Riassunto pag.

79
HACCP: HYGIENE & FOOD SAFETY IN CATERING
FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION
Food is life and our health depends on everyone that it is involved in producing
food. Since 2000 lot of initiatives have been promoted such as:
• the campaign “farm – to – table”;
• the global food safety;
• the ISO;
• the food safety certification;
• the european safety authority.

Domande riassunto pag. 79

o What are the initiatives promoted since 2000?

Riassunto pag. 80
FOOD SAFETY & HYGIENE
Food handlers have a legal responsability to guarantee high standards of food
hygiene and to safeguard the health of consumers. The main aim of food legislation
is to protect consumers from illness and any other harm. The most used control
system for food hygiene and safety is HACCP; the main aim of HACCP is to identify,
stop and reduce the risks to food safety.
Advantages are:
 healthy and satisfied customers;
 a good reputation;
 better job security;
Disadvantages are:
 food poisoning and ill customers;
 a bad reputation;
 possible closure of business.
Domande pag. 80
o What is the main aim of HACCP?
o What are the benefits?
o What are the disadvantages?
o What is the main aim of the legislation?

Riassunto pag. 83
HACCP GUARANTEES FOOD HYGIENE AND SAFETY IN CATERING!
HACCP is a control system: for safety and hygiene in catering, developed in the USA
in 1970s. In Italy it became compulsory since 1997. HACCP stands for hazard analysis
and critical control points. The main aim of HACCP is to identify contamination and
hazard in each step of the food production cycle. A food safety hazard can be:
biological, chemical or physical. When you plan an hazard analysis you must:
1. select a dish;
2. draft a flow chart;
3. identify the possible hazards and CCPS;
4. specify the control measures.

Domande pag. 83
o What is the meaning of HACCP?
o When did HACCP developed in the USA?
o Since when did it become compulsory in Italy?
o What do you do to plan a risk analysis?

Riassunto pag. 87
THE SEVEN STAGES OF THE HACCP
1. In the first step you conduct a hazard analysis to identify the risks,
operations, processes and specify the control measures.
2. In the second step you prevent, eliminate and reduce hazards to an
acceptable level.
 3. In the third step you set measurable limits: target limit and critical limit.
4. In the fourth step you monitor this system: everyone is responsible.
5. In the fifth step you indicate corrective actions for example throw away
damage food, check expiry dates and labels food, wash hands regularly,
correct food storage, correct food temperature, clean uniform, good
personal hygiene, clean kitchen, avoid smoking during working, costant
cleaning in the work place.
6. In the sixth step there is verification and validation of all procedures
adopted.
7. In the last step it is essential to have documentation an records of all
procedures.

Domande pag. 87
o Which are the seven steps of the HACCP?

Riassunto pag. 88
CLEANING & DISINFECTION
There is an important rule called “clean as you go”. We clean for different reasons:
1. protect us from microbial, physical, and chemical contamination;
2. give good impression for customers;
3. for a legal and moral reason.
We clean surfaces, machinery, cloths, mops and bins. We have three methods for
cleaning: very hot water, steam and chemical disinfectants.

Domande pag. 88
o What is “clean as you go”?
o What this rule is about?
o What we clean with how?

Riassunto pag. 242

HACCP SYSTEM
Since January 2006 the HACCP has became a legal requirement for all food
businesees. Article 5 of the Food Regulations states that: food handlers must
implement, maintain the principles of HACCP. Food handlers must have instruction
and training in food hygiene. Hazard analysis identifies all the factors that harm the
consumers. A CCP is a point at which control is important to reduce and prevent
hazards.
The most important CCPs are:
 selecting suppliers and delivery;
 various methods of food storage;
 preparation;
 chilled storage;
 cooking;
 serving, hot holding, cooling.
With the HACCP system first of all you identify the hazards then you put in place
corrective measures finally you go keep records and documents.

Domande pag. 242

o What is the meaning of CCPs?
o What is the acronym of CCPs?
o Which are the most important CCPs?

5 STEP
Five step are used to analize, stop and reduce possible hazard.
1. In the first step you analize the hazards.
2. In the second step you decide who are the harmed people.
3. In the third you evaluate the risks and decide if the precautions are adequate
or not.
4. In the fourth step you write and record your findings.
5. In the last step you review and revise you assessment.

o Which are the steps to analyze hazards?

Riassunto pag. 90
E.H.O.
E.H.O. is an environmental health officer. E.H.O. deals with:
 public health;
 housing;
 environmental protection;
 food safety.

Domande pag. 90
o What is the E.H.O.?
o What is duty of E.H.O.?

Riassunto pag. 92
WHO: EMERGING SCENARIOS
WHO is a world health organization. It manages public health and hazards in food.
Food borne diseases are caused by pathogenic bacteria transmitted by food.
Food may be contaminated at any stage in the food production. So food safety
actions must cover the entire food chain. Diseases are transmissible to humans
trough environmental contamination for example pollution of water, soil, air,
animals and chemicals.

Domande pag. 92
o What is WHO?
o What are the duties of WHO?
o What are the causes of food borne diseases?
o How the food borne diseases are transmitted?

Riassunto pag. 93
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
Global climate is changing.
This change causes: for example stratospheric ozone depletion, changes in
hydrological system and land degradation. All this affects human health:
 altering some diseases;
 disturbing food-producing ecosystems;
 extreme weather events.
To understand this climate change it is important an interdisciplinary cooperation
between physicians, climatologists, biologists and scientists.
Biodiversity plays an important role.

Domande pag. 93
o Which are the causes and the effects of the global environmental change?
o What do you suggest as first solution?

Riassunto pag. 95, 96

BACTERIA, VIRUSES & FOOD POISONING
Food borne disease are infections or irritations of the gastrointestinal tract caused
by: bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals.
 Bacteria are single celled micro-organisms, invisible to human. Not all bacteria
are harmful to human, but there are also helpful bacteria.
Bacteria multiply rapidly between 5°C and 63°C; this range of temperature is
called the danger zone. Bacteria multiply more slowly when food is refrigered
(under 5°C).
Spores are protective coatings; they help the bacteria to survive even hars
conditions.
 Viruses are much smaller than bacteria.
Common sources of food borne viruses include:
 food prepared by a person infected;
 food from contaminated water.
Common food borne viruses include → hepatits A.

Domande pag. 95, 96

o What are bacterias?
 o What are viruses?
o Which are the most common sources of food borne viruses?

Riassunto pag. 97
FOOD CONTAMINATION
Contaminants can be: physical, chemical, microbial.

 Physical contaminants are → stones, hair, insects.

 Chemical contaminants are → cleaning chemicals, pesticide!
 Microbial contaminants are → cut, nails, poor personal hygiene on hands.
Contamination can be:

 Direct contamination → when a raw food touches a high risk food.

 Indirect contamination → when liquid from a raw food drip into a high risk
food.
 Cross-contamination → when bacteria are carried, by hands on utensils,
from a raw food to high risk food.

Domande pag. 97
o Which are the contaminants?
o How many types of contamination we have?

Riassunto pag. 100

PREVENTING FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES
Food borne illness can be prevented by following 4 steps: clean, separate food, cook
and chill.
1. As regards clean you must wash you hands and food surfaces often.
2. As regards separate food it is important don’t cross-contaminate.
3. As regards cook, heat kill germs: so cook food to safe temperatures.
4. As regards chill, cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria.

Domande pag. 100

o Which are the four step to prevent food borne illnesses?
Riassunto pag. 101
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Food handlers must follow these rules:
 Wash hands frequently to avoid cross-contamination (for example
after handling reaw food).
 Do not wear any jewellery because bacteria multilply under.
 Do not smoke.
 Wear protective and clean clothes because protective clothing is
designed to protect food from contamination.
 Keep your hair clean and covered.
 Cover any cuts with a gloves.

Riassunto pag. 102

FOOD BORNE DISEASES OUTBREAKS
Food borne diseases is a public health challenge. Some diseases are controlled, but
not all. The number of elderly and immunocompromised are growing. We have an
outbreaks of food borne diseases caused by:
 globalization of the food supply;
 pathogens introduced into view geographical areas, travallers refugees and
immigrants are exposed to unfamiliar food borne hazard;
 evolution of new pathogens;
 development of antibiotic resistance;
 poor hygiene in commercial food service settings.

