Introduction and Overview

I. Food Safety

 Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food
in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should
be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. In this way food safety often
overlaps with food defense to prevent harm to consumers.

Common Work –Related Injuries in the Food Service Industry

Burns

 An injury acquired from contact with hot surface of an equipment flames, hot food,
liquids, and faulty microwave ovens.

Cuts

 A skin opening from an accident incision of sharp objects can cause exposure to blood-
borne pathogens such as Hepatitis B and HIV.

Slips, Trips and Falls

 Open ranges, stove door, kitchen door, trolleys, stairs, defective ladders, foot stool, and
wet cluttered, or slippery floors are common cause of these injuries.

Fires

 Accidental ignition of hot oils and grease, paper materials coming into contact with hot
stoves and ovens, faulty electrical equipment, wet electrical equipment and appliances
are the usual causes of fires.

Ergonomic Risks

 Injuries from repetitive motion; uncharging and/or poor posture when seating, kneeling
and standing; incorrect lifting techniques; and forceful motions or grips on objects cause
ergonomic risks.

Cleaning Chemicals

 Cleaning products such as bleaches, oven cleaners, floor cleaners, stainless steel
cleaners and ammonia solutions may require the use of rubber gloves. If there is a risk
of splashing chemicals near the eyes, a face mask or googles may be necessary. Skin
irritation, dermatitis or throat irritation may arise from the frequent use of soap and
detergents.
 CO Poisoning

 Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete burning of solid, liquid and gaseous
fuels such as charcoal and cause death if there is improper ventilation.

Heat Stress

 Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can result from prolonged exposure to hot equipment

Cold Stress

 Hyperthermia and similar risks can result from working in walk-in refrigerators and
freezers for prolonged period of time or handling frozen food without preventive
measures.

II. Foodborne Illness

 Foodborne illness also foodborne disease and colloquially referred to as food poisoning
is any illness resulting from the food spoilage of contaminated food, pathogenic
bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as chemical or natural
toxins such as poisonous mushrooms and various species of beans that have not been
boiled for at least 10 minutes.

Contaminated Food

 Is the process in which food deteriorates to the point in which it is not edible to humans
or its quality of edibility becomes reduced. Various external forces are responsible for
the spoilage of food. Food that is capable of spoiling is referred to as perishable food.

Pathogenic Bacteria

 Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause infection.

Viruses

 A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of other
organisms. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to
microorganisms.

Parasites

 Parasitism is a non-mutual relationship between species, where one species, the

parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred
primarily to organisms visible to the naked eye.
III. Contamination

 Contamination is the presence of an unwanted constituent, contaminant or impurity in

a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace, etc.

IV. Microorganisms

 A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism, which may be single-celled or

multicellular.
 Microorganisms live in every part of the biosphere, including soil, hot springs, inside
rocks at least 19 km (12 mi) deep underground, the deepest parts of the ocean, and at
least 64 km (40 mi) high in the atmosphere. Microorganisms, under certain test
conditions, have been observed to thrive in the vacuum of outer space.
 Microorganisms are very diverse and include all bacteria, archaea and most protozoa.

V. The Role of Food Safety in Food Industry

 A clean, hygienic environment starts with a healthy food handler. For a food handler to
be considered healthy, he/she must be free from any disease that may contaminate
food, food such as intestinal disorder, respiratory tract diseases and skin diseases or
disorders.

Proper Attire

1. Hair Restraint

 The presence of hair in food indicates unhygienic food preparation. Food

handlers must wear a hair restraint at all times to prevent hair from falling into
the food. Common hair restraints include nets, bonnets and caps. Wearing a
hair restraint also eliminates the contact of the hands with the head, thereby
preventing contamination.

2. Work Clothes

 Work clothes that include a kitchen uniform and an apron must be worn inside
the kitchen. Street clothes should never be worn to work as they may be source
of contamination. Apron help reduce the transfer to microbes to expose food.

3. Footwear

 Because footwear can serve as a source of contamination, it is necessary to use

footwear exclusively for kitchen use. Footwear worn outside should not be worn
in the food preparation area to prevent the possibility of contamination.
 4. Facial Masks

 Facial Masks prevent airborne microorganism from the nose and mouth from
getting into the food when talking coughing or sneezing. These mask will also
prevent direct contact of the hands with the nose and mouth, both of which are
source of contamination.

5. Gloves

 Gloves act as barrier between the hands and food. However, these must not be
made substitute for proper hand washing.

Personal Habits of Food Workers

All of us carry disease-causing microorganism on or in our bodies. These microbes can be

transferred to food. By staying healthy and keeping clean, one can help prevent an outbreak of
foodborne illness.

1. Taking Daily Baths

Taking a bath daily is the most basic requirement among food handlers as it ensures
their cleanliness

2. Trimming of Nails

Trimmed nails are a requisite for food preparation. Untrimmed nails are not only
unsightly but also potential sources of contamination.

3. Shaving and Haircuts for Males

As facial hair is resource of contamination, male food handlers are required to shave as
necessary. Short, neat haircuts must be maintained as well.

4. Covering of Wounds

Wounds or cuts must be properly covered with a moisture-proof bandage which must
be frequently changed to prevent the risk of contamination.

5. Wearing of Jewelry

Wearing of jewelry must be prohibited at all times. Aside from being a physical hazard,
jewelry may also become biological hazards as they have crevices that can harbor
microbial growth.
 6. Wearing of Nail Polish or False/Artificial Fingernails

Because nail can get into food, wearing of nail polish or artificial fingernail should not be
allowed among food handlers.

7. Smoking and Eating

A high standard of cleanliness must be practiced by food handlers at all times. Any
hygienic practice that could result in cross-contamination of food, such as smoking and
eating inside the kitchen, should not allowed. Eating and smoking areas must be set up
outside the kitchen premises.

8. Hand Washing

The single most important practice in preventing the spread of foodborne illness is
proper and frequent hand washing. Since person-to-person contamination can play a
significant role in the spread of some enteric pathogens, hand hygiene is a critical
element in any outbreak prevention and control strategy.

9. Tasting of Food

A small amount of the food to be sampled must be transferred into a separate bowl.
The dish must be tasted with a clean spoon that must be immediately washed after use.
Never taste the food with the fingers.

10. Storing Personal Belongings

Personal belongings like bags and clothes should be stored in lockers or cabinet away
from food preparation areas.

11. Other Personal Habits

Blowing air into plastic bag or using the teeth for opening packages are prohibited in
food production. Blowing into food contamination like plastic bags brings airborne
microorganisms in contact with the contents of the container. Opening packages using
one’s teeth are potential sources of contamination as well.