Microbial and Hygiene

Question 1

Microbial growth and food poisoning: Time

Answer 1

In ideal conditions, one bacterium can multiply to more than two million in seven hours.

Question 2

Microbial growth and food poisoning: Temperature

Answer 2

Food poisoning bacteria grow best in the temperature range between 5 °C and 60 °C.

Question 3

What are the three main groups of microorganisms that are related to food spoilage?

Answer 3

Bacteria, yeasts and moulds.

Question 4

What are most cases of food poisoning caused by?

Answer 4

Most cases of food poisoning are caused by pathogenic (or bad) bacteria or viruses in food.

Question 5

What does the acronym FAT TOM stand for?

Answer 5

Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen and Moisture.
It is an acronym used in the food industry to identify the six conditions required for the growth of microorganisms that cause food poisoning.

Question 6

Personal and environmental hygiene

Answer 6

Wash hands and store foods correctly.
The cross-contamination of food can occur when bacteria spread from raw food onto ready-to-eat foods. The ready-to-eat foods will not have any more cooking and so the bacteria transferred will not be destroyed.

Question 7

Safety by law in the kitchen and environmental hygiene

Answer 7

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is used in the food industry to detect possible food safety hazards so that strategic actions can be taken to decrease or remove the risk of the hazards.