What action should be taken if a food handler exhibits jaundice?

When a food handler exhibits jaundice, the appropriate action is to exclude them from food handling activities. Jaundice is a symptom that indicates potential liver dysfunction, which can be associated with infectious diseases such as Hepatitis A. Since these diseases can be transmitted through food, it is crucial to prevent any risk of contamination.

Exclusion is a necessary step to protect public health. When a food handler shows signs of jaundice, particularly if they have also experienced symptoms such as fever or gastrointestinal issues, it raises an immediate concern for the health and safety of the food being prepared. By ensuring that the individual is not in a position to handle food, you mitigate the risk of spreading any possible infection to customers or other staff members.

In this context, reassigning them to non-food positions would not be adequate since they may still be in contact with food or food surfaces. Allowing them to continue food preparation is clearly unsafe, and merely monitoring their health without taking further action doesn’t address the immediate risk of foodborne illness transmission. Thus, excluding the individual from food handling while they recover is the best practice in this situation.