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FATTOM
Rules for safe handling of food
Cooking Temperatures
Have you or someone you loved ever had food poisoning?
I don’t mean you ate something that didn’t agree with you and were queasy (or worse) for a few days.
[tell the story of the passover sedar]
[even though we can get away with things at home we can’t get away with in a professional setting, its still important to know this stuff]
[this is also why its important to know your cook times and temperatures]
If you’re a food industry worker, there’s a LOT to know about food safety. For those of you playing the home game, I’m just going to hit the most important why’s and how-to’s. I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible, but there is going to be a little science talk. [for a more in-depth analysis, check out servesafe]
FATTOM
[whats a pathogen and why is it bad]
There are six factors that create the conditions which allow pathogens to grow. They are: food, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen, and moisture. Collectively, they are known by the acronym FAT TOM.
[knowing this stuff also helps you understand why preservation methods like pickling, dehydrating, vacuum sealing, and refrigeration work]
Food
First of all, pathogens need something to grow on, and they like protein and carbohydrates best of all. Meat, poultry, dairy products, and eggs are the most common foods, but they’re not the only ones:
[table listing foods most likely to become unsafe]
Acid
Ever wonder why pickled or salted foods keep so long? Pathogens can’t grow in an environment that is very acidic (lemons, vinegar, etc) or very alkaline (crackers and other bland foods). This is why pickling is such an effective way to preserve food; there’s too much acid for bacteria to grow.
Temperature
Why does food last longer in the refrigerator than on the counter? Pathogens grow best on food held between 41°F and 135°F, what’s known as the Temperature Danger Zone. For this reason, we try to keep foods at or below 40°F, and at or above 136°F.
Time
Pathogens need time to grow. When food is in the Temperature Danger Zone, they begin to multiply after about two hours. After four hours, they reach a level high enough to cause illness.
Oxygen
Some (but not all!) pathogens require oxygen to grow. This is one of the reasons vacuum sealing helps preserve food; without oxygen, bacteria can’t grow, so food lasts longer.
Moisture
The last thing pathogens require is moisture. That’s why very dry or dehydrated foods like jerky, crackers, and dried fruits and vegetables last so much longer than their fresh equivalents.
[Rules For Safe Handling of Food]
[hand washing]
[wearing gloves – not as necessary in a home setting, but not a bad idea. sometimes its nice to avoid getting icky stuff on your hands; in the case of cut fruit, the fruit will actually last longer if your hand acids don’t touch it]
[avoid cross contamination – RTE foods should be prepared first or on a separate cutting board than raw foods. Change or wash utensils well between uses]
[proper temperatures – see below]
[cool foods properly and quickly]