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Poor food safety can have a range of consequences, including consumers becoming very ill, food businesses being prosecuted and sometimes individuals facing imprisonment as a result. Poor food safety is dealt with seriously across the United Kingdom due to the serious consequences which can occur. Therefore, knowing how to identify poor food safety is of the utmost importance.
What is poor food safety?
Failure to store, prepare and cook food safely will result in food contamination. Therefore, food handlers must be aware of how to handle food safely and hygienically to avoid food contamination at all costs. Poor food safety includes:

• Storing food incorrectly: Refrigerated foods must be stored between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Food which requires frozen conditions, should be stored in a freezer which is set at the temperature of -18°C. Failure to store food correctly will allow bacteria, viruses and germs to continue to grow in the ideal growth conditions.
• Undercooking food: Failure to cook food thoroughly will result in dangerous microorganisms remaining on the food. Food must be cooked to the core temperature of 75°C to ensure that all bacteria is killed.
• Leaving food out for too long: If cooked food is left out in the open air for more than two hours, bacteria will begin to grow and contaminate the food. Therefore, food must be thrown away if it is left out on the side for more than two hours.
• Cross-contamination: Using the same equipment and utensils, which are not thoroughly washed in-between, will result in cross-contamination. Germs from foods which are meant to remain separate will transfer and result in the contamination of food, which can be very dangerous.
• Poor personal hygiene: Food handlers will have a range of bacteria and germs on their hands and clothes, which can transfer onto food and result in contamination.

What are the results of poor food safety?
Illness of consumers
Food poisoning is the common illness which occurs as a result of consumers eating contaminated food. It can be very unpleasant, including symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. However, sometimes food poisoning can be very bad and require immediate medical attention.
Failure to deal with food safely could also result in consumers having allergic reactions, which can be serious or even fatal in extreme cases.
Prosecution
Those responsible for handling food unsafely will be investigated and prosecuted accordingly by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the relevant local authorities. The FSA is an independent Government department which focuses on protecting the health of consumers by ensuring that the food produced and distributed is safe. The FSA investigate 600,000 food businesses in the UK to discover whether the food produced is safe for individuals to consume and is presented in a way which is not misleading.
If the FSA and local authorities discover that a food business has demonstrated poor food safety, the business could face fines, closure, negative publicity and sometimes imprisonment. Dunbia (Preston) Limited, a red meat processor, was fined more than £266,000 by the FSA for demonstrating poor food safety and violations to consumer health. Dunbia failed to remove all “specified risk material” which is required by law, and therefore breached the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2010.
Poor food safety is dealt with seriously by the FSA and local authorities due to the serious complications it can cause for consumer health. Therefore, understanding how to comply with food safety and food hygiene regulations in the UK is of the utmost importance.

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There are many hazards related to food safety, which could be biological, chemical, physical or allergenic. These hazards can affect the health of those who consume contaminated food, and therefore hazards must be identified and reduced as far as possible during the food production journey. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles help food businesses to prevent various hazards from occurring to ensure health and safety standards are maintained throughout food production.
The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
The HACCP principles are a preventative approach to food safety and encourage food businesses to assess biological, chemical, physical and allergenic hazards which could affect food safety. The HACCP principles require food businesses to revise current procedures and to conduct hazard analysis, in order to identify critical control points. As a result of the emphasis which the HACCP principles have placed on preventing hazards from occurring, it has helped to reduce the amount of food poisoning and foodborne illnesses which occur due to poor food safety.
What types of food hazards are there?
Biological Hazards
Microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, contaminate food and produce serious toxins on the food, which lead to unpleasant illnesses. Microorganisms transfer onto food from unclean hands, unclean clothes, pests, animals and the air.
Microorganisms thrive within particular temperatures, pH levels and moisture, and therefore there are a number of microorganisms which are able to multiply when in ideal growth conditions. There is a ‘Danger Zone’ which allows microorganisms to grow rapidly. This zone refers to temperatures between 8°C and 60°C. When in the ‘Danger Zone’ bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes, and it has been suggested that after four hours the number of bacteria is high enough to cause serious illness.

