3. What Happened?
May 2014
Center for Disease Control 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 (HUS)
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 Went Wrong?
• Escherichia coli (E.coli) O157:H7 was present in
ground beef packed and shipped 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
8. Learning Objectives
• Identify symptoms, sources, and control methods for
STEC (E.coli 0157:H7)
• List the correct (FDA Food Code) temperature and times
for meat, poultry, reheated and commercially prepared
foods
• Explain correct use and calibration of thermometers
• Describe four procedures for correct thawing
9. Key Terms
• STEC - Shiga Toxin producing E. coli
• 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)
• Cooking end point – final temperature for safe food
product
• Cooking monitoring – regularly checking food
temperature using a thermometer
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
12. Foods Involved
• Ground meats
• Non-intact or mechanically tenderized cuts of meat
• Unpasteurized milk
• Unpasteurized fruit juice, apple cider
• Produce (lettuce, spinach, sprouts)
• Commercially processed raw cookie dough
• RTE foods cross contaminated
13. Control
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables in clean running water
• Obtain produce from reliable supplier (GAPS)
• Do not consume raw milk or cheeses
• Do not consume unpasteurized juice (requires HACCP)
• Use good personal hygiene
• Exclude employees diagnosed with STEC (E. coli
O157:H7)
• Monitor water sources (potable water)
• Avoid contact with farm animals and petting zoos
14. Control (continued)
• Do not serve ground beef cooked to less than 155oF to
at risk populations (YOPI)
• Do not use “color” of meat or meat juices to determine
proper cooking
• Cook ground beef to a minimum temperature of 155oF
for 15 seconds
• Monitor temperature with a calibrated thermometer
– Develop standard cook time to obtain correct
temperature
– Monitor and correct
15. Factors Affecting Cooking Rate
• Initial temperature of food (thawing)
• Food’s bulk (size)
• Food composition
– Fat increases cook time, moisture decreases time
• Char on outside increased cook time
• Airflow and hotspots in ovens
16. Thawing Frozen Food
Approved Methods
• In refrigerator 41°F or colder
• In microwave oven (food cooked immediately and
manufacturer’s instructions followed)
• In package submerged under running potable water at
70°F or lower
• As part of cooking process
17. Minimum Cooking Temperatures
Food Item
Min. Int.
Temp
Min. Holding Time at
Specified Temp.
Commercially processed (cooked)
product from inspected manufacturer
135oF
Roast (rare) beef 145oF
130oF
4 minutes
112 minutes
Steaks/chops: Fish, Pork, and other
meats, including exotic species of game
animals and commercially raised game
Fish and meat not listed elsewhere
145oF 15 seconds
Unpasteurized shell eggs prepared for
immediate service
145oF 15 seconds
Injected meat
Mechanically tenderized meats
155oF 15 seconds
18. Minimum Cooking Temperatures
Food Item
Min. Int.
Temp.
Min. Holding Time
at Specified Temp.
Ground fish, beef, pork and other meats,
including exotic species of game animals
and commercially raised game
(comminuted)
155oF 15 seconds
Unpasteurized shell eggs not for
immediate service
155oF 15 seconds
Poultry
Baluts
Stuffed poultry, fish, meat or pasta
Stuffing containing fish, meat, poultry or
ratites
Wild game animals
165oF 15 seconds
Food cooked in a microwave oven 165oF Until the min. temp. is
reached in all parts of
the food, then allowed
to stand for 2 minutes
19. 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 required
temperature in 2 hours
• Discard uneaten portions of reheated food
20. 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
21. 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”
22. Temperature Measuring Procedure
• 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
• Stir liquid food before measuring to ensure even
temperature
24. Checking Your Thermometer
• 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 not correct, calibrate
29. Discussion
Can your staff communicate the
risks of under cooked burgers?
How could you explain
the risks to them?
30. Activity
List the minimum required cooking temperatures and times
on page 26
• Ground beef
• Chicken breast
• Rib eye steak
• Broiled fish
• Pork chop cooked in microwave
31. 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
32. 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
33. Quiz
When cooked, poultry must reach a minimum internal
temperature of:
a) 145°F
b) 155°F
c) 165°F
d) 175°F
34. Quiz
When cooked, poultry must reach a minimum internal
temperature of:
a) 145°F
b) 155°F
c) 165°F
d) 175°F
35. Quiz
Cooked liquid food, such as soups, stews and sauces
made from (TCS) potentially hazardous 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
36. Quiz
Cooked liquid food, such as soups, stews and sauces
made from (TCS) potentially hazardous 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
37. 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
38. 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
39. Review
• Use reliable approved suppliers
• Prevent cross-contamination from uncooked products
• Proper thawing
• Monitor cooking time and temperature
• Consumer advisory
• Thermometer calibration
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
Ask: How could this have been prevented? The burgers were contaminated with E.coli. However, these illnesses could have been prevented if the burgers had been cooked to a proper internal temperature.
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.
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.
mechanically tenderized cuts of meat- Bacteria can be pushed into the meat
Jack in the Box - 1993
Unpasteurized milk cannot be legally sold in NC.
Unpasteurized fruit juice – cattle under the trees – highly potential contamination
RTE – handling a raw burger, then the bun
In NC, there have been 3 big cases of STEC related to farm animals at state and county fairs. Proper hand washing is important.
NC State fair Nov 2004
NC State fair Oct 2011
Cleveland County Fair Oct 2013
E.coli0157:H7 outbreak from butter made from unpasteurized milk: http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/pdf/en2001-4.pdf
YOPI – Young, Old, Pregnant, Immune Compromised
When measuring the temperature, where on a tray of burgers do you want to take the temperature? The outside and corners cook fastest because of heating in an oven. Make sure to temp the burgers in the middle of the tray.
See page 44 in booklet.
Comminuted- reduced in size by methods including chopping, flaking, grinding, or mincing. – imitation crab meat, salmon patties
Exotic species of game animals and commercially raised game – reindeer
Food cooked or reheated in a microwave - 165oF - then allowed to stand for 2 mins. to obtain temp. equalization
Baluts – embryo inside a fertile egg – incubated to reach a specific stage of development, then removed from incubation – (boiled fertilized duck egg with undeveloped embryo- Asian cooking)
Comminuted: com·mi·nut·ed ˈkäməˌn(y)o͞odəd/ -
Ratites – large, flightless birds (ostrich, emu)
exotic species of game animals and commercially raised game- bear, venison
Wild game cook-offs
Whole muscle beef can be served undercooked without Consumer Advisory
Bimetallic stemmed thermometers: measure 0oF - 220oF; Insert up to the dimple; Adjust with calibration nut; For thick foods (roast)
Thermistor: \ˈthər-ˌmis-tər\
Thermocouple: \ˈthər-mə-ˌkə-pəl\
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
Thermometers – Air- Must be accurate +-3oF
food- Must be accurate +-2oF
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.
Alcohol wipes are acceptable.
Only purchase thermometers that can be calibrated. The only exception to this is that schools that using thermocouples will need to check their accuracy each day but have to send them back to the manufacturer. If using a thermocouple, check the manufacturer specifications to determine the frequency of calibration.
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. After checking accuracy and calibrating, the thermometer can be used. This needs to be noted on the Daily Production Plan in the upper right corner.
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.
ground beef-155
Chicken breast-165
Rib eye steak-145
Broiled fish-145
Pork chop cooked in microwave-165
Participants match foods to the correct temperatures on flashcards.