FOOD SAFETY & MRS

P.GARAMUMHANG

LEGISLATION
O

BSC (UZ)

FST 2209 MSC(WUR,NL)

PGDHTE (GZU)
COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the course students are expected to:

• Have understood the principles of food safety
• Have understood how to create hygienic conditions in a food
processing environment
• Discuss the implications of poor hygiene to the health of the
consumer to company ops
• Understand Zimbabwean Food laws , international standards
and other countries’ Food laws
 WHO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR ENSURING SAFE FOOD?

• “Delivering safe food to the dinner table is the culmination of the work of
many people.
• Producers, shippers, processors, distributors, handlers, and numerous others
perform actions every day that may affect the safety of our food.
• Everyone's challenge is to perform these individual actions as well as
possible, so that the food we eat is free from physical hazards and dangerous
levels of pathogenic microorganisms and hazardous chemicals
 DEFINITIONS

• Food safety can be defined as the assurance that food will not cause harm to the
consumer when it is prepared and /or eaten according to its intended use(Codex
Almentarius(2003;ISO22000:2005), FAO /WHO 1997)
• Food safety refers to all those hazards whether chronic or acute that may make
food injurious to the health of the consumer. It is not negotiatiable!!
• It implies absence / acceptable & safe levels of contaminants, naturally
occurring toxins or any other substance that make food injurious
EXAMPLES OF SUBSTANCES THAT
MAKE FOOD UNSAFE:

• Adulterants - such as metal or glass, or other non-food elements, such as rodent

faeces.
• Mycotoxins - increase the risk of cancer in humans.
• Antibiotic drug residues - pose chronic risks.
• Pesticide residues - residues increase the risk of cancer; others carry risks of
neurochemical damage.
• Heavy metals- can cause acute or chronic illness.
• GMOs - Genetically modified foods may contain allergens or toxins that are not
found in conventional foods.
•  
WHY STUDY FOOD SAFETY?

• The increasing globalization of the food supply chain

• A consumer population which is far more knowledgeable & discerning on issues
associated with the food production chain.
• Sophisticated innovations in product development
• The right to expect the food they eat to be safe and suitable for consumption
• Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses can damage trade and tourism
• Food spoilage is wasteful
• Economic consequences of foodborne diseases
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

• 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 (Codex Alimentarius Commission, 200
• Food hazard - A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the
potential to cause an adverse health effect (Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2003)
• Food Safety Management System - Set of procedures and processes developed to control
food safety hazards (adapted from Manning and Baines, 2004)
• 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. CAC (1999)
• Exposure assessment - The qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the likely intake o
biological, chemical and physical agents via food as well as exposures from other sources i
relevant. CAC (1999)
• Hazard characterisation - The qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the
nature of the adverse health effects associated with the hazard. For the purpose of
microbiological risk assessment the concerns relate to microorganisms and/or their
toxins. CAC (1999)
• Risk characterisation - ‘‘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 a given
population based on hazard identification, hazard characterisation and exposure
assessment’’. CAC (1999)
• Critical control point - 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. CAC
(1997)
• Corrective Action: Procedures to be followed when a deviation occurs.
• Risk (relative to food) - A function of the probability of an adverse health effect and
the severity of the effect consequential to a hazard(s) in food (Jouve et al., 1998)
•
FOOD HAZARDS

• Biological
• Physical,
• Chemical properties that may cause food to be unsafe for human
consumption.
A.Biological agents
• Bacteria and their toxins
• Parasites
• Viruses
B.Physical Objects
• Jewellery
• Stones
• Glass
• Bone and metal fragments
• Packaging materials
C.Chemical contamination
• Natural plant and animal toxins
• Unlabeled allergens (allergen-causing protein)
• Nonfood-grade lubricants
• Cleaning compounds
 BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

• Involve mainly living organisms

• These hazards induce acute symptoms, which make them noticeable by the
consumer. E.g diarrhoea – salmonella, cholera – E.coli
• Can affect the food chain at any step
• They may be macro or microbiological hazards
• Macro: seen without the aid of a microscope – insects or small mammal
• The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but in 1998 it
was estimated that 2.2 million people, including 1.8 million children, died from
diarrhoeal diseases.
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

Bacteria
These are prokaryotic microorganisms (don’t have a true/defined nucleus)
•Divided into gram negative and gram positive bacteria
•Gram negative foodborne pathogens
•Salmonella sp – can grow between 5 – 47oC
•Shigella sp – dysentery
•E. coli – some are harmless – diarrhoea
 
•Gram positive
•Clostridium spp – botulism
•Staphylococcus aureus – diarrhoea
•Listeria monocytogenes –
•Bacillus cereus  
 CONTINUED…
Moulds
• Moulds themselves don’t represent a hazard for consumers, but secondary metabolites
that they produce during growth (mycotoxins) could be dangerous to human health.
• E.g aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus spp (A. flavus/parasiticus) – highly toxic and
potentially carcinogenic – aflatoxicosis 
Parasites
• e.g. parasitic protozoa and parasitic metazoan
Virus
• Viruses are microorganisms which cannot be seen by a naked eye or light microscope
• They are totally depended on their host (bacteria, animal or humans) for survival.
• e.g. of foodborne viruses: Hepatovirus (Hepatitis A & E)
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
• Effect is often difficult to link to any particular food and may occur long after
consumption
• Concerns about the misuse of pesticides during food production and storage
• Heavy metal contaminants via soil or water or food contact material, as can other
environmental contaminants such as PCBs.
• All can lead to acute or chronic illness.
• More recently, contamination from dioxins entering the animal feed supply has
highlighted both the importance of controlling the whole food chain and the
international concerns about food safety systems.
• Misuse and illegal use of food additives create their own food safety problems.
• Mycotoxins are another group of highly toxic or carcinogenic chemical
contaminants of biological origin produced by certain species of fungi.
• Understanding of the effect of chemicals in food intolerances and allergies,
endocrine system disruption, immunotoxicity, and certain forms of cancer are
Where chemical hazards arise in the food supply
 Contaminants of industrial and environmental origin

Chemical Main Source Associated Food

PCBs Transformers Fish, animal fat
Dioxins By-product Fish, animal fat
Mercury Chlor-alkali Fish
Lead Vehicle emission, Canned food,
Smelting, paint, acidic foods,
Glazes, solder drinking water
Cadmium Sludge, smelting Fish, mushrooms
Radionuclides Accidental release Vegetables
Nitrate/nitrite Fertilisers Drinking water
 Inherent plant food toxicants

Chemical Associated Food

Oxalates Rhubarb, tea, cocoa, spinach, beet
Glycoalkaloids Green potato
Cyanoglycosides Lima bean, cassava
Phytohaemagglutinin Red kidney beans and other beans
Various carcinogens Spices and herbs
 Mycotoxins

Chemical Source Associated Food

Aspergillus flavus and Corn, peanuts, tree nuts,
A. parasiticus milk
Aflatoxins Cereals and other foods
Trichothecenes Mainly fusarium Wheat, barley, corn
Ochratoxin A Penicillium verrucosum
Rye, barley, wheat
A. ochraceus
Ergot alkaloids Corn
Claviceps purpurea
Apples, pears
Fumonisins Cereals, oil, starch
Fusarium moniliforme
Patulin P. Expansum
Zearalenone
Fusarium spp.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• are additional matter or alien objects normally not existing in food that could cause
injury, disease or psychological trauma to the organism.
• classified as Non-radioactive and radioactive physical contaminants

• Non-radioactive: are foreign bodies found in food that can

cause injuries or illness to the consumer when ingested.
Can be classified into 3 groups according to their nature:
• E.g. Mineral (soil, stones, dust, metal, glass, fibre etc.)
• Plant (weeds, leaves, stems etc.)
• Animal (mites, insects, rodents etc.)
 RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION:
• radioactivity is the ability of some heavy nuclides to decay into light nuclides by
emitting radioactive particles alpha (α), beta (ß) and gamma(γ)
• E.g. Radiation
• Isotopes of strontium, iodine (iodine 131) are important
• Produce such as leafy greens and animal products such as milk and eggs are the
greatest concern for possible contamination
• Leafy green are exposed to direct contact from contaminated air
• Meat, milk and eggs are at risk from contamination through the animal eating
contaminated grass and feed
• Consuming contaminated food could increase the risk of certain cancers
• Radioactive iodine can cause damage to the thyroid especially in young children

• For example the Japan Nuclear radiation – Fukushima Nuclear Plant (2011)
• Melamine in baby/infant milk – (2008)
5 KEYS TO SAFER FOOD(FAO)
• Its estimated that each year 1.8million people die as a result of diarrheal
diseases most of which are attributed to contaminated food and water
• Keys were developed to educate food handlers about their responsibilities
for food safety.
• The core messages of the 5 keys to safer food are :
1.keep clean
2. Separate raw and cooked
3.Cook thoroughly
4.Keep food at safe temperatures
5.Use safe water and raw materials
KEY 1: KEEP CLEAN

•Wash hands before handling food and often during food

preparation.
•Wash hands after using the toilet
•Wash and sanitize all surfaces and equipment used for food
preparation
•Protect kitchen areas from food insects , pests and other
animals

Why ?....
KEY 2 SEPARATE RAW AND COOKED
•Separate raw meat ,poultry and seafood from other
foods
•Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and
cutting boards for handling foods
•Store foods in containers to avoid contact between raw
and prepared foods
•‘cross contamination’
How do you keep these foods separate?
Separate raw meats,poultry and seafood from other
foods while shopping
Separation in the refridgerator
Store in containers with lids
Liquids for marinating raw meat must not be poured
over the meat when it is cooked
KEY 3 COOK THOROUGHLY

•Cook food thoroughly especially meat ,poultry, eggs and

seafood
•Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure
they have reached 70oC
•Reheat cooked food thoroughly

Why?

Proper cooking can kill almost all dangerous micro

organisms
Foods that require special attention include minced
meats, rolled oats, large joints of meat and whole poultry
KEY 4 KEEP FOOD AT SAFE TEMPERATURES

•Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for

more than 2 hours
•Refrigerate promptly all cooked food and perishable
(below 5oC)
•Keep hot food piping hot (> 600C)prior to serving
•Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator
•Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature

Micro orgs,cannot multiply if it is too hot or too cold.

Cooling or freezing food doesn’t kill but limits growth
Danger zone temperature range micro orgs multiply
very fast
KEY 5 USE SAFE WATER & RAW MATERIALS

•Use safe water or treat it to make it safe

•Select fresh and wholesome foods
•Choose foods processed for safety such as pasteurized milk
•Wash fruits and vegetables especially if eaten raw
•Do not use food beyond its expiry date
•Why?
Raw materials including water and ice maybe contaminated with
dangerous micro orgs and chemicals
Toxic chemicals may be formed in damaged or mouldy foods
