NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR LICENSURE
EXAM REVIEW COURSE
Illinois Exam ◘ MODULE 4

Food Hygiene

Speed Reader
Examination 1
Examination 2

Stan Mucinic, LNHA

LEGAL NOTICES

Students enrolled in the “Illinois Nursing Home Administrator Licensing Course” are purchasing professional knowledge of the instructor to assist the student to prepare for the State Laws and Rules Exam for the State of Illinois.

This is a 3-week intensive independent study program designed to provide students a unique personalized and structured learning environment where progress is monitored by the instructor through email to help students maintain focus and complete scheduled assignments timely.

THE INSTRUCTOR MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND THAT COMPLETION OF THIS OR ANY LICENSURE PREPARATION COURSE OFFERED BY INSTRUCTOR WILL GUARANTEE A PASSING SCORE ON ANY LICENSING EXAM.

An individual’s ultimate success in passing the licensure exam is dependent on an individual’s professional experience, academic preparation, and the time and energy the individual can commit to exam study and preparation. A student’s work schedule or other commitments may require more time to prepare for an exam than allotted by NAB or state licensing boards. The student is solely responsible for licensing exam registration/testing and retesting fees.

Contact Information

Email Stan Mucinic at with any questions and after you score each practice exam


Food Hygiene

[Important – You must know the state food hygiene laws. You are responsible for the sanitary condition of your kitchen you must do daily inspections of all spaces in the facility where food is served.

SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS

1.  “Adulterated” – Food containing any poisonous or harmful substance such as:

i.  Diseased, contaminated, filthy, putrid, or decomposed substances

ii. Has been produced, prepared, packed or held under unsanitary conditions

iii.  Contains product from a diseased animal

iv.  The container is composed of or contains poisonous substance which may render the contents injurious to health.

2.  “Comminuted” – Fish or meat products reduced in size and reformulated such as gefilte fish, gyros, ground beef, and sausage with a mixture of two or more types of meat combined

3.  “Highly susceptible population” – A persons more likely than others to experience food borne disease because they are immuno-compromised or older adults institutionalized or preschool age children in custodial care

4.  “Manager” – An individual who has direct supervision over employees engaged in the storage, preparation, display and serving of food to the public

5.  “Not Readily Perishable Foods” Foods hermetically sealed in containers processed by heat or other means to prevent spoilage and dehydrated foods so low in moisture content

6.  “Person in Charge” means the individual present and is the apparent supervisor at the time of an inspection. If no supervisor is present, then any employee present is the person in charge.

7.  “Potentially hazardous food” – Any perishable food which consists in whole or in part of milk or milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, edible crustacea:

a.  Capable of supporting rapid growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms; or

b.  Capable of supporting the slower growth of Clostridium botulinum

8.  “Ready-to-eat food” – Food that is ready to eat without washing, cooking, or additional preparation that is reasonably expected to be consumed (i.e. raw fruits and vegetables)

9.  “Reconstitute” – The recombination of dehydrated food products with potable water

10.  “Sanitize” – The effective treatment of clean surfaces of equipment and utensils by an approved process which yields a reduction of 99.999% reduction of disease microorganisms

11.  “Single-service articles” –Cups, containers, closures, plates, straws, place mats, napkins, doilies, spoons, stirrers, knives, forks etc intended for one-time, one-person use

12.  “Wholesome” – Food which is in sound condition, clean, free from adulteration and otherwise suitable for human consumption

SECTION 2 - APPROVED FOOD SOURCES

1.  All food served must be from approved sources (usually Sysco or other large food supplier)

2. 

SECTION 3 - FOOD HANDLING

1.  Food must be prepared, processed, handled, packaged, transported and stored in a sanitary manner to protect from contamination and spoilage

2.  Foods must be prepared by appropriate methods that will conserve their nutritive value, enhance their flavor and appearance.

3.  They must be prepared according to standardized recipes and a file of such recipes must be available for the cook's use.

