1: A Note from the Author

Food safety has been my life’s work and I can’t imagine doing anything else or anything more rewarding. I love to teach food safety classes, and, although I often make fun of food safety blunders, I do take it very seriously and am very passionate about my work. Personally, I have experienced first hand the effects of a foodborne illness called campylobacter. I was sick for weeks and had abdominal pain so severe that I thought my appendix had burst. Professionally, I have been involved with many outbreaks of foodborne illness and in some cases, have worked with families of those who have lost loved ones to a foodborne illness. My goal in teaching these classes, writing this book, and working with hundreds of food service establishments over the years is to help reduce the number of cases of foodborne illness.