FOUNDATIONS OF FOOD

HYGIENE
LESSON 1. FOOD HYGIENE DEFINITION

1. FOOD HYGIENE CONCEPT

Regulation 852/2004; Article 2: ‘food hygiene’, hereinafter called ‘hygiene’, means the
measures and conditions necessary to control hazards and to ensure fitness for human
consumption of a foodstuff taking into account its intended use.

Codex Alimentarius: Food hygiene comprises conditions and measures necessary for the
production, processing, storage and distribution of food designed to ensure a safe, sound,
wholesome product fit for human consumption.

Food fraud is a collective term used to refer the deliberate and intentional substitution,
addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, or food packaging; or
false or misleading statements made about a product, for economic gain.

The 4 operational criteria for Food Fraud:

- Violation of EU Food Law

- Intention

- Economic Gain

- Deception of Customers

Adulteration: Violation of legal quality and safety standard; Violation of labeling regulation.

A substitute: In the case of foods in which a component or ingredient that consumers expect
to be normally used or naturally present has been substituted with a different component or
ingredient. Any product that, without deceptive or fraudulent purposes and with explicit
declaration of the purpose pursued, intends to replace totally or partially a component of a
food.

Safe Food: Food with absence of potentially toxic substances and pathogenic microorganisms.
It is a requirement that must be met to be considered as safe.

Healthy food is any natural or prepared popularly believed to promote good health.
Food for consumer health (functional food) contains some type of chemical whose ingestion
has been proved to prevent certain chronic diseases.

2. FOOD EDIBILITY AND QUALITY.

Food: All the substances or products of any nature, solids or liquids, natural or processed,
which due to their characteristics, applications, components, preparation and state of
preservation, are susceptible of being usually or ideally used for any of the following (Spanish
Food Codex):

- For the normal human nutrition or as fruitive.

- As dietary products in special cases of human feeding.

Fruitive

- Foods are also evaluated based on their palatability "set of factors whereby a food is
desired or accepted".

EDIBLE (Features) ACCEPTABLE (Specifications)

Physical General aspect
Chemical Organoleptic
Biological Phycho-social
Structural Religious
Organoleptic Economic

Food quality

"set of properties or attributes inherent to a food in relation to their presentation, hygiene,

purity, composition, treatment and conservation, responsible appreciate it as equal, better or
worse than the rest of their group and conditions for their edibility and acceptability"

- Nutritional quality: contribution of food to the supply of nutrients to the diet, both
qualitative and quantitative.

- Sensory Quality: those attributes of the food that are perceived by the senses and that
are related with the acceptability on the user.

- Hygienic-sanitary Quality: absence of potentially toxic substances and of pathogenic

microorganisms.

- Technological Quality: features of the food to be subject to different technological

processes.
 - Economic Quality: relationship between its cost and the degree of acceptability.

- Stability Quality: suitability of the food allowing long commercial shelf-life

Food losses and food waste

ERS defines food losses as the amount of food available for human consumption— after
removing bones, pits, peels, and other nonedible parts—that is not consumed for any reason.
It includes moisture losses and cooking shrinkage; loss from mold, microorganisms, chemical
deterioration or inadequate temperature control.

Food waste is a type of food loss, and examples include edible food discarded by retailers due
to color or appearance and plate waste thrown away by consumers.

“Best before” and “Use by” dates on food packaging help us prevent food waste and sabe
money.

“Best before” (fecha de consumo preferente) indicates the date until when the food retains its
expected quality.

- Food is still safe to consume after the indicated “best before” day on the condition
that storage instructions are respected and packaging is not damaged, but it might
begin to lose its flavor and texture.

- Appear on a wide range of refrigerated, frozen, dried, tinned and others.

- Once a food with this date has been openes, follow any instructions such as “eat
within three days of opening”, when applicable.

“Use by” (fecha de caducidad) indicates the date until when the food can be eaten safely.

- Don´t use any food after expiration of this date.

- Appear on highly perishable food, such as fresh fish.

- Follow the storage instructions, if not the food will spoil quicker and you may risk food
poisoning.

- By freezing the food at home son after purchase, you can extend its life beyond this
date, if it is frozen properly.

- Once a food with this date is opened follow storage and use instructions, bearing in
mind that food should be consumed before the expiration of this date.

