Food safety (or food hygiene) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. The occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food is known as a food-borne disease outbreak.
Food hygiene refers to the practice of food manufacturing business applies to safeguard public health from any risks of foodborne illnesses that can be caused by bacterial contamination. Particularly, food hygiene deals with the biological aspect of keeping food safe.
This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potential health hazards. In this way, food safety often overlaps with food defense to prevent harm to consumers. The tracks within this line of thought are safety between industry and the market and then between the market and the consumer. In considering industry-to-market practices, food safety considerations include the origins of food including the practices relating to food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, as well as policies on biotechnology and food and guidelines for the management of governmental import and export inspection and certification systems for foods. In considering market-to-consumer practices, the usual thought is that food ought to be safe in the market and the concern is safe delivery and preparation of the food for the consumer. Food safety, nutrition and food security are closely related. Unhealthy food creates a cycle of disease and malnutrition that affects infants and adults as well.
Food can transmit pathogens, which can result in the illness or death of the person or other animals. The main types of pathogens are bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus. The WHO Foodborne Disease Epidemiology Reference Group conducted the only study that solely and comprehensively focused on the global health burden of foodborne diseases. This study, which involved the work of over 60 experts for a decade, is the most comprehensive guide to the health burden of foodborne diseases. The first part of the study revealed that 31 foodborne hazards considered priority accounted for roughly 420,000 deaths in LMIC and posed a burden of about 33 million disability adjusted life years in 2010. Food can also serve as a growth and reproductive medium for pathogens. In developed countries there are intricate standards for food preparation, whereas in lesser developed countries there are fewer standards and less enforcement of those standards. Even so, in the US, in 1999, 5,000 deaths per year were related to foodborne pathogens. Another main issue is simply the availability of adequate safe water, which is usually a critical item in the spreading of diseases. In theory, food poisoning is 100% preventable. However, this cannot be achieved due to the number of persons involved in the supply chain, as well as the fact that pathogens can be introduced into foods no matter how many precautions are taken.
TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION
Food manufacturers must do everything possible to avoid contamination and produce safe products, knowing the dramatic consequences if they don’t. There are four types of food contamination: Physical, Biological, Chemical and Allergenic Contamination.
1 Allergenic Food Contamination: occurs when a food that causes an allergic reaction comes into contact with another food. For example, if the same knife used to cut normal bread is then used to cut gluten-free bread, or if pasta is stored in a tub that used to contain peanuts. There are a number of actions you can take to prevent cross-contamination with allergens. These include: cleaning utensils before each usage, especially if they were used to prepare meals containing allergens. washing hands thoroughly between preparing dishes with and without certain allergens.
2 Physical Food Contamination: are objects such as hair, plant stalks or pieces of plastic and metal. When a foreign object enters food, it is a physical contaminant. If the foreign objects contain bacteria, both a physical and biological contamination will occur. Common sources of physical contaminations are: hair, glass or metal, pests, jewelry, dirt, and fingernails.
Physical food contamination is a hazardous yet natural accident of contaminating food with dangerous objects around the kitchen or production base when being prepared. If kitchens or other places where food may be prepared are unsanitary, it is very likely that physical contamination will occur and cause negative consequences. Dangerous objects such as glass and wire may be found in food which can cause many issues with the individuals who consume it including choking, breaking of teeth and cutting the insides of the body. Children and the elderly are at the highest risk of being harmed by food contamination due to their weaker immune systems and fragile structures. The most common reasoning for physical contamination to occur is when the food is left uncovered without lids. To prevent such contamination and harm to those consuming food from restaurants, cooks are recommended to wear hair nets, remove jewelry, and wear gloves, when necessary, especially over wounds with bandages.
3 Biological Food Contamination: It happens when the food has been contaminated by substances produced by living creatures, such as humans, rodents, pests or microorganisms. This includes bacterial contamination, viral contamination, or parasite contamination that is transferred through saliva, pest droppings, blood or fecal matter. Bacterial contamination is the most common cause of food poisoning worldwide. If an environment is high in starch or protein, water, oxygen, has a neutral pH level, and maintains a temperature between 5°C and 60°C (danger zone) for even a brief period of time (~0–20 minutes), bacteria are likely to survive.