4.  Foods must be attractively served at the proper temperatures and in a form to meet individual needs.

5.  All residents must be served in a dining room or multi-purpose room except for an individual with a temporary illness, who is too ill, or for other valid reasons

SECTION 4 - MILK, MEAT, POULTY, LAMB

4.2 – Shellfish

1.  Only pasteurized fluid milk and fluid milk products may be used or served and must be grade a quality

2.  Reconstituted dry milk/dry milk products can be used for cooking, baking, or fortification purposes

3.  Non-dairy creaming, whitening or whipping agents may be reconstituted on the premises

4.  Frozen desserts and frozen dessert mixes must not exceed plate count of 50,000 per gram nor a coli form count of 10 per gram

5.  Reconstituted frozen dessert mixes must be pasteurized

4.2 – Shellfish

1.  Shellfish must be obtained from food establishments that are licensed under a federal or state food regulatory program

2.  Must keep such records for not less than 90 days after purchase

4.3 – Meats

1.  Meat and meat products must be officially inspected by a federal or state regulatory program.

2.  Cannot serve freshly caught game animals in a nursing home.

3.  Meat has E-Colli bacteria

4.4 – Eggs

1.  Only clean whole grade A eggs with shells intact and without cracks, pasteurized liquid, frozen or dry eggs or pasteurized dry egg products may be used

2.  Hard boiled, peeled eggs, commercially prepared and packaged may be used

3.  Pasteurized liquid, frozen, or dry eggs or egg products must be substituted for shell eggs in recipes requiring uncooked eggs, (i.e. Caesar salad, hollandaise or béarnaise sauce)

4.  Do not use eggs for a highly susceptible population if they are broken, combined in a container, and not cooked immediately or if held before service following cooking

5.  Eggs contain Salmonella and Salmonella is transmitted through chickens. Just imagine a six foot chicken with the a nametag that says “SAL”.

6.  Shell eggs that are broken and prepared for a resident must be cooked to 145°F or above for 15 seconds that are prepared for immediate service and 155 F for 15 seconds if not being served immediately

4.5. Packaging

1.  All packaged foods, including those packaged in hermetically sealed containers, must have been processed and packaged in approved commercial food processing establishments

2.  Food prepared in a private home must not be used, sold, or offered to the public by a food service establishment

SECTION 5 – FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

5 .1 - Fruits and Vegetables

1.  Raw, unprocessed fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed in potable water to remove any existing contaminants before being cut, combined with, cooked, or served

SECTION 6 FOOD PROTECTION/STORAGE

6.1 - Protection from Contamination

1.  Food must be protected from dust, flies, rodents, vermin, toxic materials, unclean equipment and utensils, coughs and sneezes, flooding by sewage, overhead leakage and other contamination sources

2.  Raw animal products such as beef, fish, lamb, pork or poultry must be separated during storage in different containers, partitions, shelves, or by sanitizing equipment between use

3.  Store raw food products below (bottom shelf) ready-to-eat foods (raw fruits, veggies, etc.)

4.  Food, whether raw or prepared, if removed from its original container must be stored in a clean covered container except during necessary periods of preparation or service

5.  Container covers must be impervious except that linens/napkins to cover bread or rolls

6.  Solid cuts of meat must be covered in storage, except sides of meat may be hung uncovered on clean sanitized hooks if no food product is stored beneath the meat

7.  Food must not be stored under exposed sewer or water lines, except for automatic fire protection sprinkler heads

8.  Cannot store food in toilet rooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms or garbage rooms

9.  Bulk food (cooking oil, syrup, salt, sugar or flour) not stored in its product container must be stored in a container identifying the food by common name

10.  Packaged food must not be stored in contact with water or un-drained ice

11.  Store food on clean shelves, racks, dollies or other clean surfaces

12.  Spoons, knives and forks must be picked up and touched only by their handles

13.  Cups, glasses and bowls must be handled so fingers do not contact inside surfaces or lip-contact outer surfaces

14.  Food must be prepared with minimal manual contact

15.  Sanitize utensils and containers for use with potentially hazardous food prior to use keep food being transported to another location in covered containers or otherwise wrapped

16.  Unwrapped foods displayed or placed on counters must be protected against contamination by enclosures or by easily cleanable sneeze guards or other similar devices

17.  Facilities to store tableware must present the handle to the employee or customer

6.2 – ABOVE Floor Storage

1.  Must store food 6 inches above the floor

2.  Metal pressurized beverage containers and cased food packaged in cans, glass or other waterproof containers need not be elevated when food container not exposed to floor moisture