CONTROL AND INSPECTION

- OFFICIAL CONTROL: for which the Public Administration is responsible.
 - PRIVATE CONTROL: business or self-control, which is carried out by institutions,
business organizations, regulatory councils, associations of scientists or consumers, as
well as by the technical services of each company, supervised or not by the official
authorities
- CONTROL CONCERTED WITH THIRD PARTIES: whose capacity has been officially
recognized to them, for such function.

RISK: probability of harm or danger. Probability that this danger is and the seriousness that this
produces. Function of the probability of an adverse effect on health and the severity of this
effect, as a consequence of a danger or hazards in food.

DANGER: the agent that has the potential to cause damage. Biological, chemical or physical
agent or properties of a food, capable of causing a harmful effect on health.
LESSON 2. LOSS OF FOOD EDIBILITY
- PHYSICAL FACTORS : changes on organoleptic characteristics.

o Physiological changes: (example.- period of spawning fish, fruit ripening…)

o Pathological changes: appears in the meat, milk and eggs because of animal
diseases. (Example: mastitis, parasites…)

- CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY FACTORS

o Proteins denaturation: the destruction of the secondary and terciary

structures of proteins. The released peptide chains, kept intact its covalent
bonds, but they gather together in an disordered way. The resulting proteins
in this process present different physical properties which will affect the
texture and flavour of food. It is due to temperature, strong acids, alkalis,
ionizing radiation, pH, and the action on surface as shaking.

o Rancidity of fats (by lipases & autooxidation): It is stimulated by temperature,

light, ionizing radiation, peroxides, lipolytic enzymes, ferric organic catalysts
(Hb) and metal catalysts (Fe, Cu, Zn). It is delayed by refrigeration, opaque or
colored containers, antioxidant and chelating agent (sequestering of metals).

o Enzymatic & non-enzimatic browning: It is stimulated by hits, peeled,

chopped, crushed, freezing for enzimatic browning of vegetables; and
processing, storage and food liquids in the case of non-enzymatic browning. It
is delayed by refrigeration, opaque or colored containers, antioxidant,
chelatant, low pH, modified atmosphere (MAP), and controlled heat
treatment.

A non-desireable enzymatic browning reaction is involved in the formation of

brown spots on the peel of bananas.
Examples of non-beneficial enzymatic browning: Fresh fruit and vegetables,
including apples, potatoes, bananas and avocados; polyphenols oxidases is the
major reaction in the formation of Melanosis in crustaceans such as shrimp.
Examples of beneficial enzymatic browning: Developing color and flavor in
Coffee, Cocoa beans, and tea, and developing color and flavor in dried fruit
such as figs and raisins.

- MICROBIOLOGICAL FACTORS

o Intrinsic factors: nutrients, pH and buffer capacity, potential redox, water

activity, antimicrobial constituents.
o Extrinsic or environmental factors: relative humidity, temperature, gaseous
atmosphere.
 o Implicit to the microorganism: growth rate, synergism, antagonism.
o Processing or treatment: sliced, washed, packing, irradiation, pasteurization,
others.

- CULINARY LOSS: frying, baking, grilling, smoking and roasting.

o Undesirable compounds:

 During cooking, nitrosamines are produced from nitrites and

secondary amines, in some smoked, grilled or fried foods, such as
charred meat.

 Acrylamide and heterocyclic amines, (formed by Maillard Reaction) as

well as furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and
chloropropanols/esters.

 Furan, is a volatile chemical that tends to evaporate quickly, if cannot

escape (e.g. in sealed cans or jars), it remains present in the food for
some time.

 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced when any

incomplete combustion occurs, from grilling roasting and frying, but
also smoking and drying. Most PAHs are not carcinogenic, although a
few are (such as pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene).

 Chloropropanols/esters have also been linked with the thermal

treatment of processed food products.

 Nevertheless, most food processing contaminants can be reduced by

modifying cooking times/temperaturas or by the inclusión of certain
additives while not cooking food can lead to higher health risks, due to
microbial contamination.
LESSON 3. FOOD HYGIENE REGULATION

- Regulation or statutory bodies: FAO/OMS, European Comission, European council,

Codex Alimentarius Comission, Food Drug Administration.
- Advisory bodies: EFSA, AECOSAN, Comisión Interministerial para la Ordenación
Alimentaria (CIOA).

HYGIENE PACKAGE

Harmonize and increase the efficiency of food control

- REGULATION (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.

- REGULATION (EC) 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal
origin.

- REGULATION (EC) 854/2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official
controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption.

- REGULATION (EC) No 882/2004 on official controls performed to ensure the

verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare
regulations.

The new hygiene rules take particular account of the following principles:

- Primary responsibility for food safety borne by the food business operator.

- Food safety ensured throughout the food chain, starting with primary production.

- General implementation of procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical

Control Points Principles (HACCP).

- Application of basic common hygiene requirements, further specified for certain

categories of food.

- Registration or approval for certain food premises.

- Development of guidelines for good practice in hygiene or for the application of HACCP
principles as a valuable instrument to aid food business operators at all levels of the
food chain to comply with the new rules.

- Flexibility provided for food produced in remote areas (high mountains, remote
islands) and for traditional production and methods

FOOD REGULATION
 - Goal: protect consumer ́health.

- Food law : set of legislative principles and rules that food sector should comply; and all
those aspects related with them.

- Food regulation: It refers to the set of food normative regulations of mandatory

compliance, and recognized officially by legislative provision published in:

o Official Journal of the European Union.

o Official Journal of Spanish National Office (BOE)

o Official Journal of Spanish Autonomous Communities

o Provincial Journals

o Other international regulations

Organizations regulating and harmonizing all aspects of hygiene, inspection and control
food through guidelines or codes of good practice (origin of food regulations):

- United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture

improve "food security" with the regulation and harmonization of food safety
legislation.

- World Health Organization improve public health by developing programs to control

and eliminate diseases.

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic
Access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life.

Codex Alimentarius Commission (1962): subsidiary body of the FAO/WHO joint programme on
food standards, develops Codex Alimentarius.

European Council (1949): multidisciplinary body which has, among its objectives, to improve
public health and the hygiene of foodstuffs.

European Commission (2009): program of harmonization of regulations among its States

Members in the field of foodstuffs.

World Trade Organisation: in their General principles: the international trade of food should
respect the principle that all consumers have the right to safe, healthy and genuine food and
to be protected from dishonest commercial practices.
Comisión Interministerial para la Ordenación Alimentaria (CIOA): collegiate body to
coordinate and harmonize national food law regulation.

The Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN) incorporates
and carries out, within the framework of the General State Administration, functions relating
to the promotion and fostering of consumer and user rights regarding goods and services, as
well as food safety and healthy eating.

- To promote and foster consumer and user rights, both in terms of product safety and
of their economic interests.

- To promote food safety by offering guarantees and objective information to

consumers and economic agents in the Spanish agrofood sector.

- To plan, coordinate and develop strategies and lines of action that foster information,
education and health promotion in the area of nutrition, and particularly in the
prevention of obesit

The Scientific committee is a risk assessment board in charge of providing AECOSAN with
scientific opinion, defining the research framework to accomplish its role and coordinating
expert groups carrying out risk assessments within the agency remits. This is made up of two
sections: Food Safety and Nutrition; and Consumption

Technical Health Regulations/Reglamentaciones Técnico Sanitarias (RTS): horizontal

legislative provisions (Royal Decrees) on technical, health and commercial aspects of a specific
food sector (elaborated by the CIOA)

Standards of quality/Normas de Calidad (NC): vertical detailed provisions on agricultural,

livestock or fishery product regarding conditions and characteristics for appropriate marketing
in the domestic market

Types of European standards:

- Regulations have binding legal force throughout every Member State and enter into
force on a set date in all the Member States.
(Example: Food Information to Consumers Regulation 1169/2011) .

- Directives lay down certain results that must be achieved but each Member State is
free to decide how to transpose directives into national laws.
(Example: Directive 2002/46 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to food supplements ).

- Decisions are EU laws relating to specific cases and directed to individual or several
Member States, companies or private individuals. They are binding upon those to
whom they are directed.
 (Example: Commission Implementing Decision 2016/1189 authorizing UV-treated milk
as a novel food (see Article 3)).

- Recommendations differ from regulations, directives and decisions, in that they are
not binding. A recommendation allows the institutions to make their views known and
to suggest a line of action without imposing any legal obligation on those to whom it is
addressed. (Example: Infant and young child feeding: standard recommendations for
the European Union).

- An opinion is an instrument that allows the institutions to make a statement in a non-

binding fashion, in other words without imposing any legal obligation on those to
whom it is addressed. An opinion is not binding. It can be issued by the main EU
institutions. (Example: EFSA draft opinion on the risks from BPA).