‫‪FOOD SAFETY‬‬

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 INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SAFETY

People all over the world often get sick from the food they eat
everyday. This sickness is called foodborne disease and is
caused by dangerous microorganisms and/or toxic chemicals.

Most foodborne disease is preventable with proper food handling

and attention to good practices and hygiene.

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Food safety is about producing, handling, storing and

preparing food in a manner that prevents infections or

diseases and retains enough nutrients for a healthy diet.

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1- DEFINITIONS AND TERMS OF FOOD SAFETY

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Adulterated: food that has been prepared or packed in an unsanitary way,
contains dirt, could be harmful to health or may not be correctly labeled.

Antinutritive : food components that induce their toxic effects indirectly, by

causing nutritional deficiencies or by interference with the functioning and
utilization of nutrients.

Chemical poisoning: food poisoning caused by chemicals that are in the food
by accident.

Clean: free of visible soil.

Cleaning: removal of soil from a surface. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28

Contaminate : Any biological, chemical, or radioactive agent or any other
substances that were not intentionally added to food, affecting the safety of food
or its suitability for consumption.
Contamination : The arrival of any contaminant into the food or the environment
surrounding the food
Cross-contamination: carrying soil, microbes, or other particles from a raw-food
product to a finished-food product on equipment, utensils, clothing, air, or other
vehicles.
Critical Control Point (CCP): A step at which control can be applied and is
essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable
level.
Critical zone (see danger zone): the range of temperatures at which microbes
grow fastest, 2-6O0C (36-14O0F). 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28

Disinfection: killing harmful microorganisms.

Food : Any substance whether processed, semi-processed or raw which is intended for
human consumption, including drinks, chewing gum and any substance which has been used
in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of food but excluding cosmetics, tobacco and
substances used as drugs.

Food allergy is abnormal immunological response against a specific protein or part of a

protein in food, leading to injury to the body that may be either reversible or irreversible.

Food infections: illnesses caused by eating infectious microorganisms, such as bacteria,

viruses, or parasites. (due to presence of living organism).

Food intolerance: general term describing an abnormal physiological response to food or

food additives that does not appear to be immunological in nature.

Food poisoning: an illness caused by eating food that contains toxins made by microbes or
chemical poisons. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28
Safe food : It is food that is free of pollutants and risks and that does not cause harm, or disease
to humans in the long or short term, based on the results of laboratory analysis and experiments
on experimental animals or based on long-term uses for it.

Food safety : the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared
and/or eaten according to its intended use. OR is all the measures necessary to produce
healthy food that is not harmful to human health

Food quality : a complex characteristic of foods that determines its value and acceptability by
consumers.

Food spoilage: changes in the color, flavor, or texture of foods.

Foodborne infection: illness caused by growth of a foodborne microorganism in a person's

body.

Foodborne intoxication: illness caused by toxins produced by microorganisms in food before

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the food is eaten. ( due to presence of toxins ).

Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) : compliance covers the minimum sanitary and hygiene
practices for food processors, to ensure that food is safe and suitable for human consumption.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) : all the procedures that are taken in the factory
to ensure food safety and its compliance with the laws and legislations.

HACCP: (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) A systematic approach to the

identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards.

Hazards : A biological, chemical, or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the
potential to cause an adverse health effect.

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Hazard Characterization : The qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the nature of the
adverse health effects associated with the hazard. To Microbiological Risk Assessment, the
concerns relate to microorganisms and/or their toxins.

Hazard Identification : The identification of biological, chemical, and physical agents capable
of causing adverse health effects and which may be present in a particular food or group of
foods.

High-risk foods : include dairy products (milk, cream, cheese, yogurt, and products containing
them such as cream pies and quiches), Eggs, Meat or meat products, Poultry, Fish, and seafood.

Host: the food, animal, or plant that supports growth of a microorganism.

Hygiene: practices used to maintain good health.

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Low-moisture foods: foods that contain very little moisture, such as bakery goods, nuts and
seeds, candy, cereal, grains, and snack foods.

Low-risk foods : ambient-stable such as bread, biscuits, cereals, crisps and cakes (not cream
cakes). Such foods are unlikely to be implicated in food poisoning and include: foods that have
been preserved, for example, smoked or salted fish.

Microbe, microorganism: organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye, such as bacteria,
viruses, and some parasites and yeasts.

Mycotoxin: toxin produced by a mold.

Natural toxins : chemicals with potentially toxic effects on human beings because of their
natural occurrence in food.

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Nutrients: substances needed by organisms to grow.
Pathogen: a microorganism that can cause disease.

Perishable food: a food that spoils or decays quickly or easily, e.g., fruits, vegetables, fresh
meat, or milk.

Personal hygiene: maintaining a clean body and clean clothing.

Pest: an animal that causes destruction or disease (e.g., rodents, insects, and birds).

Pesticide: chemical poison that kills pests.

Quality assurance: planned and systematic inspection, monitoring, evaluation, and record
keeping maintaining an acceptable product.

Ready-to-eat : food that will not be heated or processed again before it 21is،‫الثاني‬eaten.
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Regulations: detailed rules, written after an act has been passed, that specify how and
when the law will be carried out.

Risk : A function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that
effect, consequential to a hazard(s) in food.

Risk Analysis : A process consisting of three components: risk assessment, risk

management and risk communication.

Risk Assessment : A scientifically based process consisting of the following steps:

hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and risk
characterization. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28
Risk Characterization : The process of determining the qualitative and/or quantitative
estimation, including attendant uncertainties, of the probability of occurrence and severity of
known or potential adverse health effects in each population based on hazard identification,
hazard characterization and exposure assessment.

Risk Communication : The interactive exchange of information and opinions concerning

risk and risk management among risk assessors, risk managers, consumers, and other
interested parties.

Risk Management : The process of weighing policy alternatives in the light of the results of
risk assessment and, if required, selecting, and implementing appropriate control options,
including regulatory measures.

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Sanitation: creating and maintaining hygienic and healthful conditions.

Sanitizer: process or agent (heat, radiation, or chemicals) that kills or removes microbes.

Sanitizing: killing or removing all microbes.

Shelf life: how long a food product is good to eat before it contains dangerous levels of
microbes, or the color or flavor goes bad.

Spoilage: decay; off-color, flavor, or odor; or other damage that makes food unacceptable to eat.

Total quality management (TQM): a management philosophy that helps managers and
employees work together for better productivity, lower costs, and more consistent and safer
products. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28
Verification is the application of some activities in addition to follow-up,
which determines the validity of the HACCP plan and that the system
works according to the set plan. These activities may be methods, steps,
tests, or evaluation.

Validation : Validity is obtaining clear evidence that the elements of the

HACCP plan are effective and valid to achieve its objective

“Food Safety Management System (FSMS)” means the adoption Good Manufacturing
Practices, Good Hygienic Practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and
such other practices as may be specified by regulation, for the food business
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Food safety is non-negotiable
Whereas other quality characteristics like size, colour, shape etc.
depend on the customers’ choice and may be negotiated, food safety
is not negotiable due to legal considerations. Regulations are in place
in most countries to protect health and safety of citizens, animal and
plant life, and the environment.

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Biological hazards

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Biological hazards

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Chemical hazards

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Chemical hazards

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Chemical hazards

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Physical hazards

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Food safety must be managed across the supply chain
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In this example, hazard may be analyzed as follows: 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28

Source of hazard : Unclean and unmaintained table.

Large sections of wood are chipped, most of the paint is peeling), low
visibility (poor lighting) increases the risk, dirt is built up on the table.
Hazard identification: Contamination of food from following:
1.Paint is peeling - fragments of paint can fall into food. (chemical hazard)
2.Wood is chipped – pieces of wood may be introduced into food
(physical hazard)
3.The table does not allow easy cleaning and disinfection - harmful
bacteria (or other microorganisms) can be introduced into food since
not possible to clean the table. (biological hazard)

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Hazard classification: (Severity of impact ) High – can cause choking,
poisoning, sickness.
Risk (likelihood of hazard): As shown in Table 1.

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Control measure: Action taken to reduce risk / eliminate hazard:
1. Change table or repair table to cover work-surface and food
contact surface with nontoxic and easily cleanable material
e.g. steel or rustproof metal.
2. Improve visibility through added lighting.

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 5. Food safety and quality systems

Food businesses also build their reputation and brands by

meeting their food safety and quality responsibilities by
implementing assurance systems such as Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP), Good Hygienic Practices (GHP), Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Food Safety
Management Systems such as ISO 22000

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If quality and food safety systems are not being applied in a food
business, then resources (people, materials, equipment, money and
time) are actually being devoted to producing risky or dangerous
produce which would be rejected on the market or if accepted, may
cause serious health problems to people.
Without food safety and quality systems, food businesses :
• are not in a position to provide confidence in food safety
• are unable to build a reputation
• can neither prevent errors and risks till problems occur, nor recall
defective or unsafe products
• damage the reputation of the enterprise
• may face fines, legal action or even close down. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28
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Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
GAPs are practices that ensure environmental, economical and social sustainability
for on-farm practices (and post production practices) resulting in safe and quality
food and non-food agricultural products (FAO 2003).
These are applied taking into consideration food safety hazards from the following
sources:
• Environment
• Agricultural inputs (soil, water, seeds, agrochemicals, organic / inorganic
fertilizers, animals)
• Workers
• Growing practices
• Harvest and transportation
• Facilities (storage areas for produce, equipment, pesticides etc)
• Equipment, tools, utensils. 21 ،‫ تشرين الثاني‬28
Good Hygiene Practices (GHP)
All practices regarding the conditions and measures necessary to
ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.
(FAO). These include
• Suitable facility design and maintenance
• Thoughtful equipment design and maintenance
• Documentation that includes procedures, forms and manuals
• Process validation
• Corrective and preventive actions
• Control of non-conforming products
• Traceability
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• Management of incidents and product recall
• Job training and competence
• Hygiene and sanitation
• Waste removal
• Pest control
• Chemical and physical product contamination control
• Prevention of cross contamination.
• Dispatch and transport
• Allergen management
• Product packaging and labelling
• Personal hygiene
• Internal audits for hygiene, food safety and quality
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Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
HACCP is a science-based system which systematically identifies,
evaluates, and controls hazards which are significant for food safety.
Food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of
biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material
production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution
and consumption of the finished product.
Pre-requisite programmer (GAP and GHP) must be working effectively
within a system before HACCP is applied. If these pre-requisite
programmer are not functioning effectively then the introduction of
HACCP will not be effective.

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