Foodborne Illness

Course Expiration
Once you register you have up to one year to take the course.

Course Description
There are many ways  a resident can contract a foodborne illness. Even the most rigorous inspection cannot guard against an outbreak of foodborne illness.  Despite the best efforts of County and Federal inspectors, food enters our food system  already contaminated with deadly bacteria such as E. Coli or Salmonella.

In the upcoming lessons,  you will learn the most common foodborne illnesses along with their symptoms, course of illness and treatment. It is one thing to learn proper food handling and know the regulations. It is quite another to understand, in depth, what we are guarding against.   More than learning the material, this knowledge will become a sobering reminder  to administrators of their responsibility to protect residents under their charge.
Food safety and prevention of illness is the highest priority in caring for residents of community care facilities.  FDA 2009 Food Code defines “highly susceptible populations” as persons who are more likely than other people in the general population to experience foodborne disease because they are:

Immunocompromised that include preschool children or older adults.

Obtaining FOOD at a facility that provides services such as custodial care, health care, or assisted living, a child or adult day care center, kidney dialysis center, hospital or nursing home, or nutritional or socialization services.

The course provides an overview  of the major foodborne illnesses, how they  spread and what protocols  the administrator can  take to minimize and eliminate the risk of illness.  Protocols for food storage, refrigeration and cooking are covered in detail.

The objectives of the course are:
Learn the following  major foodborne illnesses including symptoms and treatment.
E. Coli
Norovirus
Listeriosis
Campylobacter
Salmonella

Learn  New USDA Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Learn how to evaluate seafood along with proper storage, thawing and preparation.
Gain knowledge and understand how food becomes contaminated.
Gain knowledge and understand how foodborne illness outbreaks are investigated.