Below the temperature of 8°C, the growth of bacteria is slowed down and essentially paused, and when food is above the temperature of 60°C, bacteria dies. Therefore, when cooking food, the food must reach a core temperature of 75°C to ensure all bacteria is killed. Moreover, if you are storing food in chilled conditions, foods must be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Refrigerators should be set at 3°C or 4°C.
Examples of biological microorganisms include:

• Salmonella
• Campylobacter
• E. Coli
• Listeria
• Norovirus

Chemical Hazards
Chemical substances can transfer onto food and contaminate it. Chemical substances include mycotoxins, sodium nitrate, pesticides, kitchen cleaning products and pest control products.
To avoid chemical hazards, ensure that cleaning procedures and sanitation in the workplace is of a high standard. You must also be aware of how your food has been treated previously, such as whether the food has come into contact with pesticides. It is also important to ensure chemicals in the workplace are stored separately from food products.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards involve physical foreign objects coming into contact with food, such as plasters, glass, plastic and hair.
To avoid physical hazards, ensure that those handling foods have a high standard of personal hygiene and are dressed appropriately. Therefore, hair must be tied back, no jewellery on, gloves on, and if a plaster is being worn, it must be a bright blue plaster to ensure it is visible. If anything is dropped or smashed around food, for example glass or plastic, the food must be thrown away to ensure no fractures of glass or plastic are within the food.
Allergenic Hazards
Allergic reactions occur when a particular food enters the human digestive system and stimulates an allergic reaction. The immune system reacts to particular proteins in foods which the body considers harmful, the symptoms can be frightening, involving difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue and a skin rash.
Common foods which can trigger allergic reactions include:

• Dairy Products
• Peanuts
• Tree Nuts
• Shellfish
• Wheat
• Soy

Therefore, it is important to understand and identify the types of hazards which exist during the food production journey, to ensure that consumer health and safety is protected as far as possible.

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Some of the fundamental principles for food safety and food hygiene are: Cleaning, Cross-contamination, Chilling and Cooking. These four principles can help to guide those handling, producing, serving and selling food to consumers in the UK, to do so safely and hygienically. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) are responsible for protecting consumer health regarding food businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The FSA ensure that food practices are safe and hygienic, and therefore it is important to understand the fundamental principles of food safety and hygiene.

The Fundamental Principles of Food Safety and Food Hygiene:

Cleaning:
Ensure that you clean and disinfect the area and equipment which is going to be used thoroughly. Make sure this is done between each cooking task which takes place, and before you start the day and finish the day.
Ensure you have high personal hygiene standards if you are handling food, for example your hands are thoroughly washed, clothes are clean, hair is tied back and gloves are worn when handling food.
Cross-contamination:
Cross-contamination occurs when pathogens from one type of food transfers to another type of food, which should be kept separate.
Hands, equipment and surfaces can allow germs to spread between foods. Ensure that equipment and surfaces are thoroughly cleaned between foods which must be kept separate. For example, raw meat and vegetables should be kept separate when stored away, and the equipment used between preparing these types of food must be washed thoroughly in between.

Chilling:
If food needs to be chilled, it must be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Therefore, refrigerators should be set at 3°C or 4°C.
Frozen food must be frozen as soon as it is delivered and before the use-by date has passed. When de-frosting you can use the defrost setting on a microwave, or ideally you can place it in the fridge, where it is at a safe temperature while defrosting, or in a sealed container under cold running water. You must ensure that food is thoroughly defrosted, unless a manufacturer has advised you to cook from frozen.
Cooking:
When cooking, you must ensure food reaches a core temperature of 75°C or 70°C for at least 2 minutes, and therefore all bacteria will be killed off safely.
When cooking raw meat, ensure that juices run clear, there’s no pink meat left, and it has reached a core temperature of 75°C or 70°C for at least 2 minutes. A clean thermometer or probe will allow you to check this.
If you are holding hot food back, it must be kept at 63°C or above, such as on a buffet. If food has not been used within two hours, it should either be reheated to piping hot or chilled to 8°C or below. If the food has been left out for more than two hours, it must be thrown away for safety.

