Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Food Safety shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Food Safety offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Food Safety at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Food Safety? Wrong! If the Food Safety is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Food Safety then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Food Safety? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Food Safety and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Food Safety wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Food Safety then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Food Safety site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Food Safety, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Food Safety, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing the handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent
Foodborne illness.
Domestic foodborne illness prevention
At home, prevention of
Foodborne illness mainly consists of:
- separating foods while preparing and storing to prevent cross contamination. (i.e. clean cutting boards, utensils, and hands after handling meat and before handling ready-to-eat foods, etc.)
- washing and drying hands before handling ready-to-eat foods.
- not preparing food when sick or recovering from recent illness
- respecting food storage methods (hot foods hot and cold foods cold) and food preservation methods (especially refrigeration), and checking the expiration date;
- avoiding over-long storage of left-overs;
- washing the hands before preparing a meal, and before eating;
- washing fresh fruits and vegetables with clean water, especially when not cooked (e.g. fruits, salads), scrubbing firm fruits and vegetables with a brush to clean;
- washing dishes after use, rinsing them well in hot water and storing them clean and dry;
- keeping work surfaces and chopping boards clean and dry;
- keeping the kitchen and cooking utensils clean and dry;
- not relying on disinfectants or disinfectant-impregnated cloths and surfaces as a substitute for good hygiene methodology (as above);
- preventing pets walking on food-preparation surfaces.
Bacterial growth
Bacteria need
warmth,
water, food and time to
grow. The presence, or absence, of oxygen, salt, sugar and acidity are also important factors for growth. In the right conditions, one bacterium can multiply using binary fission to become four million in eight hours. Since bacteria can be neither olfaction nor visual perception, the best way to ensure that food is safe is to follow principles of good food hygiene. This includes not allowing raw food or partially cooked food to touch dishes, utensils, hands or work surfaces previously used to handle even properly cooked or ready to eat food.
High salt, high sugar or high acid levels keep most bacteria from growing, which is why salted meats, jam, and Picklingd vegetables are traditional preserved foods.
Botulism may come from smoked or salted meat according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse webpage.
The most frequent causes of bacterial foodborne illnesses are cross-contamination and inadequate
temperature control. Therefore control of these two matters is especially important.
Food temperature
Thoroughly cooking food until it is piping hot, i.e. above 70 °C (158 °F) will quickly kill most bacteria, parasites and viruses.
Clostridium botulinum,
Clostridium perfringens and
Bacillus cereus, produce heat-resistant spores some of which survive temperatures up to 100 °C (212 °F). Norovirus and Hepatitis A can sometimes survive temperatures up to 88 °C (190 °F). Once cooked, hot foods should be kept at temperatures out of the
danger zone (food safety). Temperatures above 63 °C (135 °F) stop microbial growth.
Cold foods should also be kept colder than the danger zone, below 5 °C (41 °F). However,
Listeria monocytogenes and
Yersinia enterocolitica can both grow at
refrigerator temperatures. Control of the
Cold chain is critical.
Hot foods should be held at 57 °C (135 °F) or hotter until ready to cool. Hot foods need to be cooled quickly to limit the amount of time the food is in the danger zone (temperature range at which bacteria can grow.) The food should be cooled from 57 °C (135 °F) to 10 °C (50 °F) within two hours, then further chilled to less than 5 °C (41 °F) in 4 hours. Foods take much longer to cool than most people realize. Food should then be held chilled at 5 °C (41 °F) or less.
UK HACCP guidelines and other official information
The
Food Standards Agencyhttp://www.food.gov.uk/ publishes recommendations as part of its Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) programme. The relevant guidelines at http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/csctcooking.pdf state that:
"
Cooking food until the CORE TEMPERATURE is 75 °C or above will ensure that harmful bacteria are destroyed.However, lower cooking temperatures are acceptable provided that the
CORE TEMPERATURE is maintained for a specified period of time as follows :
- 60°C for a minimum of 45 minutes
- 65°C for a minimum of 10 minutes
- 70°C for a minimum of 2 minutes"
Previous guidance from a leaflet produced by the UK Department Of Health “Handling Cooked Meats Safely A Ten Point Plan” also allowed for:
- "75°C for a minimum of 30 seconds
- 80°C for a minimum of 6 seconds"
as well as the above. Secondary references for the above may be found at:
- http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doc.asp?cat=8455
- http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/fs1694b.pdf
- http://www.wiganmbc.gov.uk/pub/ehcp/eh/commlflt/cookmeat.pdf This document states that: "This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or likely that, in the interests of good customer relations they will be commercial purposes. Please acknowledge the source as Wigan Council Community Protection Department."
- http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/Downloads/Documents/Safer_Cooked_Meat_Production.pdf
- http://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/pdf/Food%20Safety%20-%20Ten%20Point%20Plan%20for%20Safer%20Cooked%20Meat.pdf
Note that recommended cooking conditions are only appropriate if initial bacterial numbers in the uncooked food are small. Cooking does not replace poor hygiene.
In the United States, federal regulations governing food safety are fragmented and complicated, according to a February 2007 report from the Government Accountability Office. GAO-07-449T, Federal Oversight of Food Safety There are 15 agencies sharing oversight responsibilities in the food safety system, although the two primary agencies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for virtually all other foods.
Critique
Note that the above advice is open to critique
- For example, some endospore forming bacteria can survive cooking until the CORE TEMPERATURE is 75 °C or above - and may in fact be stimulated to grow. If food is cooked to a core temperature of 75 °C, it must be kept out of the "danger zone" (5 to 60 °C) thereafter to prevent spore formers from multiplying. Spore formers like Clostridium perfringens can cause serious gastroenteritis.
- Another problem is that although a core temperature of 75 °C will kill most dangerous vegetative bacteria it does not inactivate some toxins (eg staphylococcal enterotoxin). So it is possible to become ill after eating well cooked food, as the food may already be contaminated with toxins before cooking.
For more information, see
Foodborne illness.
Academic resources
- Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, ISSN: 1541-4337 (electronic) 1541-4337 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Food Control, ISSN: 0956-7135, Elsevier
- Food and Chemical Toxicology, ISSN: 0278-6915, Elsevier
- Food Policy, ISSN: 0306-9192, Elsevier
- Journal of Food Protection, ISSN 0362-028X, International Association for Food Protection
- Journal of Food Safety, ISSN: 1745-4565 (electronic) ISSN: 0149-6085 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Journal of Foodservice, ISSN: 1745-4506 (electronic) ISSN: 1748-0140 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Sensing and Instrumentation for Food Quality and Safety, ISSN: 1932-9954 (electronic) ISSN: 1932-7587 (paper), Springer
Industrial resources
- Food Safety - a magazine published by The Target Group, Inc
See also
References
External links
- ICS 27.200 Refrigerating technology - A series of ISO standards
- ICS 67.050 General methods of tests and analysis for food products
- ICS 67.260 Plants and equipment for the food industry
- ICS 97.130.20 Commercial refrigerating appliances - catering containers, and materials and articles in contact with drinking water
- ISO 67.250 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs
- ISO 67.020 Processes in the food industry - food hygiene and food safety
- JECFA - Monographs & Evaluations
- VeriPrime Food Safety Alliance New Food Safety System
- Foodborne illness information pages, NSW Food Authority
- foodsafety.gov
- http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doc.asp?cat=8455 rushcliffe.gov
- wiganbc.gov
- http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/fs1694b.pdf nottinghamcity.gov
- Wollongong.nsw.gov
- west-norfolk.gov
- What you should know about food safety University of Florida's Solutions For Your Life
- Safer Food Better Business - practical food safety for small caterers and retailers developed by the U.K. Food Standards Agency
- Protect yourself from food-borne illness article from Consumer Reports
- Institute of Food Research
- Chilled Food Association
- National Food Research Institute (NFRI) Food Safety Division
- ServSafe Food Safety Program
- Food Safety Network
- Food Safety Information Center at the USDA National Agricultural Library
- Food Safety Discussion Forum
- Food Safety : It's in Your Hands also available En Español
- Food Safety Day
- Center for Food Safety Engineering - Purdue University
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing the handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent
Foodborne illness.
Domestic foodborne illness prevention
At home, prevention of
Foodborne illness mainly consists of:
- separating foods while preparing and storing to prevent cross contamination. (i.e. clean cutting boards, utensils, and hands after handling meat and before handling ready-to-eat foods, etc.)
- washing and drying hands before handling ready-to-eat foods.
- not preparing food when sick or recovering from recent illness
- respecting food storage methods (hot foods hot and cold foods cold) and food preservation methods (especially refrigeration), and checking the expiration date;
- avoiding over-long storage of left-overs;
- washing the hands before preparing a meal, and before eating;
- washing fresh fruits and vegetables with clean water, especially when not cooked (e.g. fruits, salads), scrubbing firm fruits and vegetables with a brush to clean;
- washing dishes after use, rinsing them well in hot water and storing them clean and dry;
- keeping work surfaces and chopping boards clean and dry;
- keeping the kitchen and cooking utensils clean and dry;
- not relying on disinfectants or disinfectant-impregnated cloths and surfaces as a substitute for good hygiene methodology (as above);
- preventing pets walking on food-preparation surfaces.
Bacterial growth
Bacteria need
warmth,
water, food and
time to grow. The presence, or absence, of oxygen,
salt, sugar and
acidity are also important factors for growth. In the right conditions, one bacterium can multiply using
binary fission to become four million in eight hours. Since bacteria can be neither
olfaction nor
visual perception, the best way to ensure that food is safe is to follow principles of good food
hygiene. This includes not allowing raw food or partially cooked food to touch dishes, utensils,
hands or work surfaces previously used to handle even properly cooked or ready to eat food.
High salt, high sugar or high acid levels keep most bacteria from growing, which is why salted meats, jam, and
Picklingd vegetables are traditional preserved foods.
Botulism may come from smoked or salted meat according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse webpage.
The most frequent causes of bacterial foodborne illnesses are cross-contamination and inadequate temperature control. Therefore control of these two matters is especially important.
Food temperature
Thoroughly
cooking food until it is piping hot, i.e. above 70 °C (158 °F) will quickly kill most bacteria, parasites and viruses.
Clostridium botulinum,
Clostridium perfringens and
Bacillus cereus, produce heat-resistant spores some of which survive temperatures up to 100 °C (212 °F). Norovirus and Hepatitis A can sometimes survive temperatures up to 88 °C (190 °F). Once cooked, hot foods should be kept at temperatures out of the
danger zone (food safety). Temperatures above 63 °C (135 °F) stop microbial growth.
Cold foods should also be kept colder than the danger zone, below 5 °C (41 °F). However,
Listeria monocytogenes and
Yersinia enterocolitica can both grow at
refrigerator temperatures. Control of the Cold chain is critical.
Hot foods should be held at 57 °C (135 °F) or hotter until ready to cool. Hot foods need to be cooled quickly to limit the amount of time the food is in the danger zone (temperature range at which bacteria can grow.) The food should be cooled from 57 °C (135 °F) to 10 °C (50 °F) within two hours, then further chilled to less than 5 °C (41 °F) in 4 hours. Foods take much longer to cool than most people realize. Food should then be held chilled at 5 °C (41 °F) or less.
UK HACCP guidelines and other official information
The
Food Standards Agencyhttp://www.food.gov.uk/ publishes recommendations as part of its Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) programme. The relevant guidelines at http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/csctcooking.pdf state that:
"
Cooking food until the CORE TEMPERATURE is 75 °C or above will ensure that harmful bacteria are destroyed.However, lower cooking temperatures are acceptable provided that the
CORE TEMPERATURE is maintained for a specified period of time as follows :
- 60°C for a minimum of 45 minutes
- 65°C for a minimum of 10 minutes
- 70°C for a minimum of 2 minutes"
Previous guidance from a leaflet produced by the UK Department Of Health “Handling Cooked Meats Safely A Ten Point Plan” also allowed for:
- "75°C for a minimum of 30 seconds
- 80°C for a minimum of 6 seconds"
as well as the above. Secondary references for the above may be found at:
- http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doc.asp?cat=8455
- http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/fs1694b.pdf
- http://www.wiganmbc.gov.uk/pub/ehcp/eh/commlflt/cookmeat.pdf This document states that: "This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or likely that, in the interests of good customer relations they will be commercial purposes. Please acknowledge the source as Wigan Council Community Protection Department."
- http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/Downloads/Documents/Safer_Cooked_Meat_Production.pdf
- http://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/pdf/Food%20Safety%20-%20Ten%20Point%20Plan%20for%20Safer%20Cooked%20Meat.pdf
Note that recommended cooking conditions are only appropriate if initial bacterial numbers in the uncooked food are small. Cooking does not replace poor hygiene.
In the United States, federal regulations governing food safety are fragmented and complicated, according to a February 2007 report from the Government Accountability Office. GAO-07-449T, Federal Oversight of Food Safety There are 15 agencies sharing oversight responsibilities in the food safety system, although the two primary agencies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, and the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for virtually all other foods.
Critique
Note that the above advice is open to critique
- For example, some endospore forming bacteria can survive cooking until the CORE TEMPERATURE is 75 °C or above - and may in fact be stimulated to grow. If food is cooked to a core temperature of 75 °C, it must be kept out of the "danger zone" (5 to 60 °C) thereafter to prevent spore formers from multiplying. Spore formers like Clostridium perfringens can cause serious gastroenteritis.
- Another problem is that although a core temperature of 75 °C will kill most dangerous vegetative bacteria it does not inactivate some toxins (eg staphylococcal enterotoxin). So it is possible to become ill after eating well cooked food, as the food may already be contaminated with toxins before cooking.
For more information, see Foodborne illness.
Academic resources
- Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, ISSN: 1541-4337 (electronic) 1541-4337 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Food Control, ISSN: 0956-7135, Elsevier
- Food and Chemical Toxicology, ISSN: 0278-6915, Elsevier
- Food Policy, ISSN: 0306-9192, Elsevier
- Journal of Food Protection, ISSN 0362-028X, International Association for Food Protection
- Journal of Food Safety, ISSN: 1745-4565 (electronic) ISSN: 0149-6085 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Journal of Foodservice, ISSN: 1745-4506 (electronic) ISSN: 1748-0140 (paper), Blackwell Publishing
- Sensing and Instrumentation for Food Quality and Safety, ISSN: 1932-9954 (electronic) ISSN: 1932-7587 (paper), Springer
Industrial resources
- Food Safety - a magazine published by The Target Group, Inc
See also
References
External links
- ICS 27.200 Refrigerating technology - A series of ISO standards
- ICS 67.050 General methods of tests and analysis for food products
- ICS 67.260 Plants and equipment for the food industry
- ICS 97.130.20 Commercial refrigerating appliances - catering containers, and materials and articles in contact with drinking water
- ISO 67.250 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs
- ISO 67.020 Processes in the food industry - food hygiene and food safety
- JECFA - Monographs & Evaluations
- VeriPrime Food Safety Alliance New Food Safety System
- Foodborne illness information pages, NSW Food Authority
- foodsafety.gov
- http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doc.asp?cat=8455 rushcliffe.gov
- wiganbc.gov
- http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/fs1694b.pdf nottinghamcity.gov
- Wollongong.nsw.gov
- west-norfolk.gov
- What you should know about food safety University of Florida's Solutions For Your Life
- Safer Food Better Business - practical food safety for small caterers and retailers developed by the U.K. Food Standards Agency
- Protect yourself from food-borne illness article from Consumer Reports
- Institute of Food Research
- Chilled Food Association
- National Food Research Institute (NFRI) Food Safety Division
- ServSafe Food Safety Program
- Food Safety Network
- Food Safety Information Center at the USDA National Agricultural Library
- Food Safety Discussion Forum
- Food Safety : It's in Your Hands also available En Español
- Food Safety Day
- Center for Food Safety Engineering - Purdue University
Food Standards Agency - Safety and Hygiene
The Food Standards Agency carries out a range of work to make sure food is safe to eat, including funding research on chemical, microbiological and radiological safety, as well as ...
Food Standards Agency - Safety and Hygiene publications
In this section you can download publications relating to topics on safety and hygiene. ... Safety and hygiene publications. In this section you can download publications relating ...
Advanced Food Safety | Allsafe - Welcome to the website
Food safety consultancy and training for HACCP, BRC Standard, EFSIS, CMi Inspection. RIPHH training centre for all food hygiene courses including accredited distance learning ...
Advanced Food Safety Ltd - Homepage
Advanced Foods Safety Limited provides consultancy and training for HACCP, BRC Standard, and EFSIS Standard. Royal Institute of Public Health training centre for foundation food ...
Foodlink
Food safety guide includes causes of food poisoning, good kitchen and personal hygiene, and proper food storage and handling.
Directory of Food Safety Training Providers
Food safety trainers in the UK, sorted by county. Contains contact and course details.
Food Safety
Restormel Borough Council - Food Safety
Food safety ... The Food Team inspect all food businesses within the borough to check on hygiene standards, investigate food complaints, carry out food sampling, investigate ...
BRC & EFSIS Preparation UK - Food Safety Assist (FSA)
Kent UK based company that provides training in preparation for BRC and EFSIS food safety audits as well as help with HACCP.
Caradon District Council - Food Safety and Hygiene
An estimated five million people suffer from food poisoning in England and Wales each year. Running a food business means that you have a particular responsibility in protecting ...
