A Food borne illness is any illness caused by consuming foods or beverages contaminated with disease-causing microorganisms, hazardous chemicals or physical hazards. A food borne disease outbreak is when two or more people have the same illness after eating the same food. The food service industry regularly experiences tremendous financial losses due to food borne illness. Such losses can be significantly reduced, however, through knowledge and education.

Food borne illness and outbreaks are associated with such behaviors as poor personal hygiene, time and temperature abuse and cross contamination. These topics will be discussed in a later section. A food handler must report to their employer if they are diagnosed with,exposed to or exhibiting symptoms from Norovirus, hepatitis A virus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella spp. or shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.

When a food handler becomes ill, proper precautions must be taken. To ensurethe safety of the consumers, the manager of the establishment will either restrict or exclude the ill food handler. Restriction is when a food handler(who does not serve highly susceptible populations) is allowed to work in the food establishment but is not allowed to perform tasks that would cause contamination of food or utensils. Exclusion is when a food handler is not permitted to work in a food establishment until they provide a written release from the proper authority.

The employer shall restrict food handlers that have been diagnosed with the following diseases: sore throat with fever, lesions containing pus, an infected wound, or discharges from the eyes, nose and mouth. Employees exhibiting these symptoms must report them to their employer.The employer shall exclude food handlers that have been diagnosed with the following diseases: Norovirus, hepatitis A virus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella spp. or shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. Employees exhibiting these symptoms must report them to their employer.

There are additional requirements for contacting ready-to-eat foods with bare hands. Food handlers may contact ready-to-eat food with their bare hands if documentation is kept, that the food handler has signed, stating that they have received training on hand washing and additional control measures and that the establishment requires that employees must utilize two or more safeguards. These safeguards include double hand washing, nail brushes, hand sanitizer (antiseptics) after hand washing, incentive program or other approved control measures. These safeguards, however, are in addition to proper hand washing.

Documentation must be maintained at the food establishment that corrective actions are taken when any of the food borne illness, good hygienic practices or bare hand contact of ready-to-eat rules are not followed. In Texas it is best to be aware of these protocols by obtaining your Texas Food Handlers Certification and Food Handler Permit Texas.

Are you interested in making the switch to organic foods? If you are, you may want to first verify that you are making the right decision. You likely already know the many benefits to eating organic foods, as these benefits are often prominently displayed and advertised. With that being said, we rarely hear the disadvantages to eating organic foods.

One of the few disadvantages to eating organic foods is the cost. Do you know how much most organic foods costs? If not, you may first want to examine those costs before you make the decision to switch to organic foods. There is nothing worse than being blindsided or surprised with the cost of organic foods. After a close look, you will see that organic foods do cost a little bit more money, but that increase in cost can add up overtime.

Although the cost of organic food may turn you and other hopeful eaters away, it is also important to know that there are multiple ways in which you can go about saving money. For example, you can search for organic food sales at your local natural food stores or supermarkets. You stock up when you see those sales or choose to shop at a store that is know for their everyday low prices on organic foods. Organic food coupons can also be used. These coupons can be found online, with a standard internet search, in many stores, as well as in weekend newspapers.

In addition to costs, another disadvantage to eating organically is the limited selection of products that some individuals are faced with. Luckily, not everyone is faced with this organic food eating disadvantage. Often times, those who live in small cities and towns find it the hardest to buy organic foods. With that being said, it doesnt matter whether you live in a small town or a huge city, there are still a number of different ways that you can go about buying organic foods.

A great way to buy organic foods if you live in a small town is by going directly to the source, organic farmers. This is great way to get your organic fruits and vegetables, as many small towns now have organic farmers. You can also search for specialty organic food stores by using online business directories, your local phone book, or by asking those that you know for recommendations. The internet can also be used to shop online.

As previously stated, you can shop online to buy organic foods, but it is also important to know that there are a number of cons or downsides to doing so. This is mostly due in part to the requirements of shopping online. For example, a computer and internet connection is required to shop online. Many online shoppers also need to pay for shipping costs. Speaking of payments, most online food stores only accept credit or specific debit cards, namely those that can be processed as credit cards.

Although there are a number of disadvantages to eating organic foods, it is also important to remember the benefits or advantages to doing so as well. For starters, organic foods are all natural and safe to eat. There is no having to worry about potentially harmful chemicals, additives, and pesticides. Organic foods are also helping the environment and the economy.