Example of biological contamination: Tainted Romaine Lettuce
In April and May 2018, 26 states in the United States suffered an outbreak of the bacteria strain E. coli O157:H7. Several investigations show the contamination might have come from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. This outbreak, which began April 10, is the largest US flare-up of E. coli in a decade. One person in California has died. At least 14 of the people affected developed kidney failure. The most common symptoms of E. coli include diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
4 Chemical Food Contamination: happens when food is contaminated with a natural or artificial chemical substance. Common sources of chemical contamination can include: pesticides, herbicides, veterinary drugs, contamination from environmental sources (water, air or soil pollution), cross-contamination during food processing, migration from food packaging materials, presence of natural toxins, or use of unapproved food additives and adulterants.
The Five Key Principles of Food Hygiene, According To WHO, Are:
1. Prevent contaminating food with pathogens spreading from people, pets, and pests.
2. Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent contaminating the cooked foods.
3. Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens.
4. Store food at the proper temperature.
5. Use safe water and safe raw materials.
Proper storage, sanitary tools and work spaces, heating and cooling properly and to adequate temperatures, and avoiding contact with other uncooked foods can greatly reduce the chances of contamination. Tightly sealed water and air proof containers are good measures to limit the chances of both physical and biological contamination during storage. Using clean, sanitary surfaces and tools, free of debris, chemicals, standing liquids, and other food types (different from the kind currently being prepared, i.e. mixing vegetables/meats or beef/poultry) can help reduce the chance of all forms of contamination. However, even if all precautions have been taken and the food has been safely prepared and stored, bacteria can still form over time during storage. Food should be consumed within one to seven 1–7 days while it has been stored in a cold environment, or one to twelve 1–12 months if it was in a frozen environment (if it was frozen immediately after preparation).24 or 25 The length of time before a food becomes unsafe to eat depends on the type of food it is, the surrounding environment, and the method with which it is kept out of the danger zone.
Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours—1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32.2°C).
Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40°F (4.4°C) or below and the freezer at 0°F (-17.7°C) or below.[26]
For example, liquid foods like soup kept in a hot slow cooker (149°F or 65°C) may last only a few hours before contamination [citation needed], but fresh meats like beef and lamb that are promptly frozen (-2°C) can last up to a year. The geographical location can also be a factor if it is in close proximity to wildlife. Animals like rodents and insects can infiltrate a container or prep area if left unattended. Any food that has been stored while in an exposed environment should be carefully inspected before consuming, especially if it was at risk of being in contact with animals. Consider all forms of contamination when deciding if a food is safe or unsafe, as some forms or contamination will not leave any apparent signs. Bacteria are not visible to the naked eye, debris (physical contamination) may be underneath the surface of a food, and chemicals may be clear or tasteless; the contaminated food may not change in smell, texture, appearance, or taste, and could still be contaminated. Any foods deemed contaminated should be disposed of immediately, and any surrounding food should be checked for additional contamination.
What are the training requirements for Food Safety and Hygiene?
There are no specific training requirements for Food Safety and Hygiene. However, employees who have been trained to identify and avoid food hazards are better able to avoid those hazards, leading to a safer workplace.
You can get more training from RCL Safety Centre through https: www.safetycentre.ng/training_register
At RCL Industrial Safety Centre this training is also available in different Nigerian languages like PIDGIN, YORUBA, HAUSA AND IGBO
ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
Safety Centre Food Safety Division, we provide the best food safety and quality consulting, auditing and training services. A full-service, international food safety consulting leader, we help organizations manage food safety related risks, exceed regulatory and certification requirements—while protecting your brand. We offer affordable turnkey and customized food safety solutions for organizations of all sizes.
We have in-depth experience in regulatory policies, certification audit requirements, food security and defense, Standards Assessments, and food safety consulting and training. We have completed food safety projects for several clients. Over the years we have become known as the “hands-on pragmatists.”
Our company (RCL Safety Centre) is an indigenous company dedicated to Health, Safety and Environment Training and Services.
We are technical partners of the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) as well as approved training partners of most major International Occupational Safety and Health organizations like NEBOSH, and corporate members of ISPON (Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria) with thousands of personnel trained in various areas till date.
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website: www.safetycentre.ng www.foodsafety.org.ng www.workpro.ng
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