Food Safety Management - Assignment Example

Food Safety Management Table of Contents Task A: Description of the Range of Food Contamination Sources and the Ways to Control and Prevent Them 3 a)A Review of the Controls available to Prevent Food Contamination 3 b) An Analysis of Different Sources of Food Contamination 5 c) An Evaluation of Food Preservation Methods 7 Task B: A Description of the Importance of the Effectiveness of Prevention Systems, Control and Food Management Systems 10 a) Summarising Methods for the Safe Storage of Food, Focusing on Temperature Control System 10 b) Evaluating the Importance of Personal Hygiene, Cleaning, Disinfection and Pest Control Personal Hygiene 13 c) Justification of the Needs and Importance of Hygienic Design of Premises and Hygiene Training 14 d) A Guidance Document Including a Food Hazard Risk Assessment, a Food Safety Control System and a Summary of the Legislation Applicable 16 References 19 Task A: Description of the Range of Food Contamination Sources and the Ways to Control and Prevent Them a) A Review of the Controls available to Prevent Food Contamination Global food safety has emerged as one of the major issues in this modern day context, affecting the health along with the well-being of every societal member at large1. Since the concern of food safety raised several issues, a number of control measures can be apparently identified. The following discussion explores the controls accessible to prevent both physical as well as chemical food contamination. Controls to Prevent Physical Contamination of Food Physical contamination of food emerges due to uncontrollable insertion of varied harmful materials within a particular final product. This may involve range of objects such as broken glass, nails and seeds or pits among others rendering physical injury towards public health. The primary source regarding the issue concerning physical food contamination often includes manufacturing environment or any inadvertent practice of the staff members. In this regard, the identification of raw materials or any harmful extraneous substance present within a final product can be duly considered as one of the primary activities to control physical contamination of food. The control system for physical contamination of food must need to include a set of effective Good Manufacturing Programs (GMPs) in order to identify different harmful substances present within a particular finished food item. Specially mentioning, the companies associated with manufacturing food items are often identified to employ different integrated approaches to control foreign materials that lead towards causing food contamination. Moreover, integration of human inspection is also an essential approach for detection and removal of food contaminants causing injury to public health2. Controls to Prevent Chemical Contamination of Food Much similar to the physical contaminants, chemical contaminants are often related to raw materials, components along with practices of the staff members. Chemical contaminations can be considered as more challenging to detect or completely removing these from manufacturing functions. It has been apparently noted that chemical food contamination generally occurs due to the application of several ingredients, additive materials and colour compounds among others by various food-processing institutions. These elements are often found to cause various types of physical illnesses, affecting the physical conditions of humans at large. In this regard, one of the control mechanisms to prevent chemical food contaminants often requires food allergens. The risk assessment measures used in Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan for recognising microbiological contaminants can also reduce as well as prevent chemical contamination of food items at large3. b) An Analysis of Different Sources of Food Contamination Apparently, a number of potential sources can be determined leading to contaminate food items and cause various sorts of physical illnesses. A few of the major sources of food contamination have been briefly described in the following discussion. Manufacturing Environment Manufacturing environment is one of the primary sources resulting food contamination. The environment of the food processing units may carry number of hazardous physical as well as chemical substances that have the potentiality to cause human illnesses. Specially mentioning, inadequate sanitation or improper maintenance of raw materials and ingredients often cause extensive food contaminant related issues4. Raw Material and Ingredients The raw materials or the ingredients that are used for making varied food items can also be regarded as a major source of food contamination. The raw materials with different types of unusual substances like the presence of soil or harmful pesticides can lead to create major physical injury or illness to the consumers5. Employees or Food Processing Personnel Employees working in the food processing industry can further be recognised as a major source of food contamination. The inadvertent conveyance of germs or substances can lead to contaminate food items that even can cause human illnesses. Moreover, inappropriate training for the personnel regarding the prevention of food contamination is often regarded as a practice, which frequently transfers diverse sorts of harmful substances to the food items and lead to create physical hazards. Nevertheless, the inadequate measures performed by the personnel often leads to carry a number of foreign bodies to the food items and cause major human illnesses. More significantly, the individual behaviour of personnel who might possess any infected germ due to their illness can also be duly considered as a potential source of food contamination6. In addition, there are certain other resources leading towards increased risks of food-spoilage that might cause diverse sorts of human illnesses. In this regard, food-spoilage can be characterised into various types. A few of the major food-spoilage agents include microorganisms such as bacteria, moulds and yeasts among others. Besides, the harmful agents leading to spoil food items, the microbial contaminants and their agents are also identified to severely infect the food items, leading towards causing food contamination at large. c) An Evaluation of Food Preservation Methods According to the modern concept of food safety management, there lay number of approaches to preserve food items that enable to prevent food contamination or spoilage. In this regard, a few of the modern practices or methods of food preservation have been discussed in the following. Canning Method Canning is regarded as one of the most effective approaches to preserve food. This method involves a process of heating and sealing of food items into a hygiene container. The method helps to preserve food for a longer time period in terms of protecting bacterial substances to grow and most vitally lessening their adverse impacts on the food items7. Freezing and Freeze-Drying Method Freezing of food items is also an effective method, which enables in preventing the growth of bacterial substances. The method tends to keep the food items dry and in a considerably low temperature wherein the bacterial substances cannot grow or negatively affect the food items. However, the process cannot be used to remove the infectious substances, rather it is only implemented to preserve food items effectively8. Dehydration Method The method is often considered as a drying process of food items, which enables to prevent various infectious substances. The process of dehydration can be implemented through air moving or heating procedures that keep the food item free from dissimilar sorts of infectious elements9. Irradiation Method This method is regarded as a modern tool for food processing organisations to prevent spoilage and preserve different food items more efficiently. In this method, the food items are exposed and controlled with appropriate radiation level, which helps in destroying microorganisms that are likely to spoil the food items. The method also helps in effectively maintaining chemical make-up of the food items and facilitates to preserve the actual ingredients of the food items10. Task B: A Description of the Importance of the Effectiveness of Prevention Systems, Control and Food Management Systems The effectiveness of prevention systems regarding controlling as well as managing food items can be analysed by taking into concern numerous aspects. In relation to the modernised food preservation system, the prevention methods have been apparently identified to offer a number of beneficial aspects that further helps in lessening food contamination and other major issues causing human illnesses11. a) Summarising Methods for the Safe Storage of Food, Focusing on Temperature Control System With reference to the above discussion, it has been apparently identified that the food storage procedures are more effective in terms of storing foods with the prevention of different contaminated substances. In this regard, the temperature control system is a major factor of preventing various sorts of bacterial substances leading to cause food contamination. In this regard, there exists number of key steps that might facilitate effective storing of food items and prevent different contaminant substances12. Key Steps in Temperature Control System Temperature control system plays a pivotal role in protecting food items from a number of harmful substances. An effective practice of temperature control system includes a few of the major key steps that aid in effectively preserving food items by protecting contaminated elements. These steps have been discussed hereunder. Step 1: At the incoming stage of raw materials, the chilled food items ought to be accepted/transported at a temperature of minimum 50 C. In the context of frozen foods, these items must be transported or accepted at a specified degree of temperature, for instance, a minimum of 180 C. Step 2: The temperature control system should maintain a specific degree of temperature such as 50 C for the chilled and 180 C for the frozen food items. Step 3: At the preparation stage, the cooked or food items that are ready to consume must be refrigerated until the temperature level it is required to be maintained and preparing or handling the food items without any delay. In this stage, it is also important to defrost the food items in a refrigerator prior to cooking. Step 4. The cooking procedure of the food items should be focused on maintaining appropriate level of heat in accordance with the required temperature. Step 5: This step involves a cooling method wherein the cooked foods ought to be cooled prior to storing in a refrigerator. In this similar context, the cooked foods should be stored in a shallow container with a minimum quantity13. Summarising Methods for Safe Storage of Foods With regard to the aforesaid steps associated with temperature control system, the method helps to protect the food items from different external bacteria or any harmful substance. The process of cooling food items in the storage process helps to maintain the same with preventing the germs that can contaminate those food items. It is worth mentioning that maintaining appropriate or specified level of temperature also enables protecting food items from different external contaminants leading to food-spoilage14. b) Evaluating the Importance of Personal Hygiene, Cleaning, Disinfection and Pest Control Personal Hygiene Personal hygiene can be duly considered as a primary and a most effective method in controlling the issue of food contamination. An effective practice of personal hygiene encompasses a wide range of aspects such as personal illness, behavioural characteristics and foreign bodies. The practice can result in establishing a hygiene environment especially in the food processing operations for the prevention of food contamination. The practice of maintaining a set of effective personal hygiene principles in the food processing units can also enable the staff members to reduce different issues associated with the quality and taste of each food item15. Importance of Cleaning and Disinfection Methods Cleaning of the surfaces wherein the food items remain contact can be regarded as one of the essential practices for lessening or preventing food-spoilage and contamination of food items. This aids in preserving a hygiene environment in terms of eliminating bacterial substances from the food surface areas. The use of effective chemical solutions in the disinfection methods in the food processing operational areas also ensures protecting food items to remain in contact with various sorts of contamination substances. Pest Control Method An effective practice of pest control technique critically inspects the overall management process, which ensures prevention of food contamination issue. It also ensures to maintain the level of efficacy regarding each food management function, which is conducted to prevent food contamination. However, the mechanism of pest control in food processing units involves a number of problems. For instance, pest infestation often results in food adulteration, which can create the problem of product loss16. c) Justification of the Needs and Importance of Hygienic Design of Premises and Hygiene Training The hygienic design of the premises and hygiene training operations often play an essential role for the food processing units in developing the infrastructures including the storage area, food processing units and surface area among others. The above discussed aspects also aid in enhancing the quality of the varied food items and preserving hygienic environment, that can protect the food items to remain contact with the harmful elements. In addition, training associated with different hygiene factors can substantially reduce the issue associated with food contamination causing human illnesses. The practice of an effective hygiene training can ensure enhancing the quality of the food products and preventing the issue associated with food-spoilage or contamination by a certain extent17. d) A Guidance Document Including a Food Hazard Risk Assessment, a Food Safety Control System and a Summary of the Legislation Applicable Food Hazard Risk Assessment18 Food Hazards Likelihood Level Danger to Consumer Physical Glass (Low) Metal (Medium) Foreign Bodies (Moderate) High Chemical Cleaning Agents (Low) Pesticides (Low) Machinery oils or other chemical substances (Low) Medium Microbiological All biological agents such as Escherichia coli (Medium) Salmonella (Medium) Bacterial substance (Low) High Food Safety Control System19 A Food Safety Guide for Legislation Compliance The development of an effective set of enforceable laws associated with food safety can be duly considered as one of the essential factors for the institutions in the modern food control system. In relation to ensure adequate compliance with the food safety guide, the legislation should focus on incorporating the following aspects. Ensuring high protection of human health Making sure to provide a clear description about the escalation of legal security along with consistency Focusing on maintaining adequate quality, transparency, reliability and effective scientific advice regarding risk assessment and management functions Implementing adequate provisions regarding consumers’ rights in terms of accessing adequate information20. References Atkins, S., 2012. An Integrated Approach to Food Quality and Safety: A Case Study in the Cookie Industry. Food Safety Magazine. [Online] Available at: http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana/downloads/curriculum/SectionII/Unit3/3.C.MeaaiaFoodScience/3.C.3.FoodPreservationMethods.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. Center on Disability Studies, 2009. Food Preservation Methods. Modern Preservation Methods. [Online] Available at: http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana/downloads/curriculum/SectionII/Unit3/3.C.MeaaiaFoodScience/3.C.3.FoodPreservationMethods.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, 2009. Pest Control Procedures in the Food Industry. Introduction. [Online] Available at: http://www.sofht.co.uk/members/documents/CIEH%20-%20NPAP%20Pest%20Control%20Procedures%20in%20the%20Food%20Industry.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. . Keener, L., 2001. Chemical and Physical Hazards: The “Other” Food Safety Risks. State of the Art Operations. [Online] Available at: http://www.foodsafetyprofessionals.com/keenerhazards.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. RetailSafe, 2006. House Rules Hot & Cold Temperature Control. For Retail Businesses Using Retailsafe and Handling Both Hot And Cold Food. [Online] Available at: http://multimedia.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/rshrhotandcold.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc, No Date. Food Safety: Sources of Contamination. Chapter 18, pp. 406-431. World Health Organisation, No Date. Assuring Food Safety and Quality: Guidelines for Strengthening National Food Control Systems. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. [online] Available at: http://www.wpro.who.int/foodsafety/documents/docs/English_Guidelines_Food_control.pdf [Accessed June 10, 2014]. Read More