COURSE DESCRIPTION

Covers the moral and legal responsibilities of management to insure a sanitary and safe environment in a food service operation. Emphasizes the causes and prevention of food borne illnesses in conformity with federal, state and local guidelines. Focuses on OSHA standards in assuring safe working conditions. Lecture 3 hours per week.

GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE

Sanitation is the study of the infectious and poisonous agents of our environment and the techniques necessary for their control. Since this course is applied specifically to the food industry it will be limited in its scope so that it deals specifically with problems and prevention of food spoilage, food borne infections, and food borne toxins. Students successfully completing the course of study are eligible to become certified Food Service Sanitation managers, certificates to be awarded by the local Health Departments of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, the course is prepared by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and therefore, is acceptable for certification purposes by many other jurisdictions throughout the United States.

The course will also review the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) as it relates to the food service industry. The responsibility shared by employer and employee for a safe environment and safe practices will be emphasized.

ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCIES

None

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

A. understand the biological characteristics and the life cycles of those organisms that cause the spoilage of foods and food borne illnesses

B. identify the dangers of chemical toxicants as related to foods

C. identify modes of transmission of communicable diseases related but not limied to personal hygiene

D. identify the government agencies that protect the public from contaminated food

E. understand the techniques of sanitation that are involved in the maintenance of the food production plant, and the proper storage, preparation, and service of foods

F. apply the Food Service Sanitation Code as interpreted by the Rules and Regulations of the Commonwealth of Virginia

G. understand Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), a scientifically based management system for food safely

H. know the significance of the Occupational Safety and Health Act

I. know the record keeping and posting procedures required by OSHA

J. demonstrate safe practices in the following:
 

1. fire prevention
2. the use of knives, slicers, saws, mixers, and utensils containing hot foods
3. the prevention of falls and other unsafe practices through employee training

A. Sanitation Standards

1. Microbiology and Food Borne Illnesses
2. Microbiology and Food Spoilage
3. Other Food Hazards; i.e. chemicals and additives
4. Safe Food Handling; Hygienic Practices
5. Food Definitions
6. Standards of Identity and Food Standards set by Federal Agencies
7. Sanitary Practices: Rules and Regulations of the Board of Health of the Commonwealth of Virginia
8. HACCP


B. Safety Standards

 
1.Occupational Safety and Health Act
2. Importance of Employee Training in Safety Practices
3. Fire Protection
4. Record Keeping
5. OSHA Inspections
6. Kitchen Safety