Question 1

 Briefly explain two types of Commonwealth or state/territory legislation with which employers and
employees in food handling businesses within Australia must comply with. Explain the purpose of
these.

1. Food Standard Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent legislative agency that develops
food standards to cover the food industry in Australia and New Zealand to make sure that food in these
countries is safe and suitable to eat.

2. Health and safety legislation both employers and employees have responsibility for health and
safety in the workplace. Employers have the ultimate responsibility and a duty of care to ensure the
health and safety of workers and anyone else who might be affected by the work activity.

Question 2
 What is the purpose of food safety plans/ programs?
Food safety programs is a standard within the food safety standards cluster. It sets out the
requirements for the control of food safety hazards during production, manufacture and handling of
food. The purpose of food safety programs are preventing all hazards that will contaminate the food,
it will identify and control of hazards in the production, manufacture and handling of food.

Question 3
 What is the role of local government regulators in relation to food safety in Australia?

Local government environmental health officers may inspect any food business in their area
regardless of whether they are licensed or not, to ensure that foodbusinesses are selling safe food and
are complying with the Act and the Code.

Question 4
 Explain the consequences of failing to observe food safety policies and procedures in Australia.

Food handling businesses and individuals who fail to comply with food safety legislation and the
requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code will be penalized accordingly.

The local councils will enforce food safety laws

Using options ranging from advice and warnings

Temporary closure of the premises

Prosecution
 Penalty infringement notices

Staff found negligent of not practising high standards of personal and food hygiene will face
disciplinary actions such as fines, counseling or termination of employment.

Question 5
 Go on to the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand website and research Chapter 3 (Food Safety
Standards (Australia Only)) of the Food Standards Code and write a short definition of each of these
terms:

1. Contaminant (Hint: search Preliminary, Interpretation and Application)

2. Contamination (Hint: search Preliminary, Interpretation and Application)

3. Potentially hazardous foods (Hint: search Food Safety Requirements, Food Safety Practices and
General Requirements)

1. Contaminant means any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substances that
may compromise food safety or suitability.

2. Contamination means the introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in food.

3. Potentially Hazardous Foods means food that has to be kept at certain temperatures to minimise
the growth of any pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in the food or to prevent the
formation of toxins in the food.

Question 6
 What is meant by the term Critical Control Points (CCPs) in a HACCP program and what methods of
control could be used?
It is defined as a step which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food
safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. The methods that can be used are the CCP decision
tree, this will identifies hazards in terms of their degree of risk to determine whether or not they
constitute Critical Control Points.

Question 7
 List three hazards that can contaminate food.

Physical Hazards

Biological Hazards

Chemical Hazards

Question 8
  List 5 key conditions that assist the development of microbiological contamination and their rapid
growth and what happens once the bacteria multiplies?
 Warmth
 Moisture
 Time to grow
 Food on which to grow
 Oxygen
 The correct pH balance level of acidity/alkalinity

When bacteria multiply they produce toxins. The toxins that are actually can cause of food poisoning
reactions in humans or animals.

Question 9
 What is the 2 hour/4 hour rule?

It is a time control that monitors the time that high-risk food spends in the temperature danger zone
between 5°C to 60°C to limit the rapid growth of bacteria. The room temperature is within the time of
temperature danger zone. The rapid growth of bacteria is when the food kept for a long period of
time.

Question 10
 Write a short paragraph to explain each of the seven principles of a HACCP food safety plan.

1. Identify and analyze potential hazards and the associated level of risk - it
could be biological, chemical or physical hazard. They could be related to
food handling, storage, processing or service.

2. Determine the Critical Control Points - from the raw state through
processing and shipping, to consumption by the consumers at which
potential hazards can be controlled or eliminated. 3. Establish the critical
limits for each CCP and establish preventative measures for each control
point- certain raw foods require a set minimum cooking temperature and
time to ensure the elimination of harmful microbes.

4. Establish a system for monitoring CCPs to ensure control- such

procedures might include determining how and by whom cooking time and
temperature should be monitored.

5. Establish corrective actions taken when monitoring shows that a critical

limits has not been met- reprocessing or disposing of food of the minimum
cooking temperature is not met.
 6. Establish an audit program to verify that the system is working properly-
conduct test should be done regularly to know that the process are meeting
requirements with regard to for temperatures, product quality or process
variation.

7. Establish effective record keeping and documentation procedures-

documentation of hazards, risk assessments, control methods, the
monitoring processes used, the need for corrective action and any
interventions undertaken.

Question 11
 List five examples of food safety monitoring techniques.

1. Bacterial swabs and counts.

2. Checking and recording that food is stored in appropriate time frames.

3. Chemical tests.

4. Monitoring and recording food temperatures using a temperature measuring device accurate to plus
or minus one degree Celsius.

5. Monitoring and recording temperature of cold and hot storage equipment.

6. Visually examining food for quality review.

Question 12
 Explain the purpose of controls food handlers and what food businesses should put in place to serve,
display and package food safely. Include 10 examples of methods they can use.

Conduct independent research on safe food handling practices for each of these food types. Write a short summary
of the recommended food handling practices for each one.

1. Dairy.

2. Meat and fish.

3. Fruit and vegetables.

4. Frozen goods.
5. Eggs.

6. Dried goods.
Question 14
 Write a set of instructions for cleaning and calibrating handheld thermometers from ice point and from
boiling water point.

Question 15
 List two pieces of cleaning/ sanitising equipment or aids suitable for each of these
work surfaces or food preparation tools.

Surface/ food preparation tools Cleaning equipment/ aids

Floors Dustpan and broom, Wringer bucket, Detergent and Sanitizer

Crockery Clean cloth, Double bowl sink, Detergent, Draining rack, Wash-up
brush

Rubbish bins Bin liner, Sanitizer and Detergent

Food preparation benches Clean cloth, Hand scraper, Detergent and Sanitizer

Refrigerators and cool rooms Clean cloths, detergent and bucket

Dry food storage areas Clean cloths, detergent and bucket

Question 16
 What is the difference between cleaning and sanitising?

Cleaning removes food and other types of soil from a surface such as a countertop or plate while
Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens on that clean surface to safe levels.

Question 17
 Why should food handling businesses implement regular cleaning schedules in food preparation and
service areas?

Question 18
 Why must food contact surfaces be regularly cleaned and sanitised?

Question 19
 In relation to food safety, what is meant by the term vulnerable populations? Give three examples of
general population groups that fit that description.
Vulnerable populations means those groups within the community who have a higher risk of being harm
in food contamination.

These are:
Children or babies

Pregnant women

Aged persons

Unwell persons

People with immune deficiencies or allergies