Introduction to food safety and contamination

Carriers: people who show no symptoms but excrete food poisoning organisms
.or carry them on their bodies

.Contamination: something objectionable or harmful in food

Cross-contamination: the transfer of bacteria from raw food to ready-to-eat food

.by direct or indirect contact

Food hygiene/safety: the measures and conditions necessary to control hazards

.and to ensure food fit for human consumption, i.e. safe to eat

Food poisoning: an acute illness, caused by the consumption of contaminated or

.poisonous food

.Food safety hazard: something with the potential to cause harm

Food safety management system: the policies, procedures, practices, controls

and documentation that ensure the food sold by a business is safe to eat and free
.from contamination

High-risk foods: ready-to-eat foods which, under favorable conditions, support

the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria and are intended to be eaten without
.treatment which would destroy such organisms

Organoleptic assessment: assessment of food using the five senses: sight, smell,
.hearing, taste and touch

Safe food: food that is free of contaminants and will not cause harm, injury, or
.illness

Toxins (bacterial): poisons produced by pathogens, either in the food or in the

.body, after consumption of contaminated food

:Food safety management responsibilities are

Setting standards
Providing resources
Communicating standards
Motivating and training stuff
.Supervising effectively by setting the right example
Monitoring, reviewing, and revising
:Benefits of good hygiene

A good reputation – customer confidence

Brand protection
Improved food safety standards
Compliance with food safety legislation
Reduced risk of food poisoning
Longer shelf line
Good working conditions, higher staff morale and reduced turnover of staff
.Increased productivity
:In addition to this
Increased business = higher profits
A food business has legal and moral obligations to produce safe food, and
.management hold the primary responsibility

:Costs of poor hygiene

A bad reputation/brand damage

Food contamination and customer complaints
Fines and legal costs resulting from prosecution
Closure of business, prohibition of processes
Civil action from ill or annoyed customers
Increased risk of food poisoning leading to suffering and even death
Increased risk of pest infestation
Waste food due to spoilage
.Poor morale – higher turnover of staff
:In addition to this
.Loss of business = lower profits

:Introduction to food types

Low-risk food
High-risk food
Raw foods to be cooked
Ready-to-eat raw food

Low-risk foods are unlikely to be contaminated with food poisoning bacteria and
.not usually a source of contamination
Low-risk foods are ambient-stable such as; bread, biscuits, cereals, crisps and
cakes (not cream cakes). Such foods are unlikely to be implicated in food
:poisoning and include
foods that have been preserved, for example; smoked or salted fish ·
dry goods, those that contain minimal amounts of moisture, such as; bread, ·
flour, biscuits
acidic foods, for example; pickled foods, vinegar, fruit ·
fermented products such as; salami, pepperoni ·
foods with high sugar/fat content for example; jam & chocolate ·
tinned food, whilst unopened ·

Dried products
High sugar/salt/fat
Ambient storage (stable)
Acid foods
.Preserved food not requiring refrigeration

:Examples of low-risk food

Vinegar and other acid foods
Dried products such as breakfast cereals
.Foods containing salt or sugar for example: confectionery, crisps