Food Safety Standards

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Food Safety Training Prerequisite Programs

** Common Prerequisite Programs** The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) provides examples of prerequisite programs, which includes: Facilities Supplier Control Specifications Production Equipment Cleaning and Sanitation Personal Hygiene Employee Training Pest Control ## Let's take a closer look at how these prerequisite programs work.

IMPLEMENTING PREREQUISITE PROGRAMS

Food Safety Training Developing a HACCP Plan Using the Seven Principles

PRINCIPLE 1 Conduct a hazard analysis. **This principle represents the "HA" of HACCP. ** The HACCP team should identify all of the hazards and then analyze which ones need to be addressed and what control measures are appropriate for the level of risk.

PRINCIPLE 2 Determine Critical Control Points Critical Control Points (CCPs) are steps where we apply control measures to eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to a safe level.

PRINCIPLE 3 Establish critical limits for each CCP Critical Limits specify measurements for what is safe and what is not. You can get this information from regulatory standards and guidelines, experiments, and experts.

PRINCIPLE 4 Monitor CCPs. Monitoring refers to the planned regular observation of CCPs and Critical Limits. This is usually performed by a line supervisor, production manager or quality control personnel

PRINCIPLE 5 Establish corrective actions. We need to develop corrective actions for when measurements are outside critical limits. These actions must determine the cause of the problem and bring it under control.

PRINCIPLE 6 Establish verification procedures. We need to verify if our HACCP plan is working. Some ways to do this are: Review of the HACCP program and records Review of the issues and product status. In-plant audits

PRINCIPLE 7 Documentation Complete, accurate, and efficient record keeping is important for monitoring and updating your HACCP program. All the documents and records--from your HACCP Team's analysis to monitoring and verification activities--will give you the information you need to make data-driven decisions.

Which among these documents should you keep? There may be more than one correct answer.

CHECK THIS OUT! You can use a template to guide you and your team through the steps of developing a HACCP Plan and document them easily. Check out this free template: HACCP Plan Template Checklist

US FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS A compliance guide for food safety

In general, food safety practices in the US hospitality industry provide the same set of recommendations (e.g. cooking meats at the right temperature to kill harmful pathogens, sanitizing food contact surfaces to lower the risk of contamination, etc.).

While food safety practices are clear cut, the specifics of food safety standards tend to vary for each state and locale.

LESSON OBJECTIVE In this lesson, we will be focusing on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Code 2017. YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: Risk factors that contribute to foodborne illnesses Control measures through public health intervention How to be in compliance of the Food Code

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LET'S START WITH RISK FACTORS There are five major risk factors that contribute to foodborne illnesses. #### THESE ARE... **Improper holding temperatures ** Inadequate cooking Contaminated equipment Food from unsafe sources Poor personal hygiene

So, how can you ensure compliance with the Food Code?

TAKE A GUESS The Food Code requires a person-in-charge (PIC) to demonstrate their knowledge of the standards. What are the 3 options for demonstrating knowledge?

Employee Health Controls Food employees should be informed of their responsibility of reporting health matters that can cause food contamination. *What are these? *

Diagnosed Illness Disclose if they currently have a health condition officially diagnosed by a doctor, which may result in the contamination of food with harmful pathogens.

Typhoid Fever Disclose if they have been diagnosed with Typhoid fever within the past 3 months and have not received antibiotic therapy as determined by a doctor.

Symptoms of Infection Disclose if they have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, or if they have a lesion containing pus, unless it is covered by a dry, durable, tight-fitting bandage.

Exposure to Outbreak Disclose if they have been exposed to, or exposed to a suspected source of a confirmed disease outbreak involving Norovirus, E. Coli, Typhoid fever, or Hepatitis A.

Controlling Hands as a Vehicle of Contamination Our hands are one of the most effective vehicles for food contamination. What are the safety measures related to hand sanitation?

Proper Hand-washing Technique Food employees are required to wash their hands with soap and warm water for 10-15 seconds before handling or preparing dishes.

Use of gloves and tools for food handling With the exception of washing fruits and vegetables, food employees should not make bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food. Use utensils such as tongs, single-use gloves, deli tissue, spatulas, and other dispensing equipment.

Approval for bare-hand contact for specific circumstances. Bare-hand contact is only allowed with ready-to-eat food if they are not serving a highly susceptible population e.g. pregnant customers, young children, adults over 60 years old, and if the establishment has obtained prior approval from a regulatory authority.

OTHER HYGIENIC PRACTICES Aside from proper handwashing, food employees should practice proper hygiene by doing the following: Keeping fingernails clean and trimmed. Taking off jewelry when preparing food Wearing clean outer clothing Using hair coverings Eating, drinking and smoking in designated areas only Wearing gloves if hands have bandages, finger cots or stalls. Not going to work if they experience sneezing, coughing or runny nose

Time and Temperature Parameters Harmful pathogens commonly found in food struggle to survive in very high or very low temperatures.

This is why the FDA Food Code includes recommended time and temperature parameters for cooking, storing, and holding food to discourage bacterial growth.

Consumer Advisory For food that is meant to be served raw, undercooked, and/or unprocessed to get rid of possible harmful pathogens, staff must inform the customer of the added risk of foodborne illness.

LEARN MORE You can access the FDA Food Code 2017 in the Briefcase of this course to learn more about the guidelines.

AU FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS A compliance guide for food safety

A HACCP Approach Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recommends a HACCP-based approach to food safety programs.

LESSON OBJECTIVE In this lesson, you will learn about Safe Food Australia's standards for food safety. YOU'LL LEARN: General requirements for a food safety program Food safety practices

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Contents OF YOUR HACCP-BASED PROGRAM For a HACCP-based Food Safety Program, you must: Identify and analyse food safety hazards ** Identify critical control points (CCP)** Monitor the CCPs systematically Provide corrective actions for hazards out of control Regular review of the program Document activities and keep records of compliance

Receiving Ensure that the food you receive is not contaminated. Find a reputable supplier. Request written assurance that food is delivered according to the agreement. Inspect the food upon delivery.

Packaging After food is processed, it should be packed with materials that are fit for its purpose. Choose packaging materials that will not contaminate the food.

Food processing Contamination can also happen during food processing. ## We can prevent this with the following: Good health and personal hygiene of employees Clean work area Clean equipment and utensils Preventing cross-contamination Preventing chemical contamination

Aside from preventing contamination, food should always be maintained at temperatures that minimise the risk of microorganism growth. Do you recall what these safe temperatures are? There may be more than one answer.

Follow your HACCP-based food safety program Customise your program according to the needs of your facility and follow a HACCP approach to ensure food safety.

Document your activities and monitoring records. Documentation is important for compliance, as well as for reviewing and improving your food safety program.

TIP! A simple log-sheet, paper-based or digital, can serve as a record of compliance. Checkout these checklists to help you monitor and document your activities: Food Safety Inspection Checklist Food Hygiene Inspection Checklist

UK FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS A compliance guide for food safety

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the government-sanctioned body responsible for enforcing food safety regulations in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

LESSON OBJECTIVE This lesson will give an overview of a holistic approach to food safety standards in the UK based on the FSA guidance material. YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: HACCP-based food safety management Food hygiene Food safety standards

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FOOD HYGIENE FOR YOUR BUSINESS FSA Requirements and Recommendations

**Food hygiene is the cornerstone of any food establishment. ** While taste and quality may improve over time, food hygiene must be impeccable from the very beginning.

Cooking as a critical control point **There are several time and temperature combinations which eliminate harmful pathogens from food. ** 60°C (140°F) for 45 minutes 65°C (149°F) for 10 minutes 70°C (158°F) for 2 minutes 75°C (167°F) for 30 seconds 80°C (176°F) for 6 seconds

Chilling Food Keeping food at recommended temperature through refrigeration slows bacterial growth.

What does the standard say? The FSA's minimum fridge temperature requirement is 8°C (46.4°F), but they recommend setting the temperature to 5°C (41°F) for added security.

Leaving food at room temperature for too long can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria.

This is why foods with a use-by date, cooked dishes, and ready-to-eat foods must not be left standing in room temperature for more than 4 hours.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS WHEN CHILLING FOOD Cool cooked food as quick as possible. Minimize the time chilled foods spend out of the fridge if you are preparing them for cooking. Check the fridge's temperature at regular intervals to ensure that it stays constant at 8°C (46.4°F) or lower.

LEARN MORE Access your briefcase or check out these links to learn more about HACCP for your business. HACCP for small businesses. Food safety management guides for caterers and retailers in Northern Ireland.

What factors can we control to help control the spread or proliferation of pathogens? There may be more than one correct answer.