6.3 – Serving Spoons/Dispensing Utensils

1.  During pauses in food preparation or dispensing, dispensing utensils (spoons/tongs) must be stored:

2.  In the food, including food within containers such as bins of sugar or flour, with the dispensing utensil handle extended out of the food

3.  Clean and dry

4.  In running water of sufficient velocity to flush particulates to the drain, if used with moist food such as ice cream or mashed potatoes

5.  In hot water wells that maintain the temperature of the water at or above 140 ºF and that are cleaned frequently at scheduled intervals throughout the day

6.  Must provide ample serving spoons and forks

6.4 – Ice Scoops and Dispensing untensils

1.  Ice-dispensing utensils (Ice scoops) must be stored on a clean surface or in the ice with the dispensing utensil’s handle extended out of the ice

2.  Ice scoops are normally stored in an ice bin that has holes in the bottom to drain excess water and keep the scoop and bin dry and prevent growth of black mold. State inspectors will inspect your ice scoops and storage binds for black mold.

3.  Ice storage bins must be drained through an air gap (holes in the bottom of bin).

4.  Ice bins are usually plastic

6.5 – Condiments

1.  Sugar, condiments, seasonings or dressings intended for self-service use must be provided only in individual packages or from dispensers that protect their contents

2.  Nondairy creaming or whitening agents must be provided in an individual service container, protected pour-type pitcher, or drawn from a refrigerated dispenser designed for such service

3.  Individual portions of food once served to a customer must not be served again

4.  All single-service articles must be stored in a sanitary manner and used only once

5.  Single-service articles must be made from clean, sanitary, safe materials

6.6 – PoISONouS/toxic materials

1.  Poisonous or toxic materials must be used as follows:

a)  Must be prominently labeled for easy identification

b)  Must be stored separate from food, food equipment, utensils, or single-service articles

c)  The use of sanitizers, cleaning compounds or other compounds intended for use on food-contact surfaces must not leave a toxic residue on such surfaces

d)  Must not be used in a way that contaminates food, equipment, or utensils, or constitutes a hazard to employees or other persons

e)  First-aid supplies and personal medications must be stored in a way which prevents their contaminating food or food-contact surfaces

f)  Sanitizers, detergents, or other cleaning compounds must be stored separately from insecticides, rodenticides and other poisonous or toxic materials

6.7 - Notify Department in Emergency

1. In the event of fire, flood, power outage or similar event results in the contamination of food, or prevents potentially hazardous food from being held at safe temperatures (41 ºF or below and 135 ºF or above, the person in charge must immediately notify the department

SECTION 7 - SAFE FOOD TEMPERATURES

1.  All potentially hazardous food must be kept at

a)  Cold temperature = 41 ºF or below

b)  Hot Temperature = 135 ºF or above

SECTION 8 - COOLING AND CHILLING HAZARDOUS FOODS

1.  Potentially hazardous foods to be served without further cooking (egg salad or tuna salad) must be prepared from chilled products with a minimum of manual contact

2.  Food requiring refrigeration after preparation must be rapidly cooled to an internal temperature of 41 ºF or below

3.  The cooling period must not exceed 4 hours.

4.  Potentially hazardous foods of large volume or large quantities must be rapidly cooled by:

a)  Placing the food in shallow pans max. depth of pan not to exceed 4 inches

b)  Separating the food into smaller or thinner portions

c)  Using rapid cooling equipment

d)  Stirring the food in a container placed in an ice water bath

e)  Using containers that facilitate heat transfer

f)  Adding ice as an ingredient

5.  Potentially hazardous food must be cooled from 135 F to 70 F within 2 hours and from 70 F to 41 F

within 4 hours for total time of 6 hours

SECTION 9 - THAWING FOODS

1.  Frozen potentially hazardous food must be thawed:

(a)  In refrigerated units at a temperature not to exceed 41 ºF

(b)  Under cold potable running water at a temperature of 70 F or below with sufficient water velocity to agitate and float off loosened food particles into the overflow

(c)  Thawed portions of ready-to-eat food tcann0t rise above 41ºF

(d)  For a period of time that does not allow thawed portions of a raw animal food requiring cooking to be above 41ºF for more than 4 hours including the time the food is exposed to the running water and the time needed for preparation for cooking