table of contents:

• Curriculum Materials
• Audience
• Time and Temperature Guidelines
• Video Information
• List of Supplies
• Suggested Teaching Agendas
• Expenses
• Activities

• Curriculum Materials:

The curriculum includes a printed participant's manual. The manual is the only printed part of the curriculum and may be purchased through the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Office or it can be downloaded as a pdf file from this website. All other materials, including activities, marketing materials, presentations, a certificate, evaluations, and additional resources may be found on the Cooking for Crowds website.

• Audience

The Cooking for Crowds curriculum is appropriate for use with non-profit food providers such as churches, fire companies, school fundraising groups, and civic organizations

• Time and Temperature Guidelines

All times and temperatures recommended throughout the curriculum are based on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consumer temperature guidelines.

Temperatures used for holding cold and hot foods are 40°F and 140°F, respectively. Time used for holding potentially hazardous foods between 40°F and 140°F is two hours.

Due to the impracticality of cooling large volumes of food using the USDA consumer temperature guidelines, recommendations for cooling foods are based on the Food and Drug Administration’s 2001 Food Code two-stage cooling method-- cool cooked foods from 140°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 40°F or lower in an additional four hours, for a total cooling time of six hours.

• Video Information

A variety of food safety videos targeting non-profit or non-commercial food establishments were evaluated for use with the Cooking for Crowds curriculum. The Fatal Five video is recommended for use with the Cooking for Crowds Cooking for Crowds curriculum. Please see the “Additional Resources” section to find other food safety videos. To order The Fatal Five:

The Fatal Five
University of Vermont Extension
St. Johnsbury Office
107 Easter Avenue
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819-8802
Phone: 802-751-8307
Cost: $15.00

• List of Supplies

Supply List for Cooking for Crowds (.rtf)

• Suggested Teaching Agendas

2 x 2.0 hour (.rtf)
3.0 hour (.rtf)
3.5 hour (.rtf)
6.0 hour (.rtf)

• Expenses

Expenses (.rtf)

• Activities

activities table of contents:

Yeast Demonstration
Agar Plate Activity
Guess What Contaminated the Agar Plate
Bacterial Growth Rate Activity
How Many Microorganisms Are There?
Cross Contamination Simulation
Calibrating a Thermometer
Safe Storage
Cooling Food Wisely
The Germ Stops Here (Proper Handwashing)
Equipment Survey

Yeast Demonstration

Objective: To demonstrate the principles of FAT-TOM; understand how bacteria can grow rapidly under optimum conditions.

Materials needed:
Packet of quick-rise yeast
Glass jar or clear plastic container
1/2 -1 cup water (between 110°F and 115°F)
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 Tablespoon of flour
Stirrer

Time: 30 minutes

Instruction:
The yeast simulate bacteria. The “bacteria” will grow because the sugar and flour provide a food source. The water has a neutral pH so it is not too acidic. You allow this mixture to sit while talking about the microworld, which accounts for the time. The water is between 110°F and 115°F making it the right temperature. The jar is left open so oxygen can get in. By adding water, the need for moisture is demonstrated. Usually within 1/2 an hour the yeast has bubbled and grown noticeably (usually about as high as the water is deep).

Procedure:
Have the materials prepared prior to the lesson. As you begin the lesson, pour the hot water into the jar. Then, mix the flour and sugar in and finally add the yeast. Stir the mixture until well blended. Allow it to sit while you talk, but encourage participants to keep and eye on what is happening. Pick a central location to place the jar so that everyone can watch. Use the demonstration when you begin to explain FAT-TOM.

Handout: None

Agar Plate Activity

Objective: To demonstrate the concept that bacteria are everywhere even though we cannot see them.

Materials needed:
Agar plates
Black permanent magic marker
Clear tape
Cotton swabs
Sources of bacteria –fingertips, hair, raw meat, utensils, money

Time: 30 minutes
Agar plates may need to be obtained by mail.

Instruction:
This activity takes some advanced planning or should be used for a class that meets more than once. Participants will look at bacteria found on items they frequently use. The agar plates are contaminated with a material of student’s choice. Then, after several days of incubation, students can observe the numbers and types of colonies that have grown from the materials they chose. This activity demonstrates the principle that bacteria are ubiquitous

Procedure:
Obtain several agar plates. Possible sources include hospital laboratories, scientific suppliers, or biology departments at local colleges and universities. Agencies and organizations are often willing to help if you explain what you plan to use them. These agencies can also assist you in destruction of the agar plates.

Two possible supply companies are:
Carolina Biological Supply Company 1-800-334-5551
Remel 1-800-447-3635
Recommend a general purpose agar such as TSA (trypticase soy agar or a nutrient agar.)

Leave the lid on the agar plate until you are ready to use it. Pick an object or material that you feel might have bacteria on it. Remove the lid from the agar plate. Lightly touch the object to the agar then replace the lid. Invert the agar plate and using the marker, label it with the date and the object used to inoculate it. Secure the lid using a small strip of tape on each side. Store the agar plates inverted at room temperature. Do not remove the lids as there are bacteria growing inside. Always wash your hands after handling the agar plates. The agar plates may contain harmful bacteria; therefore they should be destroyed in an autoclave. A local hospital or educational institution may be able to assist with this process.

Participants may wish to pick materials that they think contain bacteria. Some possible items or materials are raw chicken or beef, unwashed hands, jewelry, fingernails, arm of eyeglasses, coins or currency, hair, and various other items from the environment. After a couple of days, small circles usually in various colors appear. These are colonies of bacteria.

Handout: None

Guess What Contaminated the Agar Plate

Objective: To demonstrate the concept that bacteria are everywhere even though we cannot see them.

Materials needed:
6-8 cultured agar plates
Tray
List of bacteria sources that were used to culture agar plates

Time: 15 minutes
Needs to be prepared several days prior to the program date.

Instruction:
This activity takes some advanced planning. Agar plates need to be cultured a few days in advance and incubated so bacterial growth can be observed.

Procedure:
Culture several agar plates with bacteria from common sources such as a sink drain, fingers before washing hands, meat juices, a fly, money, hair, or saliva. Seal plates and allow to incubate for several days before the program. Number the plates with a marker and make a key listing the sources of bacteria. Place agar plates in individual zip lock plastic sandwich bags.

At the program place the cultured plates on a tray so the bacterial growth is visible. Give participants a list of the sources of bacteria and ask them to match the plate with the source. When everyone has had a chance to make their guesses, go over the correct matches. Discuss the concept that bacteria is everywhere even though we cannot see it, if given the right conditions, it can grow to billions.

This could be passed around during the meeting and discussed after everyone had a chance to make the matches.

Handout: List of sources of bacteria on agar plates to match with the numbered plates.

Bacterial Growth Rate Activity

Objective: To demonstrate how quickly bacteria can multiply.

Materials needed:
2 jars or ziplock bags
Small individual candies such as jelly beans or M&M’s

Time: 5 minutes

Instruction: Under the right conditions, bacteria will multiply once every 20 minutes. The longer food is left in the danger zone, the more bacteria will multiply on the surface.

Procedure:
In one jar place 8 pieces of candy. This jar represents the number of bacteria that would result after spending just 1 hour in optimum conditions for bacterial growth.

Place 512 pieces of candy in the second jar and explain that this is how many bacteria would result from 1bacteria if it were left under optimum conditions for 3 hours. After your point is made, students may wish to eat the candy.

Ask; Is there usually only one bacterium on a surface? or, are there many? How can you tell?

Variation on above activity:
Follow the same premise, substituting packing peanuts for candy. Boxes or large plastic bags will be needed instead of jars or zip lock bags. Get participants involved by asking them to count the peanuts. The time may be shortened to 2 hours for bacterial growth.

Handout: None

How Many Microorganisms Are There?

Objective: To illustrate how quickly bacteria can multiply.

Materials needed:
Zip lock storage bags
Dried black beans (3-4 pounds)
Replica of a piece of raw chicken in a meat tray covered with plastic wrap
Plastic bag such as found in the meat aisle in the supermarket
Basket or box to hold display

Time: 0-15 minutes
If used as a display, no class time is needed
If scenario is used, 15 minutes is needed

Instruction:
Under the right conditions, bacteria will multiply once every 20 minutes. The longer food is left in the danger zone, the more bacteria will multiply on the surface. Preparation is needed to count out the beans into bags to show growth. Label bags with the number of bacteria and the time.

Procedure:
Hold up the bag with 5 beans representing 5 bacteria. Tell participants that you are shopping for your organization’s event. You have quite a long list of items to purchase. You start your shopping by picking up several pieces chicken and puting them in your cart. One piece of chicken has with 5 bacteria on it. Hold up the 5 bacteria in a bag again.

You continue your shopping (20 minutes passes). Hold up the bag with 10 beans.
Meanwhile you have been in the store for 20 minutes.

When you get to the canned goods aisle, you need to figure out how many cans of green beans you need to purchase. After that you proceed to the produce aisle where you select lettuce (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 20 beans. You have been in the store for 40 minutes.

You go on to select the rest of the produce and salad dressings. You are not sure what the committee said, so you stop to make a phone call to a committee member (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 40 beans. You have been in the store for 1 hour.

You need to place an order at the bakery for a cake for the event; they are busy (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 80 beans. You have been in the store for 1 hour 20 minutes.

You are almost finished and run into a friend you have not seen for months (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 160 beans. You have been in the store for 1 hour 40 minutes.

You realize you need to finish up and quickly get the rest of the items on the list, (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 320 beans. You have been in the store for 2 hours.

Head for the check out. The line is long today because they are short of help so you wait 20 minutes. Hold up bag with 640 beans. You have been in the store for 2 hours 20 minutes.

You check out (20 more minutes) and head for the car. Hold up bag with 1,280 beans. You have been in the store 2 hours 40 minutes.

You need to quickly stop and pick up the paper goods for the event (20 minutes). Hold up bag with 2,560 beans). Your chicken has been out of refrigeration for 3 hours.

Travel to the site of the event (20 minutes). Hold up the bag with 5,120 beans. Your chicken has been out of refrigeration for 3 hours 20 minutes.

Unload car and put things away (20 more minutes). Hold up bag with 10,240 beans). Your chicken has been out of refrigeration for 3 hours 40 minutes.

Discussion: Can you tell which piece of chicken had bacteria? Probably several pieces had a small amount of a pathogen. There is no way for a shopper to tell which pieces are contaminated.

What food safety mistakes did this shopper make? What would have been better shopping procedures to keep food safe?
Pick up meat last
Wrap in plastic bags
Go at a time that the store is not busy if possible
Don’t stop to talk with friends
Order cake first
Pick up paper goods first
Go directly to event site, not stopping anywhere
Etc…

Handout: How Many Microorganisms Are There?

How Many Microorganisms Are There?

Bacteria reproduce by dividing. Under the right conditions, a single cell will grow into two. Each resulting cell will then divide into two cells. The number of microorganisms doubles with each cell division. 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and so on. This type of growth and division means that, under ideal conditions a single cell can become billions in 10 hours.

If you started with just 5 microorganisms, assuming ideal growing conditions and a bacterium that divided every 20 minutes, note the number of "bacteria” after each segment of elapsed time:

_____________________________________________________________ 
Number of "Bacteria"            Elapsed Time
_____________________________________________________________ 

         5                      0
         10                     20 minutes
         20                     40 minutes
         40                     1 hour
         80                     1 hour 20 minutes
         160                    1 hour 40 minutes
         320                    2 hours
         640                    2 hours 20 minutes
         1280                   2 hours 40 minutes
         2560                   3 hours
         5120                   3 hours 20 minutes
         10,240                 3 hours 40 minutes

Bacteria survive and grow in the danger zone of 40°F to 
140°F. Most microorganisms grow rapidly at temperatures 
between 70°F and 120°F. 

Cross Contamination Simulation

Objective: To demonstrate how bacteria are transferred from one food to another when cutting boards and utensils are not washed and sanitized between uses.

Materials needed:
Clean sponge
Red or other bright poster paint
Cutting board, preferably white or light-colored
Serrated knife
Fork
Cucumber or apple
Small, shallow dish

Time: 15 minutes

Instruction:
This experiment simulates how easy it can be to cross contaminate food when storing and preparing it. Sponges and paint are used to show how bacteria can spread from raw meat, fish, or poultry to cooked foods or vegetables. Remind participants that bacteria on a cutting board can spread to other foods too – like a bagel.

Cooked meat, fish, or poultry should never be placed back on the same (unwashed) plate that was used for the raw meat, fish, or poultry.

Every cutting board must be thoroughly washed between uses, in a dishwasher or with hot water and soap. This is especially important when the same cutting board has been used for raw meat, fish, or poultry and is going to be used for vegetables that will be eaten raw.

Procedure:
- Dissolve poster paint in a small amount of water. “Soak” sponge in paint so that both sides are covered with paint.
- Using the fork, put painted sponge on cutting board. Cut with knife. Return sponge to dish.
- Using the same knife, fork, and cutting board, cut cucumber or apple.
- Ask participants to imagine that the paint is bacteria such as Salmonella or Camphylobacter. Discuss how bacteria are transferred from one food to another when cutting boards and utensils are not washed and sanitized between uses.

Handout: None

Variation: Use “Glitter Bug” Lotion in place of paint and use black light to see cross contamination.

Calibrating a Thermometer

Objective: To correctly calibrate an instant read bi-metallic-coil stemmed thermometer using the ice water method.

Materials needed:
Bi-metallic stemmed thermometer
Crushed ice
Cold water
Large glass or beaker
Paper towels
Wrench to fit hex nut

Time: Demonstration: 10 minutes
Hands on for class: 30 minutes

Instruction:
One of the critical factors in controlling pathogens in food is controlling temperature. Using a food thermometer is the only reliable way to ensure safety and to determine “doneness”. A Thermometer must be properly calibrated to ensure you are getting an accurate reading when checking food temperatures.

Procedure:
Prepare slurry of crushed ice and water in a large glass or beaker, using as much ice and as little water as possible. Insert thermometer into the container, making sure it is inserted at least up to the indentation of “dimple” on the stem, touching neither the sides nor the bottom of the container.

Wait a minimum of 30 seconds before reading. It should read 32°F. If it is inaccurate, without removing the thermometer from the slurry, firmly grasp the edge of the dial with a pair of pliers while using a small wrench to turn the nut at the top of the stem until the pointer reads 32°F.

Handout: None

Safe Storage

Objective: To demonstrate the importance of storing food and chemicals in properly labeled containers.

Materials needed:
Pint size freezer bags
Labels
Variety of powdered food and chemical products such as dishwasher detergent, salt, flour, baking powder, dry milk, laundry detergent, drain cleaner, sugar, insecticide, MSG, sanitizer, etc.

Time: 15 minutes

Instruction:
Many kitchen products look very much like other foods and chemicals. Containers with unlabeled products can easily be used for the wrong purpose. Always correctly label containers and keep chemicals stored in separate areas.

Procedure:
Fill pint-size freezer bags with 1/2 cup of each powered product. Include some food items and some dangerous chemicals. Seal and label bags using numbers or letters. Prepare an answer sheet listing the contents of the bags. Participants try to match the letters/numbers on the bags with the possible content.

After the participants have completed their selection, go over the correct answers. Discuss implications of accidentally using some of the ingredients in food prepared in their kitchen.

