Shigella is a type of bacteria that can lead to unpleasant symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. This illness spreads easily when someone consumes food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected individual.
Food can become contaminated by an infected food worker and subsequently cause illness in others.
Outbreaks of Shigella have been traced back to contaminated food prepared by food workers who were infected. These foodborne outbreaks typically occur when a food worker with a Shigella infection:
- Continues to work while experiencing symptoms.
- Does not practice proper hand hygiene after using the restroom.
- Directly handles food with their bare hands.
Prevention Strategies for Food Workers
To prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses, including those caused by Shigella, food workers should take the following steps:
-
Inform Your Manager: Always notify your manager when you are feeling unwell.
-
Stay Home When Sick: Refrain from working from the onset of symptoms and for at least 48 hours after diarrhea has ceased.
-
Practice Proper Hand Hygiene: Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food, after using the restroom, and after handling waste.
-
Complete Food Safety Training: Participate in food safety training programs and consistently adhere to established food safety practices. This includes:
- Using gloves, tongs, or other utensils to prevent direct contact with ready-to-eat foods such as salads, sandwiches, and fruits.
- Regularly cleaning and sanitizing all food preparation surfaces and utensils.
- Ensuring food is cooked, handled, and stored at appropriate temperatures. Learn about the four steps to food safety.
Management’s Role in Preventing Foodborne Illness
Food service managers play a vital role in working with food handlers to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses. Managers should:
-
Require Sick Employees to Stay Home: Implement a policy that mandates food handlers to report illnesses to management and to stay home from work until at least two days after their diarrhea has stopped.
-
Obtain Kitchen Manager Certification: Pursue certification through an accredited kitchen manager certification program.
-
Develop Supportive Policies: Create work schedules and policies that alleviate the pressure for employees to work while sick. Examples include maintaining a list of on-call workers for each shift, cross-training employees to cover absences, and proactively finding replacements for sick employees.
-
Enforce Strict Hand Hygiene: Ensure all food handlers properly wash their hands before, during, and after preparing food, after using the restroom, and after handling waste.
-
Implement and Enforce Food Safety Practices: Train food handlers on essential food safety practices, including:
- Thoroughly washing hands with soap at crucial times throughout their shift.
- Consistently using gloves, tongs, or other utensils to avoid direct contact with ready-to-eat foods.
- Diligently cleaning and sanitizing food preparation surfaces and utensils using appropriate sanitizing solutions.
- Strictly adhering to proper cooking, holding, and storing temperatures for all food items.
Resources
- CDC – Shigella: https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/index.html
- FDA – Food Safety: https://www.fda.gov/food/
- USDA – Food Safety and Inspection Service: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/
By following these guidelines, food workers and managers can significantly reduce the risk of spreading foodborne illnesses and ensure the safety of their customers.
