Food Safety and the Law

As food safety is so important to everyone, you as food handlers have legal, ethical and economic responsibility to keep food safe to eat. Rules cover the handling of food have existed for centuries, in modern times, laws have been developed to cover every aspect of the handling and sales of food. General speaking the legislation aims to protect consumers from illness and injury by requiring food to be wholesome and fit to eat.

The approach to food safety required by law is to anticipate food safety problems before they actually occur, and take appropriate steps to prevent them, there is a recognized system, known as HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point). There is also a legal requirement for companies working with food to take every reasonable care in all food safety issues. This can usually be achieved by following good working practices.

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Keywords for Food Safety

·       Contaminated Food – Food that could be harmful to health because it contains something that should not be there.

·       Food – Anything that people normally eat or drink, including ice and alcohol.

·       Food Handler – Anyone whose work involves food or whose work involves food, or whose actions or inaction could affect food safety.

·       Food Poisoning – A general term for an illness caused by eating contaminated food.

·       Food Safety – The protecting of consumer health & well being by safe guarding food from anything that could cause harm to the consumer.

·       Food Risk – The Likelihood that harm will be caused and it’s severity.

Importance of Food Safety

Food safety protects consumers’ health and will being by safeguarding food from anything that could harm. High standard of food safety enables everyone to enjoy their food without illness, injury or other problems. But poor standards can lead to all kind of harm and even death. This food safety program looks at the impacts of illness caused by food and introduces the part that the food handlers play in food safety.

Cleaning Program

Remove germs that cause food poisoning. Dirt and dust build up can be a home to germs and attract flies and other insects.

·       Dirt and dust build up can be removed by cleaning

·       Clean your catering facility and equipment thoroughly

·       Use a detergent to remove dirt and dust

·       Use a sanitizer to kill germs

If you don’t use both, then you are not cleaning properly. Always follow these steps to keep your catering facility clean. CLEAN AS YOU GO is a good motto. Remember at all times when using chemicals to clean you must wear gloves

When to clean?

Make a cleaning roster and keep it on display. Tick off the jobs as you do them. This way you cannot forget to clean.

How to Use Cleaning Equipment

Brooms and mops:

A flat or hairless (no bristles) broom makes cleaning hard and you will leave dirt behind.

·       Store brooms head (bristles) up to dry. The bristles will stay soft and make cleaning easier

·       Empty mop bucket water in the outside drain, not in the sink or the basin

·       Replace brooms and mops regularly

Cleaning cloths:  

These spread germs easily. They trap dirt and food, are normally wet, are kept at room temperature all day and are used for many jobs.

·       Always use a clean, dry cloth

·       Sanitize cloths at least daily.

·       Single use cloths or paper towels should be used

·       Paper towels are best because they are used once then thrown away

·       Use paper towels for wiping the tables after sanitizing solution has been applied

·       Use paper towels for wiping up spillages

Wash with a detergent then sanitize

Detergent:

A detergent is a chemical that helps to loosen dirt and food by breaking down fats and grease. It can be easily mixed with hot water.

Always read the label of the detergent container and follow the instructions sanitizer:

·       A sanitizer is a chemical that lowers germs numbers to a safe level after a detergent has been used

·       Sanitizers are recommended for use benches and other work surfaces

·       Read the label of the sanitizer and follow the instruction.

·       Allow the washed area to air dry

Cleaning Equipment

Keep your premises clean to help stop poisoning by caring for your cleaning equipment, using the right cleaning equipment and cleaning properly.

CARING FOR YOUR CLEANING EQUIPMENT

·       Look after your cleaning equipment – it won’t work if it’s worn out.

·       Store all cleaning equipment away from food

CLEANING HAS THREE STEPS:

·       Loosen the dirt and dust build ups

·       Wash with a detergent, then sanitize

·       Allow to dry

How to Use PPE?

Gloves

·       Change gloves and wash your hands before handling raw and cooked food

·       Change gloves as often as you would wash your hands

·       Wearing gloves correctly needs constant reinforcement

Aprons & overalls

·       Wear clean protective clothing daily

·       Change into protective clothing after arriving to work

·       Remove protective clothing before going out side, do not smoke or use the toilet whilst wearing protective clothing

Head Cover

Why wear a hat?

Hats should be worn to prevent food contamination. Bacteria that lives on hair and scalp, as well as dandruff, dust, perspiration collected in the hair and the hair itself all can cause bacteria and psychical contamination.

Hats:

·       Prevent food handlers from directly touching hair and scalp with fingers, and passing bacteria from the hair to the food

·       Prevents dandruff and hairs from falling into the food or onto utensils and work surface

·       Protect food handler’s hair from flames, smells, grease and steam

·       It promotes a positive image to the customer

Kinds of hair covering

·       Hats with hair nets attached

·       Baseball style hats which contain all of the hair

·       Disposable hats

·       Hair nets

Good Practice of Using PPE

Good practice PPE should be:

· Clean

· Washable

· Light colored

· No external pockets

Prior to putting on any protective clothing you must wash your hands.

When washing hands:

· Use the hand basin, not the sink

· Use liquid antibacterial soap

· Remember to wash the backs of your hands, your wrists and between your fingers

· Avoid using cloths as they are usually full of germs

· Throw paper towel in the bin after use

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Why wear protective clothing?

Bacteria can be transferred from plants, soil, pets, and people ete…onto your clothes and then brought into the catering facility. By putting on clean protective clothing when you get into work, you can reduce the number of harmful bacteria being brought back into the catering facility. Remember protective clothing is designed to protect the food from you, not the other way around.

Storage of Food

Germs and pests can line and grow in stored food.

Check your dry food stock regularly to ensure that:

· It has not passed its ‘use by’ date (if it has, remove it from the catering area)

· It is stored in the correct conditions as shown on the label.

· The package is not broken

· It is not in a dented or rusted can (damaged cans my have tiny holes that let germs in)

· All dry foods are stored on clean, dry shelves, not on the floor

Chilled and frozen food

At all times make sure that:

· It has not passed its ‘use by’ date ( if it has, remove it from the catering areal)

· Meat, dairy and fruit and vegetables are kept segregated

· All foods are properly stored, free of ice accumulation

· Chilled food is kept below 5˚C

· Frozen food is kept below -18˚C

Food and Bacteria

Germs get into your catering facility on:

· Food you receive in the catering facility

· Raw food

· Equipment

· Store foods

· Your hands and clothes

· Flies and Vermin

When your food is delivered:

· Record the time and date it arrived

· Don’t let food sit outside

· Ensure that cold foods are cold (use a thermometer to check that the food is below 5˚C) and frozen foods are hard frozen (at least -16˚C)

· Check that the packaging is intact and clean

· Record and remove damaged items from the catering facility.

Handling Food

Germs move easily. You can stop this with good food handling.

· Wash your hands before and after handling food

· Keep different food categories separate

· Handle all fruit and vegetables in a safe manner

Equipment

Germs can hide in cracked or chipped equipment that is used for food handling or storage. Regularly clean the catering facility equipment.

Food Handling/Food Storage

Germs need time to multiply, and temperature. Germs are everywhere, especially on your skin and in the air. Some germs are used to make foods such as beer, wine, yoghurt and cheese, but other germs can make you sick.

You as a food handler can keep these germs out of food and prevent food poisoning by removing at least one need:

1.FOOD AND MOISTURE

2.TIME TO MULTIPLY

3.TEMPERATURE

Germs love high risks food such as meat, fish, milk, eggs and cream.

FOOD AND MOISTURE

High risk foods include:

· Soup

· Seafood

· Sandwiches

· Sandwiches

· Cold meat

· Poultry

TIME TO MULTIPLY

· At room temperature germs will double in number every 10 to 20 minutes. Never leave high risk food at room temperature.

TEMPERATURE

· Germs multiply best at body temperature (37.5˚C)

· Germs also grow well at room temperature (20˚C)

· Chiller temperature (below 5˚C) will slow growth of germs

· Freezer temperature(below -18˚C) will stop the growth of germs

Food poisoning can be prevented by taking care when receiving, storing and handling. Care handling keeps food safe and makes it last longer. Keep food out of danger zone.

Conditions for Bacteria Growth

It is essential to understand the conditions that enable bacteria to multiply to levels that cause food poisoning; they are a combination of four main requirements.

· Food

· Moisture

· Warmth

· Time

Food

Like all living things bacteria needs nutrients. Although different types of pathogens can live on a range of foods, most prefer something that is both moist and high in protein, such a those listed above. These foods support bacterial growth even after they are cooked thoroughly and served cold later.

Moisture

Pathogenic bacteria need moisture to stay alive; they can not multiply on dried foods. However as soon as liquid is introduced to foods, such as dried eggs and powder milk, the reconstituted products provide ideal conditions for bacterial growth. In contrast, quantities of salt or sugar (in food such as savory biscuits and bacon, confectionary and jam) absorb the available moisture in the food, making it harder for bacteria to multiply.

Temperature

Most pathogenic bacteria multiply at between 5˚C and 63˚C. This range of temperatures is therefore called the danger zone. Ambient temperatures (room temperatures) are generally within the danger zone. The ideal temperature for growth is about 37˚C, which is also the average body temperature. At temperature colder than 5˚C most bacterial multiplication slows down or stops altogether. This is why refrigerators should be at 5˚C or colder. Even so most bacteria will survive cool temperatures and resume multiplication when conditions return to normal. Freezing makes most bacteria dormant (inactive), but they may not kill them. When frozen food is thawed away any surviving bacteria can start multiplying again. Cooking at high temperatures kill most bacteria, providing that the food is cooked long enough, as a guide food needs to be cooked at 75˚C for a minimum of two minutes, right though to the centre or thickest part of the product.

Time

Bacteria need time in the right conditions to be able to multiply. When these conditions are right they only need about 10 – 20 minutes to do so. One bacteria splits into two, then two becomes four, and four becomes eight and so on, it will not take long for there to be enough bacteria to cause food poisoning.

Other bacterial requirements

Levels of acidity can affect multiplication; vinegar has traditionally been used to preserve food by pickling. The presence of lack of oxygen also effects the multiplication.

Aerobes: - need oxygen to multiply

Anaerobes: - don’t need oxygen to multiply

Typical High Risk Foods/High Protein Foods

High risk foods are full of protein and can be of animal or plant; they may be raw or have been cooked at an earlier stage, so that they can be eaten cold or reheated just before consumption. The main high risk foods are:

· Cooked meat and cooked poultry

· Cooked meat products – such as gravies, stews, and soups made with meat or meat stock

· Meat or fish pates and spreads

· Milk and eggs, and uncooked and lightly cooked dishes made with them – such as mayonnaise, hollandaise sauces and mousses

· Shell fish and seafood – including prawns, shrimps, mussels, oysters, crab, lobster and scampi

· Cooked rice

· Soft cheese

· Prepared/pre – packed salads and vegetables

High Risk Foods

Some products, described as high – risk foods are more likely to cause food poisoning than others. This is because they help to provide the ideal condition for bacterial multiplication to levels that cause illness.

Identifying the risk

Food handlers need to recognize high risk foods so that they can take all necessary steps to prevent them causing illness. There are three important things to remember

High risk foods:

· Are ready to eat

· Help provide the ideal condition for bacterial multiplication

· Require strict time and temperature control

Ready to eat foods

Most high risk foods are ready for eating. As the name suggest, ready to eat foods can be eaten straight away, without extra preparation (such as additional washing or full cooking) that would destroy pathogens just before the food is eaten.

Food & moisture

Most high risk foods are also moist and full of protein. These are conditions that favor bacterial multiplication when food spends enough time in a warm environment.

Time & temperature control

As most high risk foods are moist and full of protein, food handlers must ensure that these foods spends as short a time as possible in warm conditions. This time & temperature control is a major step to prevent poisoning.

How to Control Pest

Deny pest access to the catering facility

· Use reputable suppliers and inspect deliveries

· Screen windows and vents

· Fill holes around pipes

· Seal cracks in floors and walls

· Seal spaces around equipment

Deny pest food and shelter

· Dispose of garbage quickly and properly

· Properly store all food and supplies quickly

· Clean an sanitize the facility thoroughly

Fly control

Keep flies and flying insects out of the catering facility with:

· Fly screens over windows and doors

· Self closing doors

· Cover all food

· Keep the area around the catering facility clean

· Ensure all waste products are disposed of in the correct bin

· Eliminate all strong odors

· Make sure all bins have a tight fitting lid

Rodent control

Look for the signs, droppings and entry holes in the catering facility. Most rodent activity will take place at night; a daily cleaning program will assist the detection of rodent infestation.

Rodent will enter through:

· Poorly fitted doors

· Open windows and doors without fly screens

· Holes in the floor or walls

· Broken plumbing

Rodents need to drink lots of water, make sure:

· Taps are not dripping

· Water is not left in the sink or a bucket over night

Roach control

The most common roach found in the catering facility is the ‘German’ cockroach. The larger ‘Australian’ and ‘American’ cockroaches are usually found around the rubbish area, toilet and grease traps.

· Seal all cracks no matter how small or how high, (remember – roaches can walk along your ceiling)

· Remove dirt and food from drains

· Remove all rubbish from the catering facility

· Empty all bins regularly

· Remove cardboard boxes

· Do not leave food out over night

Pest control contractors should be used to assess the requirements for chemical, electrical or manual traps. These can be:

· Fly zappers

· Bait boxes

· Glue pads

· Chemical spray

Kinds of Pest in the Food Industry

· Rodents (rats & mice)

· Flies & Insects

· Birds

· Any other animal that enters a food room

Signs of an infestation

· Droppings

· Footprints in dust

· Gnaw marks and damages

· Smear marks from fur

· Holes and nesting sites

· Rat runs in undergrowth

· The animals themselves either dead or alive

Signs of a roach infestation

· Strong oily odor

· Droppings similar to grains of pepper

· Capsule – shaped egg cases

Signs of rodent infestation

· Droppings

· Signs of gnawing

· Tracks

· Nesting materials

· Holes

Signs of a fly infestation

· Bodies of insects

· Live insects

· Excreta (small splashes/smears on surfaces

· Webbing

· Nests

· Droning or buzzing

· Maggots and pupae