Handout: List of products you places in bags.

Cooling Food Wisely

Objective: To illustrate the effect size and shape of containers, temperature and time, have on the cooling process.

Materials needed:
4 cups hot, cooked oatmeal
Small container and lid with diameter of 6 inches (1 cup) (frozen whipped cream)
Larger container and lid with diameter of 4 inches (3-4 cup) (large yogurt container)
Thermometer
Alcohol wipes to clean thermometer
Temperature chart
Clock

Time: Introduction, 10 minutes. Class participation up to 3 hours

Instruction:
Participants will explore the importance of cooling food under different conditions. The size and shape of the container, thickness of product, time, air temperature, covered or uncovered all have an effect of the cooling of foods.

Method:
Prepare oatmeal and keep hot. When you are ready to introduce the activity, place oatmeal into containers: 1 cup in the smaller container and 3 cups in the larger container. Ask a class participant to take the temperature of each container and record on the chart as the start temperature. Take the temperature of the containers every half hour throughout the length of the class and record on the chart. At the end of the program determine which method of cooling was faster.

Variations:
• Use water instead of oatmeal for the experiment
• Use the same amounts of product in two different shaped containers, such as a stockpot and a low flat container.
• Store one or both in the refrigerator for the experiment.
• Add ice, use a cooling wand or place one container in an ice water bath to cool.
• Use equal amounts of oatmeal in identical containers; place one in an ice water bath and the other in the refrigerator to cool.

Discussion: What affects the amount of time a food is in the danger zone?
What is the most important thing to remember about cooling foods?

Handout: None

The Germ Stops Here (Proper Handwashing)

Objective: To demonstrate proper handwashing procedures which prevent the spread of microorganisms and discuss when hands need to be washed.

Materials needed:
Glitterbug potion
Black light
Soap
Paper towels
Hot water

Time: 20 minutes

Instruction:
Handwashing is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of microorganisms. Wash hands before and after handling food, after using the rest room, after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose, after handling anything that is not clean, after petting the dog or cat and after taking out the trash.

Procedure:
Ask 3 participants to volunteer. Put 1 pump of Glitterbug potion on each person’s hands and ask them to rub it in, getting under nails and between fingers, etc. Look at hands under s black light to see where the potion shows up on the hands. As the first person to rinse and run, with no soap, just rinse and dry; the second person to wash “like a kid” with a little soap but wash quickly, and the third to wash with hot water (110°F), soap and scrub for 20 seconds, rinse and dry.

Discuss proper handwashing procedures, noting use of hot (110°F water), soap, agitation to remove dirt and soils, and time. Use paper towel to turn off faucet and open the door.

Compare the success of the different techniques under a black light.

Discuss the times and places to wash hands.

Variation:
After the glitterbug potion is on the hands, ask participants to shake hands with others, look at results with black light.

Handout: None

Equipment Survey

Objective: To assess the facility’s equipment for safety and sanitation standards.

Materials needed:
Kitchen facility of organization
Examples of UL and NSF labels
Pictures of recommended and non-recommended equipment
Handout of “What’s Wrong with this Picture?” ServSafe Essentials 10-31

Time: 30 minutes

Instruction:
Equipment in facilities that is NSF approved has met sanitation standards set by the National Sanitation Foundation International or equivalent. Electrical equipment should also be listed by Underwriters Laboratories or other nationally recognizers for safety considerations. Keep equipment and storage shelving 6 inches away from floors, walls and ceilings. Use only food grade containers. Prevent and monitor pests.

Procedure:
Look for NSF and UL labels on equipment in the facility. Note if all meet mounting guidelines. Look for storage facilities that are 6 inches away from floors, walls and ceilings. Identify food containers that are food grade.

Discussion: Discuss equipment needs based on the facility and the events the organization serves. Are there any future equipment needs? List.

Complete “What’s Wrong with this Picture?”

Handout: What’s Wrong with this Picture?