Food Hygiene

Unit 1: Food Inspection

Topic: Overview of Food Hygiene jefferica.johnson@utech.edu.jm

Lecture 1

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Objectives

At the end of the session, students should be able to: • Define key food safety terminologies • Outline the function of food • Explain why increased numbers of persons are “eating

out” • Justify the concerns related to food safety • Explain the ice-berg phenomenon in relation to food

borne illness • Outline the cost of FBIs • List the sources of food contamination • Outline the rationale for food control • Explain the farm to fork concept • Outline general solutions to ensure food safety

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Concepts

• Food

– Any raw, cooked or otherwise processed edible substance, ice, beverage or ingredient used or intended for use or for sale in whole or part for human consumption

– Includes water, ice or any substance manufactured, prepared, sold or represented for use as food or drink, or flavouring or condiments used in or with the preparation of food

Public Health (Food Handling Establishment) Regulations 1998, 2000

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Concepts

• Food Hygiene

– A broad term used to describe the preservation and preparation of foods in a manner that ensures the food is safe for human consumption

– All conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain

Codex Alimentarius, 1997

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Concepts

There are 3 major areas of concern in relation to food hygiene:

• Aesthetics

• Economics

• Public Health

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Concepts

Food Safety

“ The safeguarding, or protection, of food from anything that could harm consumers’ health.

– includes all practical measures involved in keeping food safe and wholesome through all stages of production to point of sale or consumption.”

(CIEH, 1999)

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Concepts

Food Inspection

• The critical examination of food using various techniques to determine its suitability for human consumption

• Food inspection is geared at disease prevention and the provision of good nutrition to the consuming public

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Concepts

• Soundness – Freedom from disease, defects or blemishes

• Fitness – maturity

• Wholesomeness – Sound and fit for human consumption

• Spoilage – Any change that renders the food unwholesome

• Putrid – Rotten or foul smell

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Concepts

• Contamination

– The presence of pathogens or any undesirable (foreign) or harmful substances in food.

– Some food safety hazards occur naturally, while others are introduced to the food by humans or through the environment

• Adulteration

– To debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements; use cheaper, inferior, or less desirable goods in the production of a product

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Concepts

Cross contamination

• Clean foods coming in contact with material(s) possessing illness producing organisms or materials of questionable quality

Ptomaine poison

• Meaningless term used to describe an allergy. It is not food poisoning.

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Concepts

• Food borne Illness – Diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature,

caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food.

(WHO, 2012)

• Food borne disease outbreak – “ A cluster of two or more infections caused by the same

agent (pathogen or toxin) which upon investigation are linked to the same food.”

(CDC, 2012)

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Function of food

• Physiological functions

– Energy requirements

– Growth and repair of tissues

– Protect against disease

– Regulatory functions

• Psychological functions

– Emotional needs

• Socio-cultural functions

– Symbol of friendship and hospitality

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Overview of the Food Industry

• One of the largest enterprises in any country

• Resistant to the effects of recession

• Employs over 25% of the work force

• Comprised of businesses that produce, manufacture, transport and distribute food

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Overview of Food Industry

• Survey in US shows that 54 billion meals are eaten in food handling establishments each day – 1/5th of the population

• Size and diversity requires collaboration between government & food industry – Client

– Number of meals

– Types of meals

– Processes involved

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Overview of the Food Industry

Reasons for eating out

• Working parents

• Distance between work and home

• Socialization

• Reduced family size

• Population mobility

• Variety of foods

• Advertisements

• Status symbol

• Economic situation 9/4/2012 15 J. Johnson

Overview of the Food Industry

• Expectation of consumers

– Safe foods

– Clean surroundings

– Well groomed employees

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Why Food Safety?

• Unsafe food causes many acute and life-long diseases (FBI)

– ranges from diarrhoeal diseases to suspected various forms of cancers

– 2.2 annual deaths (water + food borne)

• 1.9 million are children

• 30% of population in industrialised countries suffer from FBI

WHO, 2011

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Why Food Safety?

• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate

• In 2005 alone 1.8 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases.

– A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water.

– Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children

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Why Food Safety?

Estimate of the incidence of FBI in the USA

1999

Illnesses 76 million

(27%)

Hospitalizations 325,000

115/100 000

Deaths 5 000

2/100 000

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Burden of Illness Pyramid, adapted from CDC http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/38/Supplement_3/S115.full

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Ice berg Phenomenon

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New trends in food consumption

• Pose new food safety challenges – New/ imported tastes - Sushi & Thai foods, live

foods – Changes in eating habits – More consumers are eating out – Changing demographics – Global trade – Technological advances – Improved knowledge about food safety –

discovery of Shigatoxin E.coli changes cooking temp. of beef (140 to 155°F)

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Economic impact of FBI

• Billions of dollars expended each year due to: – Medical expenses

– Man hour loss

– Reduced productivity

– Legal fees

– Increased insurance premiums

– Lost business

– More frequent inspections for incriminating establishments

– Closure of food premises – loss of jobs

– Trade implications

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Sources of food contamination

• Air

• water

• Soil

• Ingredients

• Food handlers

• Food contact surfaces

• Animals, rodents, and insects

• Packaging materials

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Rationale for food Control

• Prevention of the sale of any food that is diseased, unsound, unwholesome and unfit for human consumption

• Prevention of the sale of articles of food that have been adulterated

• Control the importation of food

• Prevention of the introduction of zoonotic diseases

• Control of food premises

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Food Safety Control

Farm to Fork Concept

• Think about the life of foods ….

from “farm to table” or “farm to fork”

Youtube video on the farm to fork concept

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx79IaK1iqM

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Activity

Based on the youtube video, in groups of 5

1. Identify the points along the production continuum.

2. Are there any other points that you would add?

3. Develop a food flow for pork chop served at a restaurant.

4. Why is traceability important to food safety?

5. What are some things that could go wrong at each stage of the production continuum that could compromise the safety of pork chops served at the restaurant?

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Farm to Table

Life cycle of food product will vary

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Food Quality Control

• Site of Production – Surveillance begins at the point of production for

many foods

– Give examples of things that could go wrong at this stage with the pigs

– Shellfish also have to be controlled at the point of production • Shellfish usually found in polluted water, should be

purified

• GAPs must be adhered to in order to produce wholesome foods

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Food Quality Control

• Harvesting/Slaughter

– Foods can become contaminated during harvesting

– Animals can be contaminated during slaughter

– Extreme care must be exercised to ensure that good quality products are made available for the next production stage

– Think about the pigs, what could go wrong during slaughter

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Food Quality Control

• Intake – e.g. livestock, raw milk, vegetables, grains are foods that are monitored at this stage.

• Actual processing – as food moves through the processing stages, it is constantly monitored for temperature, equipment sanitation and general cleanliness.

• Completion stage – foods are sampled and analyzed prior to distribution, e.g., canned foods

– Critical control points must be carefully monitored.

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Food Quality Control

Transportation & Distribution • Think about the pork….what could go wrong?

Inspection continues as food moves through the

distribution channel • Vehicles are inspected for cleanliness and

appropriateness • Warehouses are pest free • Foods stored at proper temperatures • Cold chain maintained at all times

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Food Quality Control

Food Service

• Stage where FBD outbreaks occur

• Sanitation discrepancies most common here

• Surveillance includes food, personnel, equipment & facilities

• Think about the pork chop, what are some things that could go wrong here?

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Solution

• HACCP • GAPs & GMPs • Facility planning and design • Good personal hygiene • Keeping establishment clean and sanitary • Accident prevention and crisis management (cuts/burns,

provision of utilities, disasters) • Training of food handlers and managers • Government regulations and enforcement • Adequate documentation • System of traceability and recall

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Summary

• Food Safety is a critical global issue

• The size and diversity of FHE require greater collaboration between industry and government

• Food Safety principles must be adhered to, from the farm to the table

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