Topic 3: Food Safety

Question 1

what does it mean when food deteriorates?

Answer 1

starts to decay and lose freshness

Question 2

what are microorganisms?

Answer 2

tiny living things such as bacteria, yeast and moulds which cause food spoilage, only be seen through a microscope

Question 3

what are enzymes?

Answer 3

proteins that speed up chemical reactions

Question 4

what is bacteria?

Answer 4

single-celled organisms present in the air, soil, on animals and humans

Question 5

are all bacteria harmful?

Answer 5

no

Question 6

what is pathogenic bacteria?

Answer 6

harmful bacteria which can cause food poisioning

Question 7

what are high-risk foods?

Answer 7

foods that are the ideal medium for the growth of bacteria or microorganisms

Question 8

how do bacteria divide?

Answer 8

binary fission

Question 9

what conditions can bacteria grow in?

Answer 9

• neutral pH
• more active in the danger zone (5-63ºC)
• can form spores that can lie dormant
• can aerobically and anaerobically

Question 10

are all mould harmful?

Answer 10

no. some can be used by manufacturers to produce specific flavours and textures

Question 11

what can be said about moulds?

Answer 11

• visible to the eye
• reproduce by producing spores
• harmful only when they produce mycotoxins

Question 12

what conditions are needed for mould to grow?

Answer 12

• oxygen
• quickly in moist conditions
• slowly in dry conditions
• food that may be dry, moist, acid, alkaline or has salt or sugar concentration

Question 13

what is food spoilage?

Answer 13

damage to food caused by the natural decay of food by contamination by microorganism

Question 14

what conditions are needed for yeast to grow?

Answer 14

• warm moist conditions with food
• does not need oxygen

Question 15

how can enzymatic browning be reduced?

Answer 15

• high temperatures, blanching vegetables in hot water
• acidic conditions, lemon juice

Question 16

are all bacteria harmful?

Answer 16

no, some used in manufacturing for cheese and yoghurt

Question 17

what visual checks do you need to carry out before buying food?

Answer 17

• food looks fresh
• food is within date of either best before or use by
• packaging is not damaged

Question 18

what is the best before date?

Answer 18

used on low-risk foods, is best quality before date

Question 19

what are low risk foods?

Answer 19

foods that have a long shelf life, such as dried roots

Question 20

what is shelf life?

Answer 20

how long a food product can be kept safely and remain of high quality

Question 21

what is use by date?

Answer 21

used on high-risk foods, should be consumed before date

Question 22

what temperature should a domestic refrigerator be?

Answer 22

between 0-5ºC

Question 23

how do you use your fridge sensibly?

Answer 23

• avoid opening door regularly - warm air enters when you do
• avoid putting in hot food, raises the temperature and fills the inside with steam
• cover food
• maintain a consistent temperature, increase temp could lead to bacterial growth
• keep raw and high risk foods away from other foods, store on bottom shelf

Question 24

what temperature should a domestic freezer be?

Answer 24

-18ºC

Question 25

what happens when food is thawed?

Answer 25

structure of food is damaged and sometimes loss of colour, flavour, texture and nutritional value

Question 26

what should u never do once food is thawed?

Answer 26

refreeze the food as bacteria will grow quickly as the cells have been damaged

Question 27

what is freezer burn?

Answer 27

greyish white marks appear on food when it has been packaged badly. The food dehydrates, and although safe to eat, will change colour, texture and flavour

Question 28

what are the rules for food hygiene?

Answer 28

1) wash hands thoroughly before handling food 2) keep raw and cooked food separate 3) wear clean protective clothing 4) keep all working surfaces and utensils clean 5) cover and cool all foods rapidly and refrigerate it quickly 6) do not put hot food in the refrigerator as it will raise the temp of other foods 7) keep pets away 8) take care of disposal, keep bins covered and wash them regularly

Question 29

what must you do to prevent cross contamination?

Answer 29

- raw and cooked foods from touching each other - blood and juices of raw foods dripping onto other cooked foods - bacteria being transferred during handling and preparation

Question 30

why has there been an increase in cases of food poisoning?

Answer 30

- more people are using microwaves often mean that food is not defrosted or cooked to the correct temperature - increased use of cooked-chill foods which are high risk foods - foods not stored at the correct temperature - food not prepared correctly - poor personal hygiene practices - hot food not kept above 63ºC - not reheating food at the correct temperature

Question 31

what are the causes of food poisoning?

Answer 31

- not thawed properly - preparing food too far in advance - undercooking high-risk foods - not allowing foods to cool before putting them in chill cabinets - 90 mins to chill below 8ºC - not reheating food to correct temperature - keeping hot foods below 63ºC - leaving foods on display at room temperatures for longer than a maximum safe period - not checking temperatures accurately

Question 32

what are the sources of salmonella?

Answer 32

poultry, eggs, meat

Question 33

what are the sources of staphylococcus aureus?

Answer 33

food handlers

Question 34

what are the sources of clostridium perfringens?

Answer 34

raw foods, such as fruit and veg

Question 35

what are the sources of bacillus cereus?

Answer 35

cereals, especially rice

Question 36

what are the sources of campylobacter?

Answer 36

infected animals, birds, unpasteurised milk

Question 37

what are the sources of listeria?

Answer 37

raw, processed or cooked foods

Question 38

what are the sources of E. coli?

Answer 38

cattle, raw meat and raw milk

Question 39

how long should you cook food at 70ºC?

Answer 39

2 minutes

Question 40

how long should you cook food at 75ºC?

Answer 40

30 seconds

Question 41

how long should you cook food at 80ºC?

Answer 41

6 seconds

Question 42

how long should you cook food at 86ºC?

Answer 42

instant reading

Question 43

what are examples of high-risk foods?

Answer 43

raw fish dairy products cooked meat and poultry shellfish and seafood eggs cooked rice

Question 44

what are examples of low-risk foods

Answer 44

high acid content foods high sugar content foods unprocessed raw vegetables sugar based confectionery