Food Safety/HACCP Flashcards
What 5 reasons make meat an ideal culture medium for bacteria?
- High moisture.
- Rich in nitrogenous foods.
- Plentiful minerals and accessory growth factors.
- Adequate fermentable carbohydrates.
- Fairly favorable pH (~5.6).
What 7 factors affect microorganism growth on or in meat?
- Temperature and time.
- Moisture.
- Oxygen.
- Oxidation-reduction potential.
- Degree of acidity or alkalinity.
- Physical properties.
- Competing microorganisms.
Why is the saying “Life begins at 40” a cliche?
There is bacteria that can grow below 40 F.
What does cooling meat do to microbial growth?
It slows or prevents it.
What is the freezing point of meat?
28 F.
*The closer meat is to this, the longer the shelf life (maintenance of appearance, safety, and palatability).
What happens to bacteria that is on frozen meat?
They will become dormant and revive when the meat is thawed.
What happens to bacteria when high enough temperatures and long enough times are combined?
They are killed.
Why is the internal temperature of the meat measured?
If the internal temperature matches the set standard, then any bacteria on the exterior should also be dead. This means the meat should be safe to eat.
Why should leftovers be reheated to a higher temperature than most meats?
To eliminate any bacteria that landed on it while it sat out and cooled down.
What is water activity?
The water requirement for microbial growth .
*Abbreviated as aw
What is the aw of fresh meat?
0.99 or higher.
What type of bacteria requires oxygen for growth?
Aerobic bacteria.
What type of bacteria does not require oxygen for growth?
Anaerobic bacteria.
What type of bacteria can grow in an oxygen rich or an oxygen poor environment?
Facultative bacteria.
What is oxidation?
The loss of electrons.
What is reduction?
The gain of electrons.
Is the oxidation-reduction potential of meat stable or in flux?
In flux.
At what pH do most microorganisms thrive?
Near 7.0.
What pH range are most meat products at?
4.8-6.8.
How does the surface area of meat impact food safety?
More surface area=More room for microbes to grow.
How do competing microorganisms impact food safety?
As microorganisms compete for resources, it will change the microbiome of the meat.
What 8 organisms are of concern in meat?
- Clostridium botulinum.
- Clostridium perfringens.
- Staphylococcus aureus.
- Listeria monocytogenes.
- Campylobacter jejuni.
- Escherichia coli.
- Salmonella.
- People as vectors.
What is the key phrase for quality control?
Keep it clean, cold, and covered to maintain product quality.
Who handles meat inspections?
USDA FSIS.
What pays for USDA FSIS?
Taxes, due to being mandatory.
What does federal meat inspections being mandatory help prevent?
To help prevent those without the money to pay federal inspection to be able to sell their meat at a cheaper price than their competitors.
What 2 actions actions do packers reimburse the government for, if they occur?
- Meat inspectors working overtime.
- Special services (ex: Inspecting foreign meat).
Why does the USDA FSIS inspect meat?
To “protect public health by preventing illness from meat, poultry and egg products. We do this by ensuring these products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled”.
What is a SSOP?
Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure.
What does a SSOP cover?
- Facilities.
- Equipment.
- Personnel.
How is the presence of microbes monitored in meat packing plants?
- Swabbing different areas and performing a colony count.
- Testing certain products for E.coli and/or Salmonella.
Is there an acceptable level of colonies in meat packing plants?
For certain bacteria, yes. For other bacteria, no.
What are 2 other procedures that all meat packing plants have?
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPS).
How is HACCP applied to a food product or product group ?
Each one needs a specific HACCP plan.
What are the 7 HACCP principles?
- Hazard Analysis.
- Critical Control Points.
- Critical Limits.
- Monitoring Requirements.
- Corrective Action.
- Effective Record-Keeping Procedures.
- Systematically Verified.
What 3 hazards are identified during hazard analysis?
- Biological (ex: Bacteria).
- Chemical (ex: Preservative).
- Physical (ex: Shards of metal from a machine).
What is a critical control point?
A step, point, or procedure at which control can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
What is a critical limit?
The minimum or maximum value to which a process parameter must be controlled to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
What are critical limits based on?
- USDA FSIS regulations or guidelines.
- Scientific and technical literature.
- FDA tolerances and action levels.
- Surveys.
- Studies.
- Expert recommendations.
Is it better for meat packing plants to set equally stringent or more stringent requirements than required?
More stringent requirements, to ensure they are always met.
What is being monitored in the meat packing plants and why?
a. Critical Control Points (CCP).
b. To assess whether they are within established critical limits.
What kind of observation of CCPs is preferred: periodic or continuous?
Continuous, but periodic is more reasonable.
Do the personnel monitoring the CCP need to be trained?
Yes.
What is corrective action?
An action taken when monitoring indicates there is a deviation from a critical limit at a CCP.
What are the 2 principles of effective-record keeping procedures?
- Real-time entries.
- Dated and signed or initialed.
Who periodically reviews the records?
FSIS.
Why is systematic verification necessary?
It determines whether the HACCP system is in compliance with the HACCP plan and/or if the HACCP plan needs modification and revalidation.
What are the 4 d’s of antemortem inspection?
- Down.
- Disabled.
- Diseased.
- Dead.
*Means the animal is unfit for human consumption.
What is the protocol if an animal is suspect?
- Restrain.
- Identify.
- Temperature.
- Detailed examination.
What happens if nothing can be found to be wrong with them but it is agreed that something is still off?
The animal is released without restriction for further examination.
What are the 2 possibilities for meat that is U.S. condemned?
- Tanked (rendered safe through severe heat treatment).
- Denatured (Completely marked with a denaturant dye).
*Released to proper authorities for treatment under official supervision.
What is the denaturant dye made of?
Carbolic acid (phenol) or finely powdered charcoal.
What is the purpose of a postmortem inspection?
To detect and remove unwholesome carcasses, parts, or organs from the human food chain.
Why is reinspection during processing done?
To control the processed products and assure only sound, wholesome products enter the human food supply.
*Meat, all added ingredients, and procedures are inspected again.
What % poultry and what % meat must a product contain to warrant USDA-FSIS review and approval?
2% poultry and 3% meat.
What 8 elements must a label contain?
- Product name.
- Inspection legend and establishment number.
- Handling statement.
- Net weight statement.
- Ingredients statement.
- Address line.
- Nutrition facts.
- Safe handling instructions.
