FOOD SAFETY - INTRODUCTION TO SUPERVISING FOOD SAFETY

Question 1

Reasons why food safety is important

Answer 1

• It is a legal requirement
• Happy Customers who are likely to return again (increase profit)
• Healthy customers. Reduction in food poisoning & foodborne disease.
• Successful food hygiene inspection & high ratings (good publicity).
• Less food waste.
• Avoid business closure, loss of employment, prosecution & fines for not complying with food safety laws.
• Competent employees

Question 2

Who has a moral responsibility to ensure that food they prepare is safe to eat?

Answer 2

ALL food handlers, regardless of role have a moral responsibility to ensure the food they prepare is safe to eat. (Managers, Supervisors and employees also have a legal responsibility to protect food from hazards & their customers from harm.

Question 3

Poor food safety practises can have a serious consequences on your business. Give 7 examples

Answer 3

(1) Bad publicity & loss of customers
(2) Wastage - resulting in undue high costs
(3) Food Poising outbreaks
(4) Pest infestation
(5) Closure of business & loss of employment
(6) Prosecution, Fines & even Imprisonment
(7) Food poison suffers taking civil action

Question 4

7 examples which show us why high standards of food safely is crucial.

Answer 4

(1) Scotland’s Food Standards Agency in 2017, investigated 2,265 food & environmental contamination incidents in the UK
(2) Microbiological Contamination represents 14% of all incidents. 45% of these are Salmonella bacteria.
(3) 187 food safety incidents were as a result of allergens
(4) Chemical contamination (Inc. vet medical product residue), account for 20% of all food safety incidents
(5) Foreign bodies related to 5% of food safety incidents
(6) 5% of incidents were related to Incorrect food labelling
(7) 6% of all incidents were due to insufficient or poor food safety controls.

Question 5

Illness related to food can affect anyone, however, Certain groups of people are more susceptible to illness. Give examples of 4 groups that are more susceptible to food related illness.

Answer 5

(1) Elderly
(2) Pregnant women
(3) Young Children & Babies
(4) Persons recovering from illness or who are ill.

Question 6

Give 6 examples of food most commonly involved in foodborne illness. (High risk foods that under favourable conditions support the growth of harmful bacteria which will NOT be destroyed before they are consumed.

Answer 6

(1) Cooked Meat & Poultry
(2) Meat products such as PATE, STEW, PIE’S AND GRAVY
(3) Products made from EGG (mayonnaise, Quiche)
(4) Milk, Cream, Soft Cheese, Custard & Dairy Products
(5) Shellfish (particularly Oysters, Prawns & Crab
(6) Cooked Rice

Question 7

Complete the sentence. High risk foods are usually …

Answer 7

ready to eat, high in protein, moist, require storage under refrigeration away from other food. (Nb. High risk food example are in the answers to question 6).

Question 8

What are ‘High Risk’ foods?

Answer 8

Usually are: Ready to eat, high in protein, moist & require refrigerator storage away from other raw foods.

Question 9

What does the term ‘Food Safety’ mean?

Answer 9

Food safety is the safe handling, preparation, cooking & storage of food so as to safeguard it from anything that could cause harm to the consumer.

Question 10

What does the term ‘Food Hygiene’ mean?

Answer 10

Food hygiene is the control of harmful bacteria through safe cooking, chilling, cleaning & avoiding contamination.

Question 11

What does ‘Contamination’ mean?

Answer 11

The presence of anything Biological, physical, chemical or allergenic in a food that could cause harm.

Question 12

What does ‘ Cross - contamination mean’?

Answer 12

Cross contamination is the PROCESS by which bacteria are unintentionally transferred from a surfaced - such as a worktop, equipment, the food handler or another food - on to ready to eat food, resulting in the food becoming contaminated & in turn, harming the consumer.

Question 13

What is the difference between the term: Food Safety and Food Hygiene?

Answer 13

Safety is the handling, preparation, cooking and storage to safeguard it from anything that can cause harm to the consumer. Food Hygiene is the CONTROL of harmful bacteria, through safe cooking, chilling, cleaning & avoiding contamination.

Question 14

What is the difference between the term: Contamination & Cross-contamination?

Answer 14

Contamination is the PRESENCE of anything biological, physical, chemical or allergenic, where as Cross contamination is the PROCESS by which bacteria are transferred from a surface, equipment, the food handler or another food which results in the food becoming contaminated.

Question 15

What is food poisoning?

Answer 15

Food Poisoning is an illness caused by harmful bacteria or toxins in food. This usually develops within hours of consuming contaminated food.

Question 16

What are the symptoms of Food Poisoning?

Answer 16

Food Poisoning symptoms generally include abdominal pain, diarrhoea & nausea.

Question 17

What is Foodborne disease?

Answer 17

Foodborne disease is an illness caused by micro organisms, such as Pathogenic bacteria, Viruses or parasites found in contaminated food. NB. the micro organisms use the food as a vehicle to move to humans, where they multiply and cause illness.

Question 18

What is a ‘ Pathogen’?

Answer 18

A Pathogen is a Micro organism, such as bacteria or a virus, that has the ability to cause illness.

Question 19

What is meant by the term ‘Onset period’?

Answer 19

The onset period is the time between consumption of contaminated food to the first signs of illness.

Question 20

What is a ‘Carrier’?

Answer 20

A Carrier is a person who is infected with a Pathogen that could be passed on to other people. This persons MAYNOT show symptoms themselves.

Question 21

What is an allergen?

Answer 21

An Allergen is something present in foodstuff, such as Nuts, milk or wheat, that can cause an adverse reaction in the consumer.

Question 22

What is an allergic reaction?

Answer 22

An allergic reaction is an immediate & potentially life threatening reaction that occurs when the body’s immune system (which normally works to protect the body)mistakenly recognises harmless food as a threat.

Question 23

What is Anaphylaxis?

Answer 23

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that causes a persons blood pressure to drop & makes it difficult to breathe. Anaphylaxis can be triggered by the smallest trace of an allergen & can have life threatening results if the person is not attended to quickly.

Question 24

What does the term ‘ Food safety management system’ mean?

Answer 24

Food safety management system is a documented procedure that outlines which actions need to be taken by the premises to ensure that food handled there is safe to eat.

Question 25

What does HACCP stand for? And what does it mean?

Answer 25

HACCP - Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point. A food safety management system which aids businesses to identify, evaluate and control the hazards that pose a significant risk to food safety.

Question 26

What is ‘Hazard analysis’?

Answer 26

Hazard analysis is a stage in the HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point) system that involves collecting and evaluating information on all processes and procedures within the business that may pose a risk to food & cause harm to consumers. This includes: BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL & ALLERGENIC HAZARDS.

Question 27

What is Critical Control Point?

Answer 27

Critical control point is a stage in the HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point) process, where it has been identified that controls are needed in order to eliminate or reduce a hazard. A CRITICAL LIMIT is established and if reached, corrective action is guaranteed & implemented.

Question 28

What is the name of a micro organism, such as bacteria or viruses that have the potential to cause illnesses?

Answer 28

The name of micro organisms, such as bacteria or viruses that have the potential to cause illness is PATHOGEN.

Question 29

What do you call something that is present in foodstuff, such as Milk, Nuts or wheat, which is likely to cause the consumer to have an Allergic reaction?

Answer 29

Something present in foodstuff, such as Milk, Nuts or wheat, that is likely to cause the consumer and allergic reaction is called an ALLERGEN

Question 30

What is the name of the process, where bacteria is unintentionally transferred on to the food, from a surface (such as a worktop, equipment, another food or the food handler?

Answer 30

CROSS-CONTAMINATION is the name given to the process where bacteria is unintentionally transferred from a surface (worktop, equipment, food handler or another food) on to food.

Question 31

An illness cause by micro organisms, such as pathogenic bacteria, viruses or parasites, found in contaminated food, is called what?

Answer 31

FOODBORNE ILLNESS is the name of the illness caused by micro organisms. (The Micro organisms use the food as a vehicle to move to humans, where they can multiply)