FOOD HYGIENE. The aim of this course is to explain the term food hygiene, looking at ways in which we can minimise the risk of food poisoning.

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1 FOOD HYGIENE Course Aim The aim of this course is to explain the term food hygiene, looking at ways in which we can minimise the risk of food poisoning. Learning Outcomes On completion of this course the learner will be able to: Understand present legislation and hazard analysis in relation to good food hygiene Explain the term Food Hygiene and the responsibility of their role as a food handler Describe the types of contamination Understand all issues involved in food poisoning and name the most common types, their source and their symptoms Understand how bacteria multiply and explain the measures we can take to prevent this Understand the importance of personal hygiene Name a variety of pests, their signs and risks in the workplace Describe the differences between cleaning and disinfecting in the workplace Relate design and maintenance of premises and utensils to good food hygiene A healthy balanced diet is important but we also need to make sure that the food we buy, prepare, cook or serve doesn t make us ill!

2 1 Legislation Laws have been put in place to protect customers from eating contaminated food which might cause them harm. The main piece of law on this subject is the Food Safety Act This allows Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) enforcing these laws to: Enter food premises at any reasonable time Close food premises if they are a serious health hazard Instruct businesses to make improvements if defects are found Inspect documents e.g. cleaning schedules, temperature records Take food samples for laboratory testing Prevent selling of suspected food Remove foodstuffs unfit for human consumption. Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations In general, these regulations state that high-risk foods must either be kept below 8 o C or above 63 o C, known as the Danger Zone. Some foods must be kept even colder (there are a few specific exceptions). Although the law states 8 C - 63 C, many businesses in the food industry work on a range of 5 C - 63 C. Operation ally this is viewed as best practice. Food Safety ( General Food Hygiene) Regulations This requires hygienic construction of food premises including adequate toilet and hand washing facilities, and protection from pests. Hazard Analysis This is a major new requirement used for identifying potential hazards and measures to be taken to prevent them occurring. The law states that every food business: Must look at the steps involved in storing, preparing, displaying and selling food Identify what hazards could happen at each step Identify the steps critical to food safety (these are sometimes called Critical Control Points) Control the hazards at these critical steps and monitor to ensure this is being done

3 Review their hazard analysis periodically. In most businesses, there is no statutory requirement to keep records but they are helpful in proving that you are trying to do things properly. As an example, consider the requirements for storing fresh prawns in the fridge: Hazards Harmful bacteria could multiply if temperature is in the danger zone Physical contaminatio n during refrigerated storage Critical Step? NO because any bacteria in the prawn will be killed by cooking YES because no further steps will remove the hazard Control & Critical Limit Make sure the fridge operates at 8 o C (5 o C is better) Cover the prawns during storage Monitor Records If Problems Check the fridge temp. twice a day Visual inspection Record the fridge temp. on a temperature log sheet Record on a hygiene check sheet If temp. above 8 o C adjust thermostat or call engineer. To be absolutely safe the prawns may need to be thrown away Check for physical contamination, cover the prawns and re-train staff Training Food poisoning often happens because of a lack of awareness. This is why, by law, everyone who handles food must receive training and/or supervision in food hygiene appropriate to the job they do. 2 What is Food Hygiene? We all need to eat and drink to stay alive, so it is important that this food does not harm us in any way. Food hygiene incorporates the measures and good practices needed to ensure that food is safe, wholesome and fit to eat. There are many laws regulating the production and sale of food, but this module concentrates on the basic principles of good practice that are involved in handling food safely in your workplace. While high standards enable everyone to enjoy their food without illness, injury or other problems, poor standards can lead to all kinds of harm even death! As food handlers we have legal obligations for keeping food safe to eat.

4 Activity 1 It has been well publicised that outbreaks of food poisoning are on the increase. List any reasons that you can think of that might influence this increase. Write your answer in your Activities Workbook. Outbreaks of food-borne illness and questions about food and health have often been in the headlines in recent years. At the same time, cases of food-borne illness have more than quadrupled over the last decade. No single reason has been identified for the increase, but factors may include: Changes in eating habits, including greater reliance on eating out, takeaways and reheated foods Changes in shopping habits, bulk buying necessitating longer storage of foods at home More intensive rearing of crops and animals A reduction in the use of preservatives Changes in the way that official figures are recorded, with a much wider range of illnesses being included in statistics Greater public awareness of food poisoning- therefore increased reporting although official figures are unlikely to show the true extent as many cases still go unreported In reality, this increase is probably due to a combination of the above reasons, but the figures show a rise that is real and very worrying.

5 Food Hygiene - Module 1 ACTIVITY 1 It has been well publicised that outbreaks of food poisoning are on the increase. List any reasons that you can think of that might influence this increase. ACTIVITY 2 Look around your home or workplace and list the possible sources of contaminants found there. ACTIVITY 3 List three ways in which pathogenic bacteria could contaminate food and relate this to your workplace/home. ACTIVITY 4 Name two types of food poisoning or food-borne bacteria and try to list five possible sources. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Type 1: Type 2:

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