Food Safety and Food Hygiene Legislation:

The Food Standards Act 1999: This Act establishes the powers and functions of the Food Standards Agency, an independent government department responsible for monitoring the conduct of the food industry.
The Food Safety Act 1990: This Act provides the framework for food-related legislation in England, Scotland and Wales. The main responsibilities for food businesses involve ensuring that food businesses don’t include anything in food which could damage the health of those eating it. Food must be served and sold with the quality that a consumer would expect, and food must be labelled and advertised properly, not in a way which could be misleading.
The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006: These regulations apply to food businesses in England, to ensure that everything carried out is done so hygienically.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK will ensure that food regulations and expectations are upheld and maintained. The FSA will investigate and subsequently bring to prosecution those who have failed to abide by food safety and hygiene expectations. This can be damaging for organisations, regarding fines, prosecution, imprisonment and bad press. Therefore, upholding the principles of food safety and hygiene is important.

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The consequences of poor food hygiene practices can be serious, including health repercussions for those who have consumed the produced food, and serious legal action which will be taken against those responsible for conducting poor food hygiene practices. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) are an independent Government department which aim to protect public health when it comes to food. The FSA investigate food businesses who have been using poor food hygiene practices and prosecute them with the help of local authorities. Therefore, it is important to understand the consequences for poor food hygiene practices.

Poor food hygiene practices

The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 set out the legal obligations relating to food businesses, which ensure that food is prepared, produced and served to customers safely and hygienically. Poor food hygiene practices will breach these regulations, such as the following:

• Undercooking food, resulting in bacteria remaining on food because the core temperature has not reached 75°C or 70°C for 2 minutes.
• Leaving food out for too long, allowing bacteria to multiply in ideal growth conditions.
• Storing food incorrectly, such as failing to refrigerate foods between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Refrigerators should be set at 3°C or 4°C to ensure food is refrigerated properly.
• Cross contaminating food with utensils and equipment used for foods which should be separated.
• Poor personal hygiene of those handling the food, including unclean hands, unclean clothes and hair which is not tied back properly.

What are the consequences of poor food hygiene practices?

Food Poisoning
Poor food hygiene practice will lead to those consuming the food to become severely ill, most likely with food poisoning. Food poisoning can normally be treated at home, treating symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. However, serious food poisoning can require important medical attention.
Gastroenteritis can be caused by the norovirus and bacterial food poisoning, which results in serious vomiting and diarrhoea. When there are large groups of people together, gastroenteritis can spread easily and cause mass illness.
Therefore, poor food hygiene practices do not just affect those who consume food – food poisoning can also be passed on to those who come into contact with sick people, making it a serious health issue.

Product Recall

If your poor hygiene practice has led to the contamination of food, you will have to pull back a range of different food products which have been contaminated, to stop individuals consuming them and subsequently becoming ill.

Reputational Damage

Poor hygiene practices will be heavily scrutinised and judged in the UK. Therefore, the media and press will circulate the latest stories regarding poor food hygiene practices, which will result in a loss of respect for a food business.

Reduced Staff Morale

Those working for a food business which is unclean and practicing unhygienic food practices will begin to look elsewhere for work which is respectable and isn’t going to cause customers harm. Encouraging employees to work in unhygienic conditions will result in reduced morale.

Prosecution

The FSA establish the regulations which food businesses are obliged to follow with regard to their food practices. Therefore, if a food business is suspected of poor food hygiene practices, they will be investigated by the FSA and the local authorities.
The FSA investigate 600,000 food business in the UK and check that their food products are what they say they are, and that they have been produced properly. The FSA can bring firms who have demonstrated poor hygiene standards to prosecution, and if convicted these food businesses can face fines, closure, bad press and sometimes imprisonment.
In January 2018, the restaurant director of Kosk Restaurant Ltd in Edmonton, London, was fined £8,653 for 5 food and hygiene offences. Despite them being inspected in 2016 and 2017, the restaurant showed no improvement in their poor food hygiene procedures. Consequently, the director was fined in 2018 for not dealing with cross contamination risks, having poor food safety procedures in place and no food hygiene training.
Food hygiene is of the utmost importance in the UK and therefore understanding the consequences for poor food hygiene standards is essential.

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Food poisoning can occur if you consume food which has been contaminated by bacteria, viruses or germs, resulting in unpleasant symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and feeling generally unwell. The most common way to contract food poisoning is to eat contaminated food; however, through being in contact with an individual that has food poisoning, there is a possibility that you could become unwell yourself. Therefore, it is important to understand food poisoning and how it works.

How do you get food poisoning?

Food poisoning occurs if you consume food which is contaminated with germs. Food becomes contaminated with bacteria and viruses due to some of the following:

• The food is not cooked thoroughly, until the core temperature reaches 75°C or 70°C for at least 2 minutes, and therefore germs remain present because they have not been killed off.
• An individual has re-heated food, but not to piping hot, and therefore bacteria has been able to remain and then multiply.
• Food has not been stored correctly – for example, raw meat which was meant to be re-frigerated has been left on the side for bacteria to grow in the ideal growth conditions.
• An individual handles food without washing their hands or whilst wearing dirty clothes, allowing pathogens to transfer onto the food.
• Food is left out on the side for too long, in ideal growth conditions for bacteria to multiply on the food.
• Food is consumed after the “Use By” date.

Is food poisoning infectious?

When an individual is ill with food poisoning, they will have faecal contamination, which is the reason that food poisoning can be infectious. Foodborne bacteria can transfer between people if they do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet, and then come into contact with those around them, transferring the germs.

Norovirus, which is a virus that typically contaminates food, is an example of a foodborne pathogen which can be transferred from person to person. When individuals are in close proximity to one another, such as on a cruise ship, where everyone is touching the same door handles and light switches, it means that germs can transfer very quickly from person to person.

In January 2019, there was a norovirus outbreak on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, which affected 475 passengers and resulted in the ship having to stop its journey early. The large number of people affected was due to the norovirus transferring from person to person. This demonstrates how infectious food poisoning can be and therefore it is important to know how to avoid this as far as possible.

How to prevent others from contracting food poisoning

• Ensure you wash your hands thoroughly, especially after being to the toilet. Hand sanitizers, which cruise ships tend to use a lot, can help to kill some of the germs on your hands but they are not as effective as using hot water and soap for a thorough clean.
• Clean and sanitize your living areas to ensure that it remains clean for others to use.
• Ensure your clothes are clean, because wearing dirty clothes which have your bacteria on can continue to make you ill as well as those around you.
• Do not cook for others whilst you have food poisoning, as you could transfer your germs onto the food which you are preparing.

Food poisoning can be unpleasant and therefore it is important to keep it limited to as few people as possible, through being clean and hygienic.

Typically, food poisoning can be treated at home within a week, despite it being unpleasant and uncomfortable. However, food poisoning can be dangerous if the food which has been consumed is contaminated with a large number of unsafe bacteria, viruses or germs. Food poisoning can cause many unpleasant symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhoea. If an individual becomes severely dehydrated as a result of food poisoning, they might need to go to hospital. Therefore knowing why food poisoning occurs and how to treat it is of the utmost importance.

How do you get food poisoning?

Food poisoning occurs when we consume food which has been contaminated with germs, such as bacteria and viruses.

Examples of bacteria which contaminate food:

• Salmonella
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)
• Listeria

Examples of viruses which contaminate food:

• Norovirus
• Hepatitis A and E
• Rotavirus

These types of bacteria and viruses can remain on food due to inadequate food hygiene and food safety practices. Poor food safety practices include:

• Failing to cook food to the core temperature of 75°C will mean that some bacteria will still be present in the food and not all of the bacteria will have been killed, and therefore those who consume the food could still become ill.
• Poor food hygiene can allow bacteria and germs from hands or clothes to transfer onto food and contaminate it.
• Leaving food out on the side for a long period of time allows bacteria to grow and multiply in the ideal temperature, therefore food which has been left of the side for more than 2 hours should be thrown away.
• If food is not reheated properly to the core temperature of 75°C, then bacteria will be able to remain and contaminate the food further.
• If food isn’t stored properly, bacteria will grow in the ideal warm conditions. Refrigerated foods should be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C.

Symptoms of food poisoning

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Cramps in the stomach
• Diarrhoea
• A temperature above 38°C
• Body aches

The above symptoms can be treated at home and should clear up after a week. When treating food poisoning at home, ensure that you get lots of rest, stay hydