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Who is Fat Tom?

First let me say that these are politically correct notes. I am not poking fun at someone who is overweight. (If so, I'd have to start with myself!) FAT TOM is actually the acronym for the six conditions that microorganisms need to exist:

Food	Nutrients required to exist
Acidity	Low acidity(4.6 -7.5 pH) support growth
Time	4 hour window in the temperature danger zone
Temperature	40-140° F is the temperature danger zone (70-120° F Intense TDZ)
Oxygen	Most require air to grow (some are anaerobic, i.e. botulism)
Moisture	The amount of water available for it to grow (aka Water Activity - a_w .85 to 1.0)

Once the above conditions are controlled, the possibility of microorganisms drastically decreases. All things considered, the only conditions that we can effectively control are Time and Temperature. It is essential to not allow foods to remain the the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ) for more than 4 hours. This is due to the fact that given time, bacteria alone can duplicate itself every 20 minutes!

Potentially Hazardous Foods (PHF) are food which provide an environment in which microorganisms can thrive. These foods are generally high in protein, low in acid, high in water activity and have a history of causing outbreaks. Examples of these types of foods are listed below:

• Tofu	• Milk & Milk Products	• Soy-Protein Foods
• Sprouts & Raw Seeds	• Fish	• Poultry
• Meat: Beef, Pork, Lamb	• Sliced Melons	• Cooked Rice & Beans
• Shell Eggs	• Baked Potato	• Garlic & Oil Mixtures
• Shellfish & Crustacea

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Germ Warfare	Back to Week One
General Prevention Tips