Participants match foods to the correct temperatures on flashcards.
