Food Safety Management - Research Paper Example

Food Safety Management Part A The controls available to prevent food contamination The controls put in place to prevent food contamination include those related to the supply of food and water. This area is covered under the legislation (EC) No 852/2004 Chap IX, which emphasizes that when the materials used for the processing of food are contaminated, beyond a level that allows for normal sorting, preparation or processing, they should be considered unfit for human consumption (Peariso, 2006, p. 85). The contamination of food materials can be from pathogenic micro-organisms, parasites, toxics, foreign substances or decomposition that exceeds hygienic levels. During the delivery of food, routine checks should be made to check for signs of food damage, presence of pests and contamination – together with the ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date. Upon delivery, food temperature should be checked: frozen foods should be below the temperatures of -12oC and chilled food below 8oc. In relation to the water supply used to prepare food, whether portable or not, should comply with UK’s water legislation. In the area of food storage, the directive (EC) No 852/2004 emphasizes that food ingredients and products should be stored in the appropriate conditions certified to prevent food contamination and deterioration. All forms and types of food storage, including dry, chilled and frozen storage should meet the required temperature, hygiene and the entry of food contaminants, including the pests that infest dry storage areas. In relation to the working and the operations of the kitchens, galleys and messes that serve food to the public, a routine stock turnover should be maintained and ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates should be checked. The storage of the four main food groups, including fresh vegetables and fruits, frozen foods, dry foods and perishable foods, which require varied storage conditions should be checked for food safety (Peariso, 2006, p. 86). The storage of fresh fruits and vegetables, which may be contaminated by soil bacteria, should be stored in separate areas from other foods in a cool storage area with adequate ventilation. The preferred storage area is a refrigerated one, but at a temperature appropriate for the product. In the case of dry foods like floor, cereals and canned foods, they should be stored under well-ventilated and dry conditions, where the ideal temperature is 13oC. Dry foods should be stored on shelves, racks and pallets covering the floors of rooms. Frozen foods should be placed under frozen conditions immediately after delivery, should be consumed within a period of 1 month or the manufacturer’s ‘use by’ dates. Perishable foods should be stored under conditions that inhibit contamination, including refrigeration at 8oC or less and consumed within 48 hours. During the operation and use of food serveries and displays, the appropriate temperatures should be maintained. It is recommended to attach sneeze screens to both cold and hot food displays, in order to minimize the likelihood of food contamination. For hygiene purposes and also avoiding food contamination, the handles of utensils should not come into contact with food, by using utensils with handles that are longer than the food handling containers (Peariso, 2006). Food cross contamination is another area checked to avoid the contamination of food. Cross contamination refers to the process where the pathogens found in raw foods like poultry, meat and vegetables gain contact to prepared food, which is ready to be eaten. The control measures emphasize that ready to eat and raw foods should be stored separately at all times. During the cooking of food, the control measure for contamination is that food should be cooked thoroughly, until the bacteria contained are destroyed (Peariso, 2006). For example, chicken should reach the temperature of 75oC at its thickest areas. The temperature monitoring of food should be done to ensure that it does not go beyond the level that does not inhibit the multiplication of harmful micro-organisms. Personal hygiene is another control for food contamination, and it is emphasized that hand washing, among other hygiene practices should be practiced before and after handling food. The different sources of food contamination The sources of food contaminants are divided into three groups: physical contaminants, chemical contaminants and microbial contaminants. Physical contaminants are the materials that come into contact with food and mix with it. Some may not damage or change the food, but their availability in the mixture can present health hazards for the people that eat the food. For example, the addition of broken glass pieces and metal filings can get inside food without changing it, but the contaminants can injure the consumer of the food when swallowed (Stranks, 2007, p. 141). Other physical contaminants include insects, packaging materials and rodent droppings. Rodent and insect contamination gives rise to two major issues, including that they can consume a large volume of the food that they destroy or eat. The second major threat is that of transferring microbes into the food. For example, flies carry microbes and transfer it to food using their hairy feet. Rodents and insects are also known to destroy the surfaces of food, for example vegetables and fruits, by creating openings that could allow the entry of microbes. The entry of insects and rodents could also leave their fragments and parts inside the food, causing contamination. Chemical contamination often starts with the prevention of other pests and insects using chemical pesticides. The insecticides that contaminate food and food products are those aimed at increasing crop production by reducing insect infestation. Another source of chemical contaminants is herbicides, which are used to control the growth of weeds, in order to foster the health of food crops. In the cases where residues of the pesticides remain inside or on the surface of the food, they enter the food chain and end up as food contaminants. Chemical contaminants also get into food through the water used for the processing and the preparation of food products. The toxic substances that easily get into water supply systems and contaminate food include cadmium, mercury, chloroform, benzene, lead and polychlorinatedbiphenyls. Many of the pollutants that contaminate food from water could come from industrial waste, the leaks of petroleum distribution pipelines, the lead solder used for the sealing of tin cans as well as that found on decanters and glazed ceramic ware (Stranks, 2007, p. 141). Microbial contaminants, unlike chemical and food contaminants, change the food itself, and present health hazards to the consumers of the food. After the undesired changes take place inside the food, it is considered spoilt. The characteristics of spoilt food include changes in flavour, appearance, texture, and odour. Food spoilage is one of the sources of food contamination, which makes it unfit for human consumption, and it takes place after a naturally occurring enzyme or contaminant triggers the deterioration of the food. The microbial organisms that trigger the process of food spoilage, leading to further contamination include mold, fungi and bacteria. In many cases microorganisms and enzymes trigger the chemical processes that cause food spoilage. For example, the softening caused by enzymes can make it simpler for bacteria and molds to infest and feed on food products (Stranks, 2007). One main source of food contamination is the passage of harmful bacteria during the storage or the handling of food and food products. Food preservation methods and their effectiveness Apertisation Apertisation is a preservation method conceived in 1810. It entails the cooking of food for a long period inside airtight containers, by immersing the containers in water, in order to stop the development of the microorganisms contained in the food. This method is highly effective, because the nutritious value of food is preserved and food does not lose its flavour. This method is highly effective for the preservation of fruits and vegetables (Zeuthen and Bogh-Sorensen, 2003, p. 556). Pasteurization Pasteurization entails the heating of a food until the microorganisms die, after exposing the food to temperatures of above 60oc but not above 100oc. This method is highly effective, because it allows the food to keep its nutritious qualities and flavour while at the same time, preserving the vitamin contents of fresh food (Zeuthen and Bogh-Sorensen, 2003, p. 556). Fermenting and Pickling Pickling refers to the biological preservation method that works due to the formation of lactic acid, following the lactic fermentation that takes place. The method is commonly used to preserve vegetables, and it is highly effective because it preserves all the dietary contents of the foods (Zeuthen and Bogh-Sorensen, 2003, p. 556). The picking process entails the storage of the vegetables in barrels, and then adding brine, which stimulates the secretion of the juice that stops the development of bacteria and lactic acid. Freezing Freezing entails the storage of food under temperatures of – 30o and – 40o C for vegetables and fruits; meat is stored under temperatures between – 20 and – 40oC. This method is highly effective, because it allows food to maintain its organoleptic and dietary characteristics. This method is more effective than the others in maintaining the nutrients of the food, including minerals, vitamins, fats and proteins. The disadvantage of the method is that once the food is defrosted, it cannot be preserved again using the method. Smoking Smoking is used for foods like fish, meats, and cheese, inside the smoking room where the smoke of deciduous tree species is confined. This method is less effective, because it does not preserve the fresh flavour of the food, besides introducing a new taste and aroma. Drying Drying is a food preservation method used commercially and in domestic circles. During the process of drying food, its water content is removed, allowing it to protect it against the effects of microorganisms (Zeuthen and Bogh-Sorensen, 2003). The method is less effective than the others, because the foods lose some of its mineral and nutritious contents. Part B: The methods for the safe storage of food In almost any part of the world, important foods cannot be produced all year-round. For that reason, the storage of food during the winter season allows families, societies and commercial parties like factories and manufacturers to store the food supplied for manufactory, further supply or consumption all year-round. Before the discovery of long-distance transport and refrigeration, food storage was very critical to the sustenance of food supply. The importance of safe food storage includes that it allows people and businesses access to healthy and fresh food (McCurdy, Peutz and Wittman, 2009). Food is stored using different techniques, some of which are specific to certain foods and others usable with a variety of foods. The main methods of food storage include dehydration, freezing, cold storage and canning. Freezing Freezing is possibly the vastly used food storage method in use today. Many foods require to be blanched before storage; vegetables are steamed or heated using boiling water, and then submerged in a bath of ice cold water before they are stored under freezing temperatures. The blanching of vegetables before freezing allows the foods to preserve nutrients and colour. The general rule for the blanching of the vegetables is that the intensification of colour indicates readiness of the foods for frozen storage (Costenbader, 2002). However, many vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, onions and many fruits do not need to be blanched. Other foods like the winter squash is cooked first and then frozen. Fresh herbal foods can be first chopped and then frozen using the water from ice-cube trays. When freeze storing tomatoes, they should be cooked into a sauce and then frozen down. During the freezing storage of fruits, it is necessary to dip them inside lemon juice or ascorbic juice before they are frozen, because some types can darken when stored under frozen conditions. Frozen foods will normally last 12 months and in some cases longer. The foods that need to be consumed after a long period, for instance 12 months, should be stored under temperatures of -17oC or below. The storage of food under temperatures of 0oC allows it to remain safe for a shorter period, in many cases 2 - 3 weeks. For example, baked fruit pies can only be stored for about 2 – 3 days under storage temperature of 0oC and for 6 – 8 months under storage temperatures of between -17oC. The refrigeration of these foods stops the development of mold, and the spoilage of the food. It is recommended to always store the frozen foods inside airtight containers, in order to prevent freezer burn and moisture loss. The advantages of freezing include that it retains much of the flavour of the foods, the mineral contents and is simple. The disadvantages of freezing as a food storage method include that it is highly energy-consuming and the food under storage can become spoilt when power supply is lost (Costenbader, 2002). Cold storage In many cases, cold storage requires that fruits are not washed before they are stored, and it is recommended that only damage-free and mature fruits and vegetables get stored under cold storage. When storing apples, the fruits should be stored with the stem in place and they should tree-ripe. The fruits should be kept inside boxes or under shallow baskets. The temperature demands for storage include 32 – 40oF and humidity levels should be maintained at 80-90 percent. When cold storing vegetables like cabbage, only the solid heads should be stored, and after the loose outer leaves are trimmed (McCurdy, Peutz and Wittman, 2009). The heads need to be placed on shelves, or wrapped in newspapers and then stored inside bins or boxes. Due to the fact that they emit a strong odour during storage, it is advisable to store them away from other vegetables and fruits. The temperature requirements for storage are 32 to 40oF under humidity levels of 80 and 90% (Costenbader, 2002). The life of the stored food is between 2 and 4 months. The storage conditions for beets, carrots, garlic, grapes, onions, pears, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, cantaloupes, grapes, squash and turnips are similar, ranging between 32 and 60oF, and humidity conditions ranging between 60 and 90 percent. The duration of storage varies, depending on whether they are fully or partially ripe, and will range between 4 and 6 weeks for the softer fruits and vegetables, and 2 to 6 months for the harder types of fruits and vegetables. Checking the humidity and the temperature levels is critical, and the foods should be stored in cool, dry conditions where there is not much heat or freezing conditions. Canning Canning is the preservation method used for foods like tomato sauces, tomatoes, peppers, salsas, pears and peaches. The method requires a very particular process and the most equipment. It takes two forms, including pressure canning for the low acid foods and water bath-canning for the high acid level foods of 4.6 ph and below. When canning low acid level foods a temperature level of 240oF, in order to kill the food microorganisms. Boiling the jars containing the food for preservation is necessary, in order to kill bacteria. The process requires the use of a pressure canner or large pots, lids and rings, canning jars and jar lifter tongs. It is necessary that you adhere to the safety precautions needed when canning, in order to prevent the contamination of food. Canned foods should be stored under temperature conditions between 50 and 70oF, in dry and dark conditions (Costenbader, 2002). Cupboard storage This storage method takes into account the temperature levels of the storage environment, by requiring the storage to be done in cool cabinets away from the heat generated by heat-producing appliances. This storage method is often used for canned foods and staples, which have a long shelf life; it is recommended that the process is done for the same time specified by the manufacturer of the food (Costenbader, 2002). The foods that are stored for a time longer than that recommended by the manufacturer are likely to change in flavour, colour and quality. It is recommended that the foods to be cupboard stored should be those that are freshly-produced and those that are not damaged in any way. The temperatures maintained in the surroundings of the cupboard stored foods should be as low as possible, and the humidity levels should be dry. Foods like baking soda can be stored for 2 years; bread and rolls can be stored for 3 days (McCurdy, Peutz and Wittman, 2009). The importance of personal hygiene, cleaning, disinfection and pest control in food management systems Hygiene is very important in guaranteeing the safety of the food stored, handled or transported using food management systems. It contributes to food safety by lessening the probability of contamination, food poisoning and cross contamination. Through practicing food hygiene, the people handling, cooking or storing food can inhibit the spread of bacteria from hands, surfaces and food to other foods, which is a major avenue for food poisoning and contamination. Food hygiene plays an important role, in stopping the contact between ready-to-eat food and raw foods, and that inhibits the intake of the bacteria that are contained in the foods that are contained in raw foods (Graves et al., 2012). Through food hygiene, the people handling food stop the spread of the diseases that they can communicate to others, and in some cases start an epidemic. Through food hygiene, the people handling food, especially those cooking it are able to kill the harmful bacteria that cause diseases. Through food hygiene, at risk groups are protected from illnesses and the threat of legal action is diminished. Food hygiene is one of the tools than help food handlers to limit the cases of food spoilage, by limiting the spread of bacteria and toxins. The importance of cleaning to food management systems include that it inhibits the spread and the growth of the pathogenic microorganisms that contaminate food, lessening the possibility that the consumers of food will be harmed. The second importance of cleaning in food management systems include that it reduces the risk of disease communication among the people handling food, including cooks. By cleaning foods and the surfaces where food is handled, the people handling food include that the risk of food poisoning and cross-contamination of foods with allergens is inhibited. The cleaning of food and food handling surfaces helps to inhibit pest infestations, by eliminating the food remains that could attract and sustain pests at food handling areas (Graves et al., 2012). Disinfection refers to the wiping of hard surfaces, including kitchen counters, tables and food containers with a disinfecting solution, in order to eliminate the risk of leaving pathogens and allergens after cleaning. The importance of disinfection include that it reduces the risk of disease transmission between the people handling food and others, especially the consumers of the food (Graves et al., 2012). Through disinfecting different foods and the surfaces that they come into contact with, the people handling food improve its quality and shelf life, by inhibiting the growth or accumulation of microbes on the surfaces of the foods. Through the process of disinfecting, the people handling food are able to improve the suitability and the safety of food, and that reduces the risk of legal action related to the cases arising from food poisoning, including the death of consumers (Graves et al., 2012). Pest control is the process of taking the measures that can help to inhibit the entry and the thriving of pests like cockroaches, mice, rats, birds and flies, through the elimination of the conditions that attract them. The importance of pest control includes that it inhibits the introduction of the bacteria carried by pests, which can contaminate food, cause food spoilage and poisoning and also illnesses (Graves et al., 2012). The second advantage of pest control is that it reduces the risk of the harmful activities of these pests, including the damage they cause on the premises of business or the structure of the place. Thirdly, pest control improves the hygiene of the premises, and that guarantees that cleaned and disinfected surfaces will not be re-infected by their movement and activity. The need for hygienic design of premises and hygiene training The contamination of food and food processing equipment in the past, in some cases was caused by a variety of reasons, one of them being the unhygienic design of equipment and the premises of food handling business. Many of these cases of food poisoning and contamination have ended up with the outbreak of food poisoning, food spoilage and quality drawbacks in food products (Egan et al., 2007). This information leads to the conclusion that some of these cases could have been prevented, by improving the maintenance of the responsible facilities, operating the equipment hygienically and keeping the hygiene of the premises high. In the case where the basic design of the equipment and the premises was to blame for the hygiene and food management drawbacks, it is possible to conclude that the problems would be caused by the negative design of the equipment and the premises. Some of the design characteristics of equipment and premises, which make it difficult to clean parts of a food handling facility, include parts filled with liquid foods, and which are never completely drained. Other design flaws resulting in the same phenomena include corners that cannot be cleaned and food handling surfaces that are in close contact to sources of contamination, like blocked drainage outlets (Egan et al., 2007). Fortunately, strides have been made in improving the hygiene standards of equipment and premises, partly due to the work of institutions like EHEDG (European Hygienic Equipment and Design Group. The importance of the hygienic designs of premises include that many man hours can be saved to correct a problem that could not be corrected in a short time, due to the favourable design of a food handling facility. For example, through the designing of a food production facility that allows for the connection of the drainage systems of pumps and tanks to valves that are located outside – the work of cleaning such valves can be made easier and faster. This conclusion arises from the information that factory