July 1, 1996

RESTAURANTS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH FOOD SAFETY WARNING

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Beginning today, new Illinois food safety regulations require restaurants and other retail stores that offer animal food raw or undercooked, either on the menu or at a customer's request, to post a warning about the risk of eating food prepared in that manner.

"This new regulation, along with stricter guidelines for the proper handling and storage of food, has been put in place to provide consumers with additional information and better protection from the threat of foodborne disease," said Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director. "Compliance with new food safety rules will save many people from needless illness and even death."

Dr. Lumpkin said more than a million Illinoisans a year become ill from consuming food that contains parasites and bacteria that can cause illnesses including salmonellosis, hemorrhagic colitis, listeriosis and cyclospora infection.

Although the illnesses suffered by most are not serious, they can be life-threatening to people with weakened or not fully developed immune systems, including those who suffer from chronic illness, such as cancer, diabetes, liver disease or HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Lumpkin said people at risk should not eat raw animal food or partially cooked foods, such as marinated fish, sushi, oysters, clams and steak tartare; partially cooked foods, such as lightly cooked fish, rare meat and soft cooked eggs; and foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, such as Caesar salad, chocolate mousse or egg nog.

If a food service establishment offers raw or undercooked food on its menu, the operator must clearly identify the item and advise the customer of the increased health risk. If the restaurant does not routinely offer entrees or menu items that are raw or undercooked, but will serve such food at the request of a customer, a consumer warning must be provided in the form of a brochure, deli case or menu advisory, placard or other written notification.

The advisory must include the following:

The Illinois Department of Public Health advises that eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs or seafood poses a health risk to everyone, but especially to the elderly, young children under age 4, pregnant women and other highly susceptible individuals with compromised immune systems. Thorough cooking of such animal foods reduces the risk of illness.

Consumers who want more information about their risk should contact their physician or local health department.

Food service establishments whose primary consumers are highly susceptible individuals, such as nursing homes, hospitals, day care centers and nursery schools, shall not serve raw or undercooked animal foods.

Besides the consumer warning, restaurants and retail food stores with potentially hazardous foods, such as those that consist in whole or part of milk or milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, must be cooled and held at 41 degrees or below, unless held at 45 degrees for no more than three days. The temperatures are to be lowered to help retard multiplication of bacteria that could reach high levels during extended storage at higher temperatures.

Prior to the regulations in effect today, in January the Department enacted other food safety rules. Key provisions were --

• The internal cooking temperature of ground beef must reach 155 degrees for 15 seconds, up from the previous requirement of 140 degrees, or the ground beef must be cooked according to an approved alternative cooking process. The higher temperature ensures meat is cooked until gray or brown throughout, the juices run clear and the inside is hot. This change was instituted in part due to the threat of E. coli 0157:H7, an emerging foodborne pathogen resistant to lower cooking temperatures. Unless specifically ordered to be raw or pink, all hamburger served by fast food or other restaurants will be well done.
• Other foods, such as poultry; stuffed fish, meat or pasta; or stuffing containing fish, meat or poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees or above for at least 15 seconds. Not cooking to the established temperatures could result in salmonella poisoning.
• Shell eggs broken or prepared for immediate serving must be thoroughly cooked to 145 degrees or above for 15 seconds, up from the previous requirement of 140 degrees. This cooking temperature will eliminate the serving of running eggs, unless so ordered by a customer. Undercooked or raw eggs may cause salmonella poisoning.
• To prevent contamination, food service employees must prepare ready-to-eat food with the least possible bare hand contact and, to the extent possible, handle the food only with utensils, such as spatulas or tongs, or with deli tissues or disposable gloves used for only a single task. Use of the utensils or disposable gloves, and any handling of food shall be preceded by proper hand washing. At least annually, food service establishments must review their food handling preparations and educate staff about hand washing. Poor personal hygiene and direct hand contact have caused foodborne outbreaks of hepatitis A, Norwalk-like viral infections and other communicable diseases.

Foodborne illness can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or cramps; symptoms most often appear within a few hours to two days after eating contaminated food.

Compliance with the new regulations will be monitored by local health departments, which are responsible for food service establishment inspections.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments