Food Safety

Question 1

What are spores?

Answer 1

A hard shell around bacteria which can survive in many conditions. They are heat resistant,cold resistant, and resistant to bacteria meaning it protects the bacteria in all conditions and areas

Question 2

What is bacteria?

Answer 2

Single-celled organisms present in the air, soil, on animals and on humans

Question 3

What is the danger zone? Definition and temperatures

Answer 3

5-63 degrees
The temperature that bacteria is the most active

Question 4

Moulds are…

Answer 4

• visible
• only harmful when they produce poisonous substances
• reproduced by producing spores which travel in the air (spores settle, germinate and multiply into new growths)

Question 5

Conditions needed for mould to grow:

Answer 5

• oxygen
• grow in acid/alkali
• grow best at 20-30 degrees
• killed in heat

Question 6

How to minimise growth of bacteria

Answer 6

• put in fridge/freezer asap
• eat food within its ‘use by’ date
• cook high risk food for long enough
• eat food straight after being prepared

Question 7

What is the temperature of a fridge?

Answer 7

0-5 degrees

Question 8

Freezer temperature

Answer 8

-18 °C

Question 9

High risk foods should be heated to:

Answer 9

Over 63°C

Question 10

At what temperature is bacteria destroyed

Answer 10

100 °C

Question 11

Reheated food should reach:

Answer 11

75°C

Question 12

How to control moisture in food:

Answer 12

• dehydrate it e.g. dried milk
• high sugar - makes less water available e.g. jam
• salt - removes water by osmosis e.g. bacon
• freezing - turns water to solid
• pickling - water is replaced by vinegar

Question 13

Classification of bacteria:

Answer 13

Pathogenic - makes you ill
Helpful - used to make cheese, yoghurt etc
Spoilage - cause food to perish

Question 14

What is MAP and what does it help?

Answer 14

Modified atmospheric packaging
- removes oxygen which is what mould needs to grow

Question 15

What does yeast cause?

Answer 15

• food spoilage in high-sugar foods e.g. jam, fruit
• produces CO2 in fermentation when sugar is used for food

Question 16

Properties of yeast

Answer 16

Do not need oxygen to grow
Active in warm,moist conditions
Become dormant when it’s cold

Question 17

What is food poisoning

Answer 17

‘An acute illness caused by eating food that is contaminated by microorganisms or poisons

Question 18

When is food poisoning especially problematic?

Answer 18

• when pregnant (could effect baby)
• when young or baby (not fully developed)
• when elderly (weaker immune system)
• for people with weakened immune systems due to illness

Question 19

Risky foods for salmonella

Answer 19

Poultry, eggs, raw eggs products, vegetables

Question 20

Risky foods for listeria

Answer 20

Soft cheeses, pate, pre-packed salad, cook chill products

Question 21

Risky food for E Coli?

Answer 21

Contaminated water, milk, inadequately cooked meat

Question 22

What is food spoilage?

Answer 22

When the original value, texture or flavour of the food is damaged, the food becomes harmful to people and unsuitable to eat

Question 23

What is natural decay?

Answer 23

As soon as a plant food is harvested, or animal food is slaughtered, changes take place inside the food which cause it to spoil

Question 24

Ways to prevent food spoilage

Answer 24

1) freeze food so bacteria becomes dormant
2) check use by date
3) eat up old food before you open new food
4) cover up food so ends don’t spoil

Question 25

Negative effects of food spoilage:

Answer 25

• unwanted fermentation
• colour change
• mould
• texture change
• smells
• nutrient loss