valves present the potential of harbouring food contaminating microorganisms, in the cases that they are not cleaned regularly, especially when they are enclosed inside the production area of production plants. The second advantage of designing food handling premises hygienically is that it can make the cleaning, disinfecting and the handling of different food products safer (Egan et al., 2007). For example, by having food handling surfaces that can be easily cleaned, the chances of microbial build up is reduced. Also, by constructing a facility with raw and cooked storage areas that are totally separated, it will be easier to prevent the cross-contamination of food. The importance of hygiene training includes that it equips workers with the knowledge to prevent the contamination of food, and the risk of food poisoning-related diseases, which can led to the closure of a business. Hygiene training also equips workers and business owners with the knowledge needed to meet the legal standards required from the operators of food facilities. The training is likely to increase the satisfaction of customers, because they are less likely to discover lack of hygiene or suffer due to food poisoning, and that improves the credibility of food business and facilities. The training equips workers and business owners with the ability to handle, store and distribute different types of food accordingly, in order to avoid spoilage and spoilage related losses. More importantly, it equips a worker with the knowledge needed to avoid buying infected food or food ingredients (Egan et al., 2007). Food hazard risk assessment Company Name:.......................................... Date of Risk assessment:........................................ The hazards Who could be affected and how? What is already being done? Is there other action needed to control risk? Action by who? Action by When? Done? Food Spillage (facility safety) Customers and staffs can slip due to food and drink spillage *Drip trays and drainage channels are provided *Staffs clean spilled foods or drinks immediately Steps are clearly marked *Repair tiles damaged by dishwasher Manager 27/07/14 11/07/14 *Check that staffs wear footwear with grip Manager 27/07/14 Not yet Food contamination Customers after food poisoning Communication of diseases through food *Staff training on hygiene *Provision of multiple uniforms to avoid wearing dirty clothes *Staffs wear hygiene caps and covers Stick reminders for workers in the kitchen and service areas Facility supervisor 08/07/14 10/07/14 Replace torn work gears Manager 10/07/14 10/07/14 Contact of food with chemicals Disinfection chemicals and Bleach Staff could suffer from eye damage or skin irritation Breathing problems from the vaporised chemical *Marking cleaning products clearly, for example as irritants *Demonstration on ways of using and storing *Storage areas for chemicals and foods are different and labelled Same as the action reported before Manager 11/07/14 10/06/14 Food safety control system The food safety control system will be comprised of five stages: 1) triggers, 2) Food safety investigation 3) Health risk assessment 4) Recall process 5) Follow up. Food safety control system Food safety guide Critical areas to guarantee food safety Food can be contaminated by chemicals, microbial and other physical substances Food should be store separately and in appropriate containers, in order to avoid contamination Staffs are trained and will be re-trained on how to avoid food contamination Premises of food service Food will be served at the public health certified premises managed by the business Outside catering should meet the set food hygiene and safety standards Low-risk of contamination foods include: Cereals Biscuits Carbonated beverages Vegetables High-risk of contamination foods Meats, Dairy products, Eggs and egg-containing foods Ways of food contamination Non-hygienic handling by workers Contamination by chemicals Cross-contamination between raw and cooked food Contamination by unclean or contaminated water Handling contaminated food All contaminated food disposed All food preparation and handling equipment cleaned thoroughly New food prepared and not brought into contact with contaminated food or ingredients Areas to check in order to keep food safe Storage Purchase, transport and reception of food Reheating pre-packaged items Serving and displaying food according to safety standards Reference List Costenbader, C., 2002. The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest. Massachusetts: Storey Books. Egan, M., Raats, M., Grubb, S., Eves, A., Lumbers, M., Dean, M. and Adams, M., 2007. A review of food safety and food hygiene training studies in the commercial sector. Food Control, 18, 1180–1190. Graves, D. E., Suitor, C. W. and Holt, K. A. Eds., 2012. Making Food Healthy and Safe for Children: How to Meet the National Health and Safety Performance Standards— Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd Edition. Arlington, VA: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health. McCurdy, S., Peutz, J. and Wittman, G., 2009. Storing food for Safety and Quality. [E- book]Moscow: University of Idaho. Available through: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/sites/default/files/documents/pnw_612_storingfoodfo rsafetyquality.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2014]. Peariso, D., 2006. Preventing Foreign Material Contamination of Foods. Lowa: Blackwell Publishing. Stranks, J., 2007. The A-Z of Food Safety. London: Thorogood Publishing.141. Bacterial 144 Zeuthen, P., and Bogh-Sorensen, L. Eds., 2003. Food Preservation techniques. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing Limited. Read More