food safety

Question 1

contamination

Answer 1

• the addition of something to food that is harmful to health if the food is eaten

Question 2

food poisoning

Answer 2

• an unpleasant and potentially severe illness caused by eating food that is either contaminated or naturally poisonous

Question 3

Micro-organisms

Answer 3

• tiny forms of life
• three groups: bacteria, moulds and yeasts
• are found in many different places: soil, water, sewage, dust dirt, on surfaces and equipment, in the air, in and on people, animals, birds and insects, om clothing, in food and food packaging and in rubbish

Question 4

pathogens

Answer 4

• a micro-organism that causes harm to humans
• some micro-organisms cause food poisoning and are known as pathogenic micro-organisms

Question 5

spoilage

Answer 5

• when food has become unpalatable, unfit and unsafe to eat
• bacteria are responsible for most food spoilage and food poisoning.
• yeast and moulds can also cause food spoilage and food poisoning when the conditions for bacteria are not optimum

Question 6

non-pathogenic micro-organisms

Answer 6

• many non-pathogenic micro-organisms are used in the production of a variety of foods.
  for example:
  bacteria - are involved in the production of cheese, yogurt, chocolate, coffee, vinegar, beer, wine, spirits, fish sauce, buttermilk, soured cream.
  moulds - involved in the production of miso, cheese, chocolate, sot sauce, salami and wine
  yeasts - involved in the production of bread, cider, beer, wine, marmite

Question 7

bacteria

Answer 7

• single-celled organisms that can only be viewed in detail under a powerful microscope
• bacteria need optimum conditions to grow: a suitable and temperature and PH, a supply of moisture and nutrients, the right level of oxygen and enough time

Question 8

danger zone

Answer 8

• the danger zone is between 5 and 63 degrees Celsius, this is the optimum temperature for bacteria to grow.

Question 9

high-risk food

Answer 9

• food that favours the growth and multiplication of micro-organisms
• e.g. meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk, cream and some cheeses

Question 10

low-risk food

Answer 10

• food that does not provide all the conditions that micro-organisms need to grow and multiply
• e.g. biscuits, crackers, cereals, jams, pickles, syrup

Question 11

spore

Answer 11

• a protective outer coating formed around a bacterial cell, in which the bacterium remains inactive until the right conditions

Question 12

cross-contamination

Answer 12

• bacteria being transferred from one food/surface to another by contact.
• e.g. raw and cooked food coming into contact making food unsafe to eat

Question 13

measures other than personal, taken by food handlers to prevent cross contamination

Answer 13

• colour coded equipment e.g. chopping boards, knifes
• separate storage areas for raw and cooked meats
• cleaning vegetables to prevent soil causing contamination
• use a foot pedal bin with a lid
• use anti-bacterial spray
• correct storage in refrigerator

Question 14

what is food spoilage caused by

Answer 14

• enzymes: ripening, colour, texture and flavour changes
• micro-organisms: bacteria, moulds, yeasts, viruses
• pests: insects, animals
• physical spoilage: e.g. bruising, freezer burn, dampness
• oxidation: e.g. rancidity

Question 15

enzymes

Answer 15

• enzymes are natural catalysts: causes foods such as fruits and vegetables to ripen which changes colour, taste, texture. A good example of this is tomatoes.

Question 16

preventing enzymic browning

Answer 16

• by adding an acid: like lemon juice which denatures the enzyme protein
• by cooking the food, so that the heat denatures the enzyme protein
• by putting the food into cold water, which prevents oxygen mixing with the enzymes and substances in the plant vacuoles
• blanching vegetables before they are frozen, plunging them into boiling water for a very short time.

Question 17

micro-organisms

Answer 17

• usually starts with aerobic bacteria on the surface that needs oxygen
• gradually, the anaerobic bacteria continue the spoilage further into the food.
• results in foul-smelling odours, off-flavours, a change in colour and textures and the production of gasses

Question 18

pests

Answer 18

• are animals that cause food spoilage
• these include: flies, cockroaches, ants, moths (insects), maggots (larvae), small animals such as rats and mice

Question 19

physical spoilage

Answer 19

• bruising
  foods such as fruits and vegetables can be physically damaged by being dropped or crushed, which causes bruising.
• freezer burn
  when foods are frozen, the water molecules it contains form ice crystals. the water molecules gradually migrate out of the food towards the coldest place in the freezer. this causes the food to become dehydrated and the molecules of water are replaced by molecules of oxygen.
• dampness
  e.g. sugar granules clumping together and become hard and crackers will soften.
  dampness also encourages the growth of moulds on foods such as breads, wholegrain and processed cereals and cakes

Question 20

oxidation

Answer 20

as well as freezer burn and bruising, oxidation also occurs in foods containing fat for example, dairy, meat oily fish etc. fat molecules can be broken down to free fatty acids by micro-organisms and enzymes.

Question 21

food poisoning

Answer 21

• food poisoning is an unpleasant and severe illness that can lead to serious health complications or even death in certain vulnerable groups like babies, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
• food poisoning is mainly caused by bacteria but it can also be caused by: toxins produced by marine animals, chemicals and metals, natural poisons in plants, natural poisons in animals.

Question 22

implications of food poisoning for consumers

Answer 22

• having to experience an unpleasant illness
• loss of pay due to absence from work while being ill
• possible long term health issues

Question 23

implications of food poisoning on buisness owners

Answer 23

• possible closure of business by the Environmental Health Officers (EHO)
• loss of business and damage to representation
• financial cost due to payment of fines, penalties, compensation, costs of improvements demanded by the EHO
• loss of food if spoiled due to poor storage practices
• staff turnover will increase as they will not want to work in bad conditions

Question 24

implications of food poisoning for employees in a food business

Answer 24

• employees may be prosecuted if it is proven that they have not followed food hygiene regulations
• loss of earnings if the business is closed while improvements are made
• possible loss of job is the business has to be closed permanently
• possible negative reactions from future employers and difficulty finding employment

Question 25

salmonella

Answer 25

foods it is found in:
- meat, poultry, raw egg, bean sprouts, coconut
incubation period:
- 6-72 hours
symptoms:
- diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain, dehydration, nausea, fever, vomiting
duration of illness:
- 1-7 days

Question 26

Escherichia coli (E.coli) 0157

Answer 26

foods it is found in:
- undercooked meat, raw milk, raw milk products, apple juice and some cooked meat
incubation period:
- 1-8 days
symptoms:
- watery diarrhoea sometimes bright red from blood, nausea, abdominal pain, may lead to kidney failure
duration of illness:
- 2 weeks but can lead to complications with internal organs such as the kidneys, which may take a long time to recover. can be fatal

Question 27

Anaphylaxis

Answer 27

• a severe and life threatening allergic reaction to an allergen

Question 28

food additives

Answer 28

• substances that are added to processed foods by the food industry to preserve, flavour, colour or change the texture of a food product

Question 29

allergies and intolerances

Answer 29

one is life threatening and one is not

Question 30

histamine

Answer 30

• the chemical that is released in the body in response to an allergen and which causes a range of symptoms

Question 31

igE

Answer 31

immunoglobulin E; the antibody that is produces in response to an allergen

Question 32

symptoms of histamine

Answer 32

• the mouth, tongue and throat swell so that the person cannot breath, swallow or speak properly
• wheeze and cough
• blood pressure may become dangerously low
• become very weak and unable to stand or sit properly
• may collapse or become unconscious
• can lead to death
• skin flushed red
• hives
• skin swells
  nose or eyes itch
  pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting

Question 33

which foods cause allergies?

Answer 33

• eggs
• dairy
• fish and shellfish
• peanuts, tree nuts, seeds
• soya
• kiwi
• celery
• mustard

Question 34

legislation is concerned with a range of issues in relation to the production, sale and consumption of food…

Answer 34

• ensuring that food is safe and fit for human consumption
• checking and controlling the composition labelling of foods
• preventing food from becoming contaminated
• preventing outbakes of food poisoning
• ensuring everything is hygienic
• ensuring that food handlers are trained

Question 35

Acts and legislations

Answer 35

• food safety act 1990
• the general food law regulations 2004
• the food safety and hygiene regulations 2013

Question 36

responsibility of food handlers

Answer 36

• hands must be washed before handling food, after going to the toilet, coming in from outside, after coughing sneezing or blowing your nose, after touching money, rubbish and the bin, touching animals or insects, raw foods.
• they should tell their employer know if they have a skin, nose, throat or digestive illness or infection
• if they have cuts or skin sores then they should be covered with food-grade water proof dressings
• do not smoke in preparation room
• good personal hygiene