Food safety

Whether you occasionally make someone a snack such as a sandwich, or are regularly involved in preparing meals, you should always make sure that the food is safe to eat.

Food must be prepared and stored in ways that prevent it becoming contaminated with things that can cause harm or illness.

Not all substances and objects that can cause harm or illness can be seen. This means that people can become ill from eating food that tastes normal and looks safe.

Physical

Objects that can be harmful, for example bones or bits of packaging. These could be in food when bought or introduced when preparing food.

Check for these as far as is possible.

Bacterial

Pathogenic micro-organisms in food, for example raw foods that need to be cooked to remove the pathogens, or those found in the human gut, nose and mouth that can be transferred to food during the storage, handling and preparation process.

Effective food safety principles should be followed to remove these risks.

Allergenic

Those that may cause reactions if an individual is allergic to the food, for example nuts, shellfish, milk or gluten. These may cause an itchy skin rash, breathing problems and/or stomach cramps with vomiting or diarrhoea. In the worst case the person may go into an anaphylactic shock.

Always ensure foods that contain allergens are kept and prepared separately from foods that do not.

Legislation came into force on 13 December 2014 that sets out how food businesses deal with allergen information. This legislation applies to all organisations that provide food, including care and healthcare providers covering pre-packed and non-pre-packed foods. Providers are legally required to provide a warning if foods contain any of the 14 allergenic substances that are covered by the legislation.

Chemical

Pesticides, weedkillers or cleaning chemicals that could be harmful if eaten, for example pesticides attached to fresh fruit and vegetables or cleaning products sprayed onto prepared foods.

Ensure all fruit and vegetables are washed before preparation and avoid spraying cleaning products close to food.

Individuals may be considered more vulnerable to the effects of contamination if a smaller number of bacteria can cause them illness, or if the symptoms they experience may be more severe.

Which groups of people do you think are more vulnerable to food-related illnesses because of a weakened immune system?

Have a think and select the pencil.

You may have included some of the following:

Babies, toddlers, children and teenagers: as immunity develops throughout our lives, the older we get the more immune we become to germs
Pregnant and breastfeeding women: childbearing and breastfeeding uses up a lot of the body’s iron and zinc which are important for immunity
Older people: their immune systems become less effective in recognising contaminated food
People living on a low income: they find it difficult to afford a healthy and balanced diet
People in prison: particularly through exposure in confined spaces to infectious diseases like tuberculosis and hepatitis C
People in hospital: illness weakens the immune system, and some medication may also affect the immune system

The Care Quality Commission requires that where food is provided to individuals that it is handled, stored, prepared and delivered in a way that meets the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990. If your role includes preparing or handling food, you must have the knowledge and skills to do so safely.

What basic principles do you need to keep in mind to protect all individuals when handling, storing or preparing food?

Select the image to reveal the answer.

The basic food safety principles are:

Remove jewellery before preparing food
Wash your hands thoroughly before touching food
Wash equipment in hot water between uses
Ensure food is cooked thoroughly
Store food in sealed containers and keep cooled
Food stored in a fridge should be labelled, dated, and kept at 5ºC
Store raw meat below cooked food
Prepare raw and cooked foods separately
Equipment should be washed in hot soapy water or a dishwasher if available

Your manager will identify any training that you require.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse