What action should be taken if a food worker shows symptoms of a foodborne illness?

When a food worker shows symptoms of a foodborne illness, excluding them from food handling until they are cleared by a medical professional is the appropriate action to take. This approach is vital for maintaining food safety and protecting public health.

Foodborne illnesses can be highly contagious, and symptomatic workers can unknowingly contaminate food, leading to outbreaks. By excluding the worker, you significantly reduce the risk of spreading harmful pathogens to consumers. This course of action is backed by food safety regulations and guidelines, emphasizing the importance of preventing any potential health risks associated with food service.

Continuing to allow the worker to work while simply avoiding food handling does not adequately address the potential hazards present since they could still contaminate their surroundings, utensils, or ingredients unintentionally. Allowing the worker to self-diagnose lacks a properly structured medical evaluation and could lead to the unsafe continuation of operations. Conducting a food safety seminar, while beneficial for overall education, does not directly resolve the immediate concern of the symptomatic worker and fails to address the specific health risk associated with that individual at the moment.