🔅Food safety and hygiene are important aspects of ensuring the health and well-being of consumers and preventing foodborne illnesses.

– Food safety and hygiene involve The application of scientific principles and practices to the handling, preparation, and storage of food.

– Food safety encompasses all the measures and activities that aim to protect food from contamination and spoilage, from farm to fork.

– Food safety covers a wide range of topics, such as:

1) Food hazards

– These are any biological, chemical, or physical agents that can cause harm to human health when present in food. Examples of food hazards are bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, toxins, pesticides, allergens, metals, glass etc.

2) Foodborne illnesses

– These are diseases that result from eating or drinking contaminated food or water. They can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, and dehydration. Some foodborne illnesses can also lead to serious complications, such as kidney failure, liver damage, neurological disorders, or death. Examples of foodborne illnesses are salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, cholera, botulism etc.

3) Food quality

– This is the degree to which food meets the expectations and requirements of consumers and regulators in terms of its characteristics and attributes. Eg., appearance, color, flavor, texture, aroma, nutritional value, shelf life etc.

4) Food standards

– These are the rules and regulations that define the criteria and specifications for food production, processing, distribution, and consumption. They are established by national or international authorities to ensure food safety and quality Eg., Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22000 and HACCP.

5) Food inspection

– This is the process of checking and verifying that food complies with the established food standards and regulations. It involves sampling, testing, auditing, and certifying food products and facilities at different stages of the food chain. It is carried out by authorized and trained food inspectors or auditors from public or private organizations. Eg., FDA.

6) Food recall

– This is the process of removing or withdrawing food products from the market that are found to be unsafe or defective. It is initiated by food manufacturers, distributors, or authorities when they discover or receive a report of a potential or confirmed food hazard or violation. It aims to prevent or reduce the risk of harm to consumers and restore consumer confidence. Examples of food recall causes are microbial contamination, foreign objects, mislabeling, undeclared allergens etc.

🔅Food hygiene is a specific term that refers to the practice of maintaining cleanliness and orderliness in the workplace as workers deal with food products.

– Food hygiene involves the following aspects:

1) Personal hygiene

– This is the practice of keeping oneself clean and healthy while handling food. It includes washing hands with soap and running water before and after handling food, wearing clean and appropriate clothing, covering hair, nails, and wounds, avoiding touching face, nose, mouth, or hair, avoiding smoking, eating, drinking, or chewing gum, and reporting any illness or infection to the supervisor.

2) Environmental hygiene

– This is the practice of keeping the surroundings clean and sanitary while handling food. It includes cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, utensils, and equipment that come into contact with food, using separate cutting boards and knives for raw and cooked foods, storing raw materials and finished products in appropriate containers and at appropriate temperatures, disposing of waste properly and regularly, controlling pests and rodents, and ensuring adequate ventilation and lighting.

3) Food handling hygiene

– This is the practice of following safe and proper procedures while handling food. It includes cooking food thoroughly and at the right temperature, cooling and reheating food properly and quickly, avoiding cross contamination between raw and cooked foods or between different types of foods, using clean water or ice for washing or cooling food, checking labels and expiry dates of food products, and following instructions for preparation and storage of food.

– By following these principles and practices of food safety and hygiene, you can help ensure that your food is safe to eat and does not cause any harm to yourself or others.

#Take Away Tip: By following the aforementioned procedures, you can also help prevent food waste, improve food quality, comply with legal requirements, enhance your reputation, and increase your customer satisfaction.