Edge: Foodborne Illness: Villains Versus Superheroes

This Ethics Connection CE article appeared in the 2025 March/April issue of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge magazine. To view a PDF of this article click HERE.

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Foodborne Illness: Villains Versus Superheroes

By: Kristin Klinefelter, MS, RDN, LDN

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON THE VICTIM SIDE OF A FOODBORNE ILLNESS, you can empathize with the person who is experiencing and reporting symptoms. Once you come out of the acute symptom phase of the illness, you want to make sure that no one else falls victim. We often hear “I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”

When it comes to food safety, the enemy or villain is the bacteria and we need to be a united front to be superheroes in the crisis. Put on your cape (apron) and let’s save the world!  Dramatic? Yes, a bit. However, being a certified food protection professional (CFPP) is literally part of the letters after your name. Protecting your guests, clients, and patients is your number one priority. Your weapons include chemicals, policies & procedures, equipment, and staff. Your superpowers are your knowledge, skills, and actions in fighting bacteria throughout the flow of food. While we still haven’t met a food safety superhero that can detect bacteria with their naked eye, it is possible to identify practices that will result in rapid bacteria growth and dispose of the impacted food before it is consumed.

If you really think about it, there are many parallels between a CDM, CFPP and a superhero.  First, they both understand their role is partially a result of overcoming adversity. Many superheroes have a back story of prevailing over some hurdle that has made them who they are today. If you consider all of the challenges you have conquered to earn and maintain your position, you have really been put to the test. Literally and figuratively! You have completed the coursework, successfully logged your practical hours, and studied for and passed the national credentialing exam. In addition, you have proven yourself by passing health inspections, state reviews, and other “tests” of your practice in food safety. You have earned that cape. Still, bacteria happen and can cause harm to powerless victims. Which is another similarity making you a superhero: the desire to protect the innocent. We are tasked with protecting our clients, and especially the four groups most vulnerable to foodborne illness: adults age 65+, pregnant women, those with weakened immunity, and children under age five.

A third parallel between the CDM, CFPP and a traditional superhero is the battle between good and evil. You, your team, your vendors, the equipment and chemicals, and the policies & procedures all are fighting for good against the evil that is foodborne illness. Every superhero has a team of talented individuals around them to fight the bad guy!

We might even go so far as to say that you have the power and responsibility of a superhero to save lives.

Every CDM, CFPP is in training throughout their career. They are training and implementing their superpowers to combat evil. Best practices in food safety training include these superPOWERS:

POST

• Post instructions for hand-washing, specified area where employees may eat and drink, proper use of chemicals, and personal hygiene and uniform criteria in visible areas.
• Post minimum temperatures and holding times in food prep areas. Employees may easily forget minimum temperatures and holding times, so they need to know where to reference them in daily practice.
• Place thermometers in all coolers and freezers.
• Display food safety infographics (i.e., FATTOM, Top 9 Allergens) that are educational.

OBSERVE

• Observe and correct food handling practices throughout the flow of food.

WEAR

• Confirm that all employees wear hair restraints, clean uniforms, aprons, non-slip shoes, and disposable gloves.
• Ensure employees understand the jewelry policy: “Except for a plain ring such as a wedding band, while preparing food, employees may not wear jewelry including medical information jewelry on their arms and hands” (Food Code, 2022).

EDUCATE

• Onboard new team members on handwashing, food safety policies & procedures, food safety exams per your facility policy (i.e., ServSafe).
• Coordinate and conduct regular in-services.
• Use gamification to teach food safety practices: contests, rewards, and games to make food safety fun.

RECORD

• Utilize daily food safety checklists and temperature logs.
• Use day dot stickers, open on dates labels, and expiration labels.
• Understand food safety math. Know your numbers:
  • Calibrate thermometers daily or more and record.
  • Enforce delivery temperature logs (with your delivery partner).
  • Use timers for changing gloves, handwashing every hour, and changing sani-buckets, dishwater, and chemicals.

Most of the time, your training and practices are successful and there is a happy ending. Clients consume your delicious, nutritious food and it fuels their body for health and healing. Yet, even though your goal is to prevent any foodborne illness, it can happen. When it does, it is your job to communicate appropriately to investigate and correct the behaviors or circumstances that led to the bacterial growth in the first place. In the rare case that the villain shows its evil side and clients become ill, possibly as a result of a food safety misstep in your operation, how do you come out on the other side? Let’s review the “3 Cs” criteria for responding to reports of foodborne illness to “do the right thing” as the honorable superhero that you are.

COLLECT: 

First, document—in writing —all details. It is important to note that to protect your personal and company’s liability, you should refrain from apologizing. Instead, state that you appreciate their feedback and details, and assure them that you are taking active steps to investigate the problem. When documenting the information, use your facility’s incident reporting format that is approved and available. Details to include in your documentation include: person’s name, phone number, date and time of food eaten, what food/beverage they consumed, symptoms they are experiencing, when the symptoms started, and if they have received medical attention for the symptoms.

Your superpower here is to be a kind and empathetic human by objectively obtaining and recording the information.

CONTACT:

Second, after reporting the information to your direct supervisor, contact your local health department. The FDA Food Code states that if two or more individuals have symptoms from a similar food, it is considered a foodborne outbreak. However, the health department should be informed of every report that you receive. Remember: they are on your superhero team! It is common and understandable that you feel responsible and even a bit defensive when these reports come in, but the health department’s job is to help you fight the bad guy. They have a unique superpower during the investigation to help you stop the villain – bacteria – in its tracks. Also note that each state and county may have unique reporting criteria and methods, so always know your local rules and laws. Professional collaboration and communication are key.

CORRECT:

Third, begin corrective action if cause was found. This may include food safety retraining and education, monitoring current practices, rewriting policies & procedures, initiating individual disciplinary improvement plans, or even termination. As with all people-training practices, behavior should be monitored and corrected. I like to say “trust but verify” in all aspects of food service. We trust that they know how to safely handle food, yet we should verify by observing and working shoulder-to-shoulder with them. After all, one of your superpowers is the ability to train and lead people.

Even the most successful and famous superheroes are beaten occasionally. Some battles are lost, but the war against bacteria should always result with the Food Safety Superhero/CDM, CFPP saving the day.  As for that X-ray vision that can detect bacteria with the naked eye, we will leave that to the movies.

About the Author

Kristin Klinefelter, MS, RDN, LDN

Kristin Klinefelter has been fighting the good fight against bacteria in some form of food service most of her life. Starting on the farm in North Dakota, to current education, consulting, and operations in food establishments. She has only experienced “food poisoning” one time personally and vows to protect all people from that miserable encounter.