Shigella Prevention Guide for San Francisco Food Service

Hand Hygiene & Employee Health Screening Protocols

The San Francisco Department of Public Health mandates that food handlers with Shigella symptoms—diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever—must be excluded from work until symptom-free for 24 hours without medication. Employees must wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after restroom use, before food prep, and between tasks. Single-use paper towels or air dryers are required; cloth towels are prohibited in prep areas. Consider implementing a health attestation form requiring employees to self-report gastrointestinal illness before shifts, as asymptomatic shedding can occur.

Sanitation Standards & Environmental Cleaning

Shigella survives on surfaces and can contaminate ready-to-eat foods through cross-contact. The FDA Food Code and SF Health Dept require sanitizing all food-contact surfaces with an approved sanitizer (bleach solution of 100 ppm, quaternary ammonium, or iodine) every 4 hours minimum. Restrooms must be cleaned and disinfected at least 3 times daily, with handwashing stations stocked with soap, single-use towels, and signage. Pay special attention to door handles, cash registers, and shared equipment. Use dedicated utensils for handling raw and ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination.

Temperature Control & Food Handling Best Practices

While Shigella is inactivated by heat (pasteurization temperatures kill the pathogen), proper cooking temperatures for all menu items reduce overall pathogen risk. San Francisco facilities must maintain hot holding at 135°F and cold holding at 41°F or below. Since ready-to-eat foods pose the highest Shigella risk, avoid bare-hand contact; always use gloves, utensils, or deli papers. Monitor supplier food safety certifications and request records of proper handling. Train staff quarterly on Shigella transmission and reinforce that no amount of temperature control prevents illness from already-contaminated foods—prevention depends on hygiene and health screening.

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