Domande pag. 102

o Who are the people that are more exposed to food borne diseases?
o Which are the causes of this outbreak food borne diseases?
Riassunto pag. 104
FOOD PRESERVATION
Food preservation has been practised for millennia.
Food preservation is important to extends food shelf-life. In the past the most
common food preservation processes were: drying, salting, picking, freezing and
smoking.
Nowadays we have mild technologies, thermal processing and hurdle concept.
 Mild technologies using electric fields.
 Thermal processing uses heat.
 Hurdle concept is a combination of the more traditional preservation methods
with new technologies.

Domande pag. 104

o Why is food preservation important?
o Which were the most used food preservation processes in the past? And
now?

Riassunto pag. 111

REFRIGERATED STORAGE SYSTEMS
All caterers have to respect food hygiene legislation and maintain HACCP rules. The
most common refrigerated storage systems are: cook-chill, cook-freeze and vacuum
cooking. The benefits of these systems are: labour saving, less kitchen waste, less
stress and increased productivity.
Futher more with these systems is it possible to:
 buy food when the price is low;
 control and minimize microbiological growth;
 avoid deterioration of food structure, quality, appearance and nutritional
value;
 use equipment and staff the more efficiently;
 prepare food in advance.
Riassunto pag. 112
COOK-CHILL AND COOK-FREEZE
To chill means to keep the food at temperature of 0°C to 3°C.
Chilling ensures protection from microbial growth and mantenance of nutritional
values for a few days. To freeze means to keep the food at a temperature of -18°C to
-22°C.
Deep freezing prevents multiplication of micro-organisms for months, but does not
destroy them.
Food must be frozen as rapidly as possible to avoid contamination.

Riassunto pag. 114

VACUUM-COOKING
Vacuum-cooking means cooking food in a vacuum sealed, airtight, plastic bag.
The main aim of vacumm-cooking are to:
1. prolong food storage life;
2. retain food colour, flavour, texture and nutritional value;
3. prevent oxidation and cross-contamination.
The most important steps in vacuum cooking are:
 first food is vacuum sealed in airtight plastic bag;
 then food is cooked at low temperature around 60°C for 24 hours;
 after food is chilled at 3°C in ice water and stored at 3°C;
 finally food is regenerated in boiling water.

Riassunto pag. 115

TEMPERATURE CONTROL
It is important than food temperature is monitored an recorded at all stages of
refrigerated storage systems. It is important because if the food is not stored at
appropriate temperature bacteria can grow before and after transit.
The food is in the danger zone when:
 when it is left at ambient temperature;
 when it is left in sunlight;
 when it is been cooled, thawed or heated;
 when hot and cool food are combined.

Riassunto pag. 124

FOOD ALLERGIES AND INTOLERANCES
Today a lot of people suffer from food allergies and intolerances.
The reason of this are:
 increase of chemicals and pollutants;
 huge number of new foods;
 great exposure to dairy and gluten food;
 genetic influence.
Food allergy is an immune response to a protein called allergen. The allergeni s not
an harm substance but the immune system response to the allergen as it was the
anaphylactic shock is the most danger situation.
Caused by an allergy. The symptoms are:
 swelling of the throat and tongue;
 difficulty in swalling saliva or speaking;
 difficulty in breathing.
Intolerance is a chemical reaction to some food. Food intolerance is much more
common than food allergy. Food intolerances are rarely letal. Symptoms are:
nervousness, plapitation, asthma, migraine.

Riassunto pag. 10
 THE SUSTAINABLE TABLE
Food system includes food production and food distribution.
Food system can be divided into two types:
 global food system;
 sustainable food system.
The difference between these two system are: the global food system operates over
very long distances while the sustainable food system is geographically localized.
Global food system is linked to industrial agriculture while sustainable food system
is connected with sustainable agriculture. Sustainable choices are important
because we are all a part of a big ecosystem. Sustainable agriculture can feed the
worldwithout damaging the environment or the human health. Sustainable
agriculture is based on multi-cropping which is an agriculture method of planting
multiple species on one piece of land without using pesticides. On the contrast in
mono-cropping one single crop in planted in a large area of land, with the use of
pesticides.