Food safety and Hygiene BBC NEWS website Nov

Food safety and Hygiene

BBC NEWS website- Nov 12 l l l "Usually there about 200 times more faecal bacteria on the average cutting board than on a toilet seat, " But the filthiest culprit in our homes is the kitchen sponge or cloth. According to Gerba, there about 10 million bacteria per square inch on a sponge, and a million on a dishcloth.

Food Safety and hygiene. l You need to gain knowledge of the following for this unit: l 1. The importance of food safety. 2. Personal hygiene. 3. Cleaning- detergents, sanitizers 4. Preventing contamination- food storage and prep. 5. Temperatures 6. Legislation 7. High risk foods. 8. Vulnerable groups. 9. Food poisoning bacteria 10. Conditions required for bacterial growth

Food safety: l Protecting consumers from harm. l As a food handler, you must do everything you can to keep food safe. How can you do this? l l l l Storing food products correctly in transportation and final destination, fridge temp- 0 -8, ideal 5 c. Freezing food- minus 18 c Keeping dry store tidy and clean. Date marking food- best before (non-perishable items), use by. Using colour-coded system Follow correct personal hygiene rules.

Getting food safety wrong l What happens when you get food safety wrong? l l If you work in the food industry, Customers may complain or become ill and the business may get a bad reputation and have to close down. Outbreaks of food poisoning will increase. l Food poisoning is caused when conditions are right: l Warmth, moisture, time, suitable p. H- usually neutral, food. Find out more about them- page 181 -182

Common food hazards l Three main types of food hazard that can contaminate food and cause injury or illness: Physical/Chemical/Biologicalresearch these using text books- page 173 -174 l Physical- occurs at any stage of food production. personal hygiene, handling, equipment, packaging, hair, pests. l l Chemicaldetergents, cleaning, washing up, pesticides, chemicals used in agriculture and farming methods. Biological/ Micro-organism spoilage- Yeasts, moulds, viruses, bacteria.

Physical contamination: l Caused by: FIND OUT l FOREIGN BODIES LANDING IN FOOD: l Bolts, wire-lost in food from equipment in manufacture and production. Cardboard, string and staples- landing in food on opening packaging. Earrings, false nails- leave off jewelry and nails etc when preparing food. Sweet papers, cigarette ends- do not smoke or eat when preparing food. Glass and china- discard any food from broken or chipped containers. Cat and dog hairs- keep animals out of the kitchen. Vegetable stalks- care needed in food prep. l l l

Biological hazards; l l Cause food poisoning or food-borne illnesses or food spoilage. There are 4 types: moulds, yeasts, viruses and bacteria. They are called micro-organisms. FIND OUT ABOUT THEM l Moulds- Tiny plants or fungi, grow on surface of food. They produce spores, they are generally harmless but some can produce MYCOTOXINS which can be dangerous. l Yeasts- these do not cause food poisoning, but can be capable of spoiling food. Have beneficial effects however- bread, beer. l Viruses- they can cause disease as they destroy living cells. They are carried by human beings and animals. A virus can be passed to food by an infected food handler.

Cont…. l Bacteria- single-celled and found in water, air, soil and people. Some are essential in food production- helpful bacteria are used in production of yogurt, actimel. l Spoilage bacteria- these bacteria can affect the quality of a food product. l Pathogenic bacteria- cause food poisoning, there may be no evidence of spoilage on the food itself. Pathogenic bacteria include Salmonella and Staphylococcus Aureus. l A food borne illness is caused by eating contaminated food or by pathogenic bacteria living on the food.

Chemical contamination- what is it? l l Care needed when washing up etc. . So that cleaning agents don’t end up in food. Also, equipment needs to be thoroughly dried so that no traces of cleaning agent are left on it, which may end up in food. Work surfaces need to be carefully cleaned to remove any traces of detergent, which could land in food. Fruit and vegetables need to be thoroughly cleaned to remove traces of pesticides and fertilizers.

Sources of pathogenic bacteria l l l l l Raw foods People Pests Animals Air and dust Water Soil Food waste LOOK AT HANDOUT TO CLARIFY THIS. How can bacteria be transferred from these things to food?

Control l It is important to control hazards and stop contamination of food. You can do this by careful food handling, storage, temperature control, stock rotation, correct cooking and re-heating. You can also follow HACCP systems ensuring that Hazards are assessed and Controls are in place to combat hazard.

Food poisoning l Caused by eating contaminated food- most commonly contaminated by bacteria. l Main types of food poisoning bacteria- FIND THEM- WHAT ARE THEY? 177 -180 textbook l Campylobacter- most common form of bacterial food poisoning in Britain, it is a bacterium found in the intestine of birds and animals. Destroyed by heat. l Salmonella- present in the intestines of animals, eggs and chicken. l Listeria- found in soil, sewage, water, animals and people. Pate, destroyed by heat.

Food poisoning cont. . l E-Coli- found in intestines of animals, capable of causing illness, many types, raw meat. l Clostridium Perfringens- found in healthy animals and people, when consumed, bacteria produce a toxin, raw meat. l Staphylococcus Aureus- can be found on human skin, destroyed by antibiotics, meat can carry bacteria. Produces a toxin. l Bacillus Cereus- found in soil and dust. Produces toxins.

Types of food poisoning bacteria. l * Find out more about the following, page 177180 Campylobacter- l Salmonella. Listeria. E-Coli. Clostridium Perfringens. Stapphylococcus Aureus. Bacillius Cereus- l Now complete activity 3 - page 180 l l l

Symptoms of food poisoning l Abdominal pain Diarrhea Vomiting Nausea l ACTIVITY 8/9 - page 185 -186 l l l

People at risk of food poisoning l l The very old or young Those who are ill or have been ill Pregnant women or nursing mothers These people could have a weakened immune system and are less likely to cope with the symptoms of food poisoning.

Incidence and pattern of food poisoning l There has been an increase in the number of food poisoning outbreaks since 1980. There are many reasons for this: l Increased awareness- consumers over-reacting to just a stomach upset, maybe. Changing shopping habits- food is stored in the home for longer Increased consumption of cook-chill foods. If not re-heated properlybreeding ground for bacteria. Hot weather and more bbq food. May not be correctly cooked inside. Eating out has increased. More foreign travel. Advances in science- to trace food poisoning. Emergence of new strains of micro-organisms. l l l l

Keeping clean and tidy l Bacteria can be spread from one place to another on your hands, clothes or utensils- vehicles of contamination. l Find out what DIRECT and INDIRECT food contamination ispage 185 textbook. l l DIRECT- source of bacteria in direct contact with person. INDIRECT- source moves to vehicle of contamination to person. l COMPLETE ACTIVITY 9 - page 188, and 13 - page 190.

Wash your hands regularly l Before you start work l Before you handle any food l Between tasks- i. e. after handling raw meat. l After you use the toilet

Reporting illnesses l l l You must not work with food if you have food poisoning or any other illness with similar symptoms, as you may contaminate food- if you have a virus this could be passed to food also. You must tell your supervisor if you, or anyone you have been in contact with, has food poisoning or an illness with similar symptoms. ACTIVITY 14/15 - page 191/195

Detergent; l Used to remove dirt and dissolve grease, but does not remove any bacteria. l Disinfectant; Reduces bacteria to a safe level. Chemical disinfectants can be used. Although, very hot water can kill most bacteria. l l SANITIZERS remove waste food and kill bacteria.

What to disinfect: l l l Food contact surfaces- chopping boards, machinery, containers, production belts. Hand contact surfaces- handles, taps, switches. Contamination and bacterial multiplication hazards i. e. . Cloths and mops, waste bins and their lids.

Cleaning chemicals l Handle hazardous substances with care. l CLEAN AS YOU GO l Be careful to clean surfaces thoroughly, but do not leave traces of detergent as this causes chemical contamination.

The aim of cleaning. l l l l Protect food from microbial contamination. Reduce opportunities for bacterial multiplication. Protect food from physical and chemical contamination. Avoid attracting pests. Maintain a safe environment. Create a good impression to customers Carry out legal obligations to keep food safe.

Storage and disposal of waste l l l Keep small bin clean and lined with a bag, empty when full. Tie bag securely and put in large outside bin Make sure lid is closed, and no bags are left on the floor.

Food pests. l l l l Animals or insects that contaminate or damage food. Rodents, birds and insects. Pest control: Food premises can provide pests with food, moisture, warmth and shelter. To help prevent an infestation, keep work areas clean and tidy. Tell the supervisor if you see any signs of food pests at your workplace. In worse cases inform EHO.

Contamination occurs: l l When something harmful ends up in our food. When hazards (physical, chemical or biological) are not properly controlled. Cross contamination: When bacteria from one place are transferred to another by someone or something. l Preventing contamination: the key to food safety, follow the rules to control hazards. l Use the colour-coded system. l Find out what it is?

Preventing cross-contamination; l l Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart. Do not use the same knives and boards for preparing raw and ready-to-eat foods. Wash your hands and clean food-contact surfaces each time you finish a task. Use the colour-coded system.

Time and temperature control is essential: l l To prevent bacteria multiplying and therefore reduce the risk of food poisoning bacteria. The danger zone (Where bacteria multiply easily) is between 5 c and 63 c. Storing food at cold temperatures will slow down multiplication of bacteria, but will not kill them. (2 -5 c) (minus 18 - 22) Cooking at 70 c for at least 2 minutes will kill most bacteria.

Legislation l Find out what the following are, and what they cover, page 191195 l The Food Safety Act, 1990 - l General Food Law Regulations- l Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 - l HACCP- l EHO-

Legislation l l Food Safety Act 1990 It is concerned with all aspects of food production and sale. It ensures that all food produced in the food industry is safe to eat. General food law regulations. This covers the export and import of food into the EU. It also covers food safety and presentation. The labelling and advertising of food must not mislead customers.

Continued…. l l l Food hygiene regulations 2006 These apply to all food businesses and cover all activities involved with food. Food should be stored and handled correctly and premises should continue to be kept clean and hygienic. A HACCP plan needs to be put in place here. HACCP- this is a risk assessment system that has been adopted by the food industry and is widely used in catering and food retailing. It identifies hazards and ways of minimising them.

Continued… l EHO- these help develop, co-ordinate and enforce public health policies. They are employed by local councils and work in specialist areas such as food safety, health and safety at work or environmental protection. They can visit premises without notice and can serve a hygiene improvement notice if they are not happy with hygiene standards in any establishment.

Continued- EHO l l l Investigate outbreaks of food poisoning. Collect samples for testing. Protect Public health Maintain a safe environment. Pest control.

Food Standards Agency Their role is to: Advise the government on all aspects of food hygiene policy. l They support investigations into food-borne illness. l Try and protect public from food poisoning l l There are 4 key strands: Policy advice and Legislation Research and Surveillance General food law enforcement Public information and education l Other focuses of FSA are food intolerance, nutrition and farming. l l