Food Safety and the Food Supply Chain

Food safety

The safeguarding (protection or preservation) of food from anything that could harm human health.

Food hygiene

All the practical measures involved in keeping food safe to eat and wholesome through all stages of handling.

Contamination

The transference of any objectionable harmful substance or material to food. Contamination may be microbial, physical, chemical or allergenic occurring directly or by cross contamination.

Food safety managment system.

Written procedures that demonstrate what actions the food business operator takes to ensure that food is safe to eat.

Groups at risk of foodborne illness

Elderly, babies/young children, immunocompromised, pregnant/nursing.

Factors affecting food safety - human.

Increases in international trading, travel and tourism, resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.

Factors affecting food safety - trade

Increased complexity of food types and geographical sources. Intensification of agriculture, changes to food handling patterns, new processing methods.

Microbiological contamination

Infectious bacteria’s, toxin producing organisms, yeasts and moulds.

Chemical contamination

Veterinary drug residues, additives, pesticides, cleaning materials.

Physical contamination

Metal, glass, hair, jewellery, dead insects.

Allergenic contamination

Eggs, nuts, milk, wheat, fish.

Sources of microbiological contamination

Raw food, people, equipment, air, dust and soil.

Control of microbiological contamination.

Prevention of contamination e.g., bacterial multiplication - destroy bacteria. Removing contaminated food from the supply chain.

Sources of chemical contamination

Pesticides, cleaning chemicals, additives, soaps, machine oils.

Control of chemical contamination.

Regulation, audit, storage labelling.

Sources of physical contamination

People, packaging, pests.

Control of physical contamination

Inspection of raw materials, x rays, filtering liquids and sieving powders.

Define allergic reactions

An identifiable, immunological response to certain foods or food additives.

Symptoms mild-severe-life threatening

Mild - tingling, itching, localised rash, Severe - difficulty breathing and swallowing, Life threatening - anaphylactic shock.

Control of major allergens

14 total, audit supplies, use reputable suppliers, product recall, specialised allergen training.

Contamination - sources

Humans, raw food, insects, animals, rodents, environment, dust and soil.

Contamination - mobile

Hands, equipment, clothes

Contamination - high risk foods

Hands, equipment clothes

Contamination - stationary

Food or hand contact surfaces

Food borne illness - defenition

Defined as any disease usually infectious or toxic in nature caused by agents that enter the body through ingestion.

At risk groups of food borne illness

Children, babies, elderly, immunocompromised, pregnant/breastfeeding.

Food poisoning

Occurs within 1-36 hours of eating contaminated food. Symptoms last for 1-7 including vomiting and nausea. Known organisms include Salmonella spp. E. coli, Bacillus cereus etc.

Food borne diseases

Wide spectrum of illnesses spread via food. Small numbers of bacteria required and multiplication within the food is not deemed necessary. E.g., listeriosis, typhoid, dysentery, tuberculosis.

Reasons why food poisoning may occur

Food prepared too far in advance and stored in the danger zone. Undercooking, poor thawing, incorrect use of leftovers.

Causes of food poisoning by contaminants.

Bacteria and toxins, viruses, chemicals such as insecticides. Metals e.g., lead, copper and mercury.

Prevention of food poisoning

Dosen’t just happen - it is caused. Prevent food from contamination, prevent bacterial multiplication, destroy bacteria present.