food safety Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are the 9 Common causes of Food Poisoning
Preparing food too far in advance and storing at room temperature
Cooling food too slowly
Not reheating food to high enough temperatures
Buying food from unreliable suppliers
Undercooking food
Not thawing food thoroughly
Cross-contamination
Storing food in the danger zone (5-63ºC)
Unhygienic food handlers
4 ways food can be contaminated
Chemical: Such as pesticides and cleaning chemicals
Microbiological: Such as bacterial, moulds, viruses and parasites
Allergenic: Such as peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and shellfish
Physical: Such as glass, fingernails, packaging and hair
What is bacteria?
Bacteria are microscopic organisms which are commonly referred to as ‘GERMS’. They are found everywhere, including on and in people, on food, in water, soil and air.
Some are good for us, and some are bad!
What are the signs of food spoilage?
Odour – break down of proteins (rotten egg smell)
Sourness – production of acid, sour milk
Gas Formation –swollen packaging
Sliminess – tissue breakdown
Discolouration – green/blue moulds on foods like bread, fruits and vegetables.
What is a pathogen?
As well as bacteria that cause food spoilage, there are bacteria that have no effect on food and therefore cannot be detected easily.
These are known as PATHOGENS.
What is Mould
Mould is tiny fungi which grow from spores found in the air
Settle on food products and multiply
When visible, food is described as ‘mouldy’
Causes food spoilage
What is Lactose Intolerance?
if a person is lactose intolerant they can’t digest lactose as they don’t produce lactase an enzyme
What food products contain lactose?
Milk, milkshakes and other milk-based beverages
Whipping cream and coffee creamer
Ice cream
Cheese
Butter
Puddings, custards
Cream soups, cream sauces
Foods made with milk
Can you identify alternatives to cow’s milk for a lactose intolerant customer?
Lactose free milk, Soy milk
Rice milk, Almond milk,Cashew milk, Coconut milk
What is the issue for sufferers of Coeliac Disease/ Gluten Intolerance?
They can’t digest gluten.
What are the problem ingredients for sufferers of Coeliac Disease/ Gluten Intolerance??
Flours, Pasta, Bread, Cereal, Some alcoholic drinks
Under the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene Regulations (1995) what should food premises have/be?
Food premises must:
Be well maintained.
Be regularly cleaned.
Have lockers for employees.
Have hand-wash facilities provided.
Have clean cloakroom and toilet facilities.
Have first aid available.
Have clean storage areas.
Have temperature-control fridges and freezers.
Have equipment that is clean and in good working order.
Be free from pets, pests, etc.
The Food Safety Act (1990) gives Environmental Health Officers the power to:
Enter any food premises
Inspect food
Take samples of food away for analysis
Confiscate any food they judge to be unfit
Issue ‘improvement notices’ to food businesses
Close premises down
Under the Food Labelling Regulations (1996) what MUST be on a label?
manufacturer’s name and contact details
name of the product
description of the product
weight (some foods are exempt, for example bread)
ingredients (listed in descending order of weight)
cooking/heating instructions
storage instructions
shelf life
place of origin
allergy information
What are the visible and non visible signs of food poisoning
Visible: Vomiting, Diarrhoea
Non visible: headaches, fever, nausea, abdominal pain and cramps
