Cooking for Crowds A Volunteer’s Guide to Safe Food Handling

Cooking for Crowds Objectives Provide the reasons why food safety is important to your event Show practical ways to purchase, prepare, and serve foods safely Encourage you to share this information with others in your organization

Cooking for Crowds Chapter 1 Why Risk It?

Cooking for Crowds Why Have a Food Fundraiser? Ÿ Preparation of food for the public Ÿ Financial gain for the organization Ÿ Community support Ÿ Pride in the preparation of great tasting food Ÿ Other reasons?

Cooking for Crowds Why Do You Need to Know About Food Safety? Foodborne illness occurs when a person becomes ill from eating food that contains a biological, chemical, or physical hazard Foodborne outbreak occurs when 2 or more people experience the same illness after eating the same food.

Cooking for Crowds Foodborne Illness Does Occur : 1700 people became sick after eating at Pennsylvania non-profit food fundraisers Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimates 76 million cases of foodborne illness in the U. S. each year

Cooking for Crowds Food Fundraisers— Not Like Cooking at Home Potentially Hazardous Foods allow disease causing bacteria to grow Meat & Poultry Dairy foods Shellfish Tofu Eggs Fish Sliced melons Baked or boiled potatoes Cooked rice or beans Sprouts & Raw seeds Soy-protein foods

Cooking for Crowds Food Fundraisers— Not Like Cooking at Home Salads Hot dogs Salad bar items Cooked meats Sandwiches Luncheon meats Sliced melons Food ready for service Sliced fruits Ready-to-Eat Foods are served without any further cooking or washing

Cooking for Crowds Food Fundraisers— Not Like Cooking at Home Cross-contamination occurs when microorganisms that cause foodborne illness are transferred from one surface to another, possibly contaminating otherwise safe food

Cooking for Crowds Food Fundraisers— Not Like Cooking at Home Volume: Turkey dinner at home Turkey dinner fund-raiser

Cooking for Crowds Changing Trends in the Food System Susceptible populations include people that are at a higher risk for illness and even death from foods contaminated with harmful microorganisms

Cooking for Crowds Changing Trends in the Food System In the past…. Produced Processed Sold Eaten

Cooking for Crowds Changing Trends in the Food System Today…. Produced Processed Sold & Eaten

Cooking for Crowds The Costs to Your Organization Are Great Lawsuits Financial loss Ill customers Reputation

Cooking for Crowds Protecting Your Customer’s Health- Your Legal Responsibility BEFORE your next food fundraiser— Ÿ Do you need a license? Ÿ Have volunteers received the necessary food safety training? Ÿ How will your organization handle an outbreak? ©2006 Department of Food Science - College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. This publication is available in alternative media on request.