The greatest duty of SONOCO, to its customers, is the serving of eye appealing, appetizing, nutritionally prepared meals and to provide clean quarters in which to live. Operational sanitation and personal hygiene are the most important elements in this service. If not maintained to the highest level, these two factors may lead to foodborne illness.

Foodborne illness, commonly known as "food poisoning", is a sickness caused by eating contaminated, or improperly handled food. Contamination results from disease-carrying germs being transferred to food or water by humans, rodents or insects. Germs are bacteria that may occur naturally in food or spread to food as a result of improper handling.

AGENT	FOUND IN	SYMPTOMS	ONSET	TREATMENT
Salmonella	Raw meat, poultry, egg shells, human excrement	Flu like symptoms; cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fever	12-24 hours after eating, may last up to a week	If severe symptoms, medical treatment. For mild symptoms, treat for dehydration; use liquids with sugar and salt (Gatorade)
Clostridium Botulinum	Improperly canned foods	POTENTIALLY FATAL; attacks the nervous system, causes respiratory failure	8-36 hours after eating. Recovery may take months	Prompt medical attention: Treatment with an antitoxin in a hospital environment
Clostridium Perfringens	Fresh vegetables, raw meats, poultry, eggs, beans, gravies	Diarrhea, stomach cramps	12 hours after eating, usually ending a day	See Salmonella above
Trichinosis (a parasitic infectious agent)	Uncooked Pork products	Vomiting, fever, muscle soreness	2-28 days after eating, can last several weeks	Medical attention in a hospital environment. Administration of medication, including anti-inflammatories
Staphylococcus (Also known as "Staph")	Human skin. Most common source of foodborne illness	Cramps, diarrhea	3-12 hours after eating. Ends usually within 2 days	See Salmonella above
Shigella	Human excrement (feces)	Severe Dysentery	1-7 days after infection, can last a week	If symptoms severe, medical treatment including antibiotics; Milder symptoms, treat as "Salmonella
Hepatitis "A" (this is a viral agent)	Feces and urine of infected person	Flu-like symptoms, jaundice	15-50 days after infection. Lasts few weeks to several months	Medical treatment as recommended by a physician
Cholera (Vibrio Cholerae)	Shellfish, primarily in Asian or African countries, but also in the Gulf region	Diarrhea often accompanied by vomiting, severe fluid loss that, untreated could become fatal	1-5 days after infection. Victim’s deterioration is rapid and must be treated quickly	Rehydration treatment to replace fluids, salts and sugars lost.
Gastroenteritis (General inflammation of stomach or intestines)	Contaminated food and water supplies; also may be caused by intolerance to some foods and drugs	Appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, cramps diarrhea. Severity may vary from mild to severe and disabling, causing dehydration, collapse and shock	May appear gradually, but more often onset is sudden	Rehydration with fluids, salt and (4tsp sugar and ¼ tsp. salt per pint of fluid.) No solid food should be eaten until symptoms subside

1. Time

The longer a food stays in an improper environment, the more the bacteria reproduce. One germ can reproduce 281,000,000,000 more in a 24-hour period.

2. Temperature

Bacteria grow inside the 45 degrees (F) to the 140 degrees (F) range. They grow slowly over 140 degrees (F) and are killed rapidly at 165 degrees (F) and higher. BACTERIA GROW MOST RAPIDLY AT THE HUMAN BODY TEMPERATURE: 98.6 DEGREES (F).

3. Environment

It is impossible to keep harmful bacteria out of the food we eat because they are everywhere. They are in our breath, on our skin, hands, hair and mouths, and on our clothing. But, there are a number of ways to prevent bacteria from causing illness:

• Report all illness and infections to immediate supervisor: sneezing, fever, infected cuts, burns, rashes, boils, etc.
• Do not handle food under any circumstances when these conditions are present.
• Never cough or sneeze around food.

• Order only as much as needed to prevent spoilage.
• Inspect deliveries and reject those foods showing signs of pests, damage, thawing, re-freezing.
• Never accept or use canned goods that are damaged, bulging or rusted.

• Thaw frozen foods in refrigerator or under cold running water.
• Thaw as quickly as possible to prevent bacteria growth on outside while center remains frozen.
• Wash all raw foods (fruits and vegetables) before use.
• Change water used to clean these items frequently or use running water.
• Clean sink immediately BEFORE and AFTER each use.
• Do not mix foods with hands.
• Use utensils and clean them immediately after use.
• Use gloves (serving) and immediately discard AFTER EACH USE.
• Keep food covered to prevent dirt and contaminates from entering the food.
• Use eyes and nose as a guide while preparing food.

• Hold foods at safe temperatures below or above the 40-140 degrees (F) zone.
• Reheat food items, as you would originally cook them.
• NEVER reheat them on the steam line.
• Bring prepared foods up to correct temperature as quickly as possible.
• Do not use prepared foods more than once.
• NEVER touch prepared food with hands, use utensil.
• Use leftover items within 24 hours.
• NEVER re-freeze defrosted food items.