FOOD SAFETY

Why is food safety important?
Food safety is a major issue as food borne illness, cause many to be ill and even death each year. Food borne illness can be transmitted to the food through receiving, storing, processing and even after the product is completed.
Illnesses from pathogenic bacteria appear to be increasing each year.

What is food safety?
The definition of good quality can be varied depending upon the type of food and the individual's food preference. Some of the important characteristics of quality include wholesomeness, freshness, nutritional value, texture, color, aroma and flavor.

Eventhough quality of foods are important, food safety is also a main issue and a concern to many consumers. Safe food means that there will be no danger from pathogenic microorganisms, naturally occurring toxins and other potentially harmful chemicals which may be deliberately added to foods.

Where can Unsafe food be found?
There are two types of microorganisms: Fungi and Bacteria.
Food does not cause illness, only bacteria and pathogens do. Normally, raw foods of animal origin such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish are frequently contaminated with bacteria. In other cases, food handlers can also contaminate foods common in human body such as Staphylococcus.

Unsafe foods are normally caused by physical hazards, chemical hazards and biological hazards. Example of physical hazards is the unhygienic handling of foods by food handlers, while example of chemical hazards is the sanitizer or other chemicals not being removed thoroughly or accidentally added without noticing. Example of biological hazards is microorganisms growing and proliferating in the foods.

Who are responsible in FOOD Safety?
In Singapore, AVA is responsible in the food safety, providing Singaporean safe food all year.
In other country like USA, FDA are the one providing and responsible in food safety.
In Australia, (ANZFA) also known as Australia New Zealand Food Authority is responsible.

How can FOOD SAFETY be acheived?
Some common practices of food safety are:
1) To make sure chilled foods to be kept in the chiller at 4°C and below as temperature danger zone for foods are between temperatures of 5 to 60°C.
2) Foods should not be allowed to stay in this temperature zone for more than 2 hours.
3) Food handlers are not to wear accessories during food production and in the food processing area.
4) Fingernails are to be short and clean for every food handlers in the production area.
5) Hairnets should be on when food handlers are in the food production area.
6) Gloves must be on when food handlers are handling food products.
Hands must be washed before and after the food handlers’ deal with foods.
7) Food that are cold must be serve cold and eat immediately
8) Hot food must be served hold and to be ate immediately after it is cooked. It should not be left in covers for more than 4 hours as microorganism can be started growing on them.
9) It is advisable not to buy food that are "opened" or slightly unwrapped. Example is that canned food to be properly sealed and should not be bulge or dented.
10) Temperature should controlled and maintained suring cooling, heating and freezing of foods.
[NOTES*: These points are learnt from Fpqa and Fpqap... one or two are from website =) ]

Food safety is part of everyone's job. It should be taken seriously as every mistake committed through receiving of foods to cooking of foods can cause illness and in severe cases will even cause death.