Home > Intermediate Food Hygiene

Aims

• Foundation of good hygiene practice
• Improve food handling
• Improve understanding of HACCP and its
• application
• Reduce levels of food poisoning
• Have an enjoyable course

What we need to know?

• Bacteriology
• Bacterial Food Poisoning
• Non-bacterial Food Poisoning
• Contamination of Food and its Prevention
• Food storage, Temperature Control, Food
• Preparation and Processing
• Food Preservation
• Personal Hygiene
• Cleaning and Disinfecting
• Pest Control
• Design and Construction of Food Premises and Equipment

General Introduction to Food Hygiene:

The definition of food hygiene is

• The prevention of food poisoning and premature spoilage of the food.

The cost of food poisoning and poor hygiene

• Loss of working days / productivity
• Possible closure
• Loss of business reputation
• Possible fines and costs of legal action
• Possible civil action by affected
• Persons
• Loss of food stock due to
• contamination or infestation
• Higher staff turnover
• increase in insurance premium

Food Poisoning:

A UK Advisory Committee stated that Food Poisoning is:

Any disease of an infectious or toxic nature caused by or thought to be caused by the consumption of food and water.

Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning

• Stomach pains
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Fever
• Death

Causes of food poisoning

• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Poisonous Plants and Fish
• Chemicals
• Metals

Viruses

Only grow in a living cell. Found commonly in shellfish, due to their culture in sewage water. They are very small and can only be seen under an electron microscope. They remain infectious in chilled or frozen foods.

Plants

• Toad stools
• Deadly Nightshade
• Red kidney beans
• Rhubarb leaves
• Poisonous fungi

Chemicals

• Herbicides
• Pesticides
• Fungicides
• Cleaning materials
• Food additives

Metals

• Cadmium
• Copper
• Zinc
• Lead
• Tin and iron
• Mercury

Food Intolerance and Allergy:

• Unusual sensitivity to food which is harmless to most people.
• They can kill
• Cause a reaction called anaphylaxis
• Symptoms may include swelling of throat and mouth making breathing difficult
• Common foods are peanuts, shellfish and sesame seeds.
• A minute amount can trigger a reaction

BACTERIA

• Microscopic (1 -3 microns )
• Single celled
• Found everywhere
• Mostly harmless some essential
• Some cause illness called pathogens
• Poor hygiene may lead to large numbers in food

Bacteriology

Bacteria are essential to life, often referred to as germs they are found everywhere, including on and in man. However, two types create problems in the food industry.

• Spoilage bacteria
• Pathogenic bacteria

Factors influencing bacterial growth

• Nutrients
• Temperature
• Moisture
• Time
• Oxygen
• pH

High Risk Foods:

Foods involved in Bacterial Food Poisoning:

Foods which are moist and have a high protein content. They are also intended for consumption without further cooking

Examples of High-Risk Foods

• Cooked meat and poultry
• Meat products e.g. gravy and stock
• Dairy products
• Egg dishes
• Fish and shellfish
• Cooked rice

Source and Prevention:

• Hands
  • Regular washing with bacterial soap
• Body
  • Good Personal Hygiene
• Chopping Boards
  • Separate boards, colour coded and easy to clean
• Storage
  • Separate raw foods from cooked
• Airborne
  • Covering all food
• Utensils
  • Separate and kept clean
• Preparation Surfaces
  • Suitable material and use of sanitizer
• Pests
  • Pest control contract
• Refuse Area
  • Cleaned regularly and washing of hands after use
• Chefs Cloth
  • only used for hot foods

How to Establish A Supplier Safety Assurance?

• Supplier auditing
• Recognized certificates of conformity
• Agreed ingredient – product
• Specifications
• Taking samples regularly

For more information, please Chat with us Ask The Expert.