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380AEW Article

Food in, germs out

  • Published
  • By Air Force Maj. Fernina Juniel
  • 380th Expeditionary Medical Group
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Health inspections are designed to protect individuals from food-related illnesses that can result if foods are not handled or prepared properly. Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron and 380th Expeditionary Medical Group work daily to ensure food products from all 380th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW) dining facilities are safe for consumption. Five main areas are typically indicated in foodborne illness outbreaks: improper holding temperatures of foods, contaminated equipment, food from unsafe sources, inadequate cooking and poor personal hygiene. Technicians from the Public Health Office focus on these areas during inspections to maintain the safest food supply possible.

All 380th AEW dining facilities operate and are inspected in accordance with standards listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code. Inhibiting the growth of germs by keeping food hot or cold is a major provision of the code. Armed with an assortment of thermometers, public health technicians ensure cold foods are held below 41degrees Fahrenheit and hot foods are held above 13541degrees Fahrenheit. They check food temperatures in all refrigerators, food warmers and serving areas to ensure these parameters are not exceeded. In addition to routine monitoring during inspections, force support personnel can be seen throughout the day taking temperatures of products on the salad bar, serving line and other locations to guarantee safe holding temperatures.

Several areas are reviewed by inspectors to ensure cross contamination (transfer of harmful microorganisms from one surface to another) does not occur. Thermolabels--test strips used to verify dishwasher sanitation--provide assurance that water in dishwashers reaches temperatures high enough to destroy bacteria. Chlorine is used throughout all 380th AEW dining facilities to provide a sanitary environment. Facility personnel and inspectors utilize chlorine test strips to confirm all chlorine solutions are at a concentration that will sanitize equipment, utensils and other surfaces in the food facility.

Unapproved food sources are another major contributor to foodborne illness. All foods served in Air Force dining facilities must originate from approved sources. Force support personnel inspect food deliveries upon arrival to verify receipt from an approved source and to ensure no contamination is present. These inspections also serve to verify sanitary conditions were maintained during the delivery process. Another closely monitored area during inspections is appropriate cooking temperatures. Food temperatures of multiple items are assessed. Inspectors may take internal temperatures of poultry products to guarantee they are cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or may look at baked fish to verify a temperature of 145.

Finally, a big component of the food facility inspection process is monitoring employee health. In the AOR, all food employees including Third Country Nationals, are required to meet more stringent pre-employment medical and vaccine requirements than mandated in the states. Contracting, force support and public health personnel coordinate to ensure all workers are current on these requirements. During daily operations and inspections, medical group personnel and dining facility managers work closely to restrict members from food-handling duties if they exhibit signs or symptoms of an infectious condition. Hand hygiene and appropriate use of gloves are two additional areas of employee health that inspectors validate during routine food facility inspections.

Maintaining a safe food supply is a top priority. Although the work these Airmen do behind the scenes is often unnoticed, their efforts make a huge difference in the health and safety of our deployed service members.