SLIPPERY ROCK — Mary Alice Gettings began her workshop by saying, "You'll never eat out again like you used to."

Gettings, a Penn State Cooperative Extension educator, led a workshop that teaches safe methods for serving nonprofit community meals. About 50 people from county civic groups and churches gathered for the workshop Monday night at Center United Presbyterian Church.

To illustrate the importance of food safety, Gettings told those attending that 76 million Americans per year get sick from something they've eaten, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die from food-borne illness each year.

"If somebody dies from something you made, your fundraising is done," Gettings said.

"The world is different today than it was 20 years ago." She said that some in the workshop might have killed chickens in their backyards years ago, but now chickens come from large farms where thousands of chickens are kept in one barn.

"If one chicken's sick, they're all sick," she said.

Food-borne illness can spread more easily now as more Americans eat in restaurants and more food is grown and made in large quantities.

Bacteria bad guys

Gettings asked the crowd, "How many of you have had a 24-hour flu?"

When almost all hands were raised, Gettings said, "There's no such thing as a 24-hour flu. You probably had a food-borne illness."

Using stories of organizations that have been hurt because of food safety violations, Gettings explained how different bacteria can grow and multiply.

Gettings said that microorganisms double every 20 minutes. In three hours, one microorganism can become 512. On one chicken breast, 100 bacteria can become millions in a short period of time.

Cross-contamination also is a common cause of food-borne illness. A few examples of cross-contamination occur when someone handles money then handles food, the same cutting board is used for different foods or when meat juices cross during storage.

Gettings warned workshop participants to never mix two deliveries or containers of foods. If one item is contaminated, mixing the items spreads the bacteria, raising the risk of consumers getting sick.

Illness from salmonella can occur only 30 minutes after eating, campylobacter after two weeks and Hepatitis after 6 weeks. Illness from E. coli can be fatal to children and the elderly.

"E. coli is nothing to mess around with," Gettings said.

A common misconception about food-borne illness, Gettings said, is that people often get sick from the mayonnaise in cold salads.

"Mayo does not promote bacterial growth," she said. The meat, potatoes and eggs in cold salads are what could spoil in the wrong temperature and make consumers sick. Mayonnaise purchased in retail is cooked and has vinegar.

"I was surprised what she said about mayo," said Eileen Datt of Slippery Rock.

Gettings said a proper way to prepare cold salads to prevent bacterial growth is to chill all the ingredients before mixing and to prepare in small batches.

Many participants were surprised to learn that any homemade goods should not be used for sale at nonprofit meals. Home-canned goods are unacceptable as well as home-baked goods.

Organizations are required to have licensed kitchens if they hold more than three food fundraisers per year.

100 degrees of doom

Any food for public consumption must not be kept between 40 and 140 degrees for more than two hours. If it is, the food should be thrown away, Gettings said.

The 40 to 140 degree range is known as the temperature danger zone or TDZ and must be closely monitored. Those 100 degrees provide the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.

Cold food items should be served and kept on ice, and hot food items should be served and kept in hot holding equipment.

Cooling also is a key component in food safety. Hot items should be cooled from 140 degrees to 70 within two hours and then from 70 degrees to 40 within four hours. Gettings recommends using shallow pans to cool food or an ice wand to help cool larger quantities.

To reheat, food should be heated to at least 165 degrees within two hours.

Each participant received a thermometer and learned how to calibrate it.

To calibrate a thermometer, insert it into ice water. The thermometer should read 32 degrees. If it does not, the gauge can be turned slightly for an accurate reading.

Gettings said that thermometers should be calibrated before every fundraiser.

Sanitary service

"I think everybody should have to wear an ugly hairnet because I did," Gettings said.

Going over basic procedures for cleanliness, Gettings reminded participants about proper handwashing, avoiding touching surfaces that come in contact with food, wearing gloves properly and wearing a hairnet or cap when preparing or serving food.

Gettings also explained the three-compartment dish washing method. The first compartment is for washing, the second for rinsing and the third for sanitizing.

Sanitizer should be one tablespoon sanitizing solution or bleach to one gallon water. The sanitizer's water temperature should be between 55 and 120 degrees.

Karen Ford of Slippery Rock was surprised to learn that sanitizer had to be within a temperature range. Water that is hotter than 120 degrees can make the sanitizer ineffective.

Gettings also said to never use scented bleach.

Dorothy Wallace of Slippery Rock and Ford are both members of Center United Presbyterian Church, where the workshop was held. They are part of a group of volunteers planning a free monthly community meal in Slippery Rock.

"What astounds me is how many churches have dinners and ask members to bring in desserts," Ford said.

Gettings warned that it can be difficult to get people to change the way they've done things their whole lives. That is why she suggests groups form food safety committees to set standards for food fundraisers.

Ground meat and meat mixturesBeef, pork, veal, lamb: 160 degreesTurkey, chicken: 165 degreesFresh beef, veal, lambMedium rare: 145 degreesMedium: 160 degreesWell done: 170 degreesPoultryChicken and turkey, whole: 165 degreesPoultry parts: 165 degreesDuck and goose: 165 degreesStuffing, cooked alone or in bird: 165 degreesFresh porkMedium: 160 degreesWell done: 170 degreesHamFresh (raw): 160 degreesPre-cooked (to reheat): 140 degreesEggs and egg dishesEggs: cook until yolk and white are firmEgg dishes: 160 degreesSeafoodFin fish: 145 degrees or flesh is opaque and separates easily with a forkShrimp, lobster, crabs: flesh is pearly and opaqueClams, oysters, mussels: shells open during cookingScallops: milky white or opaque and firmOtherLeftovers and casseroles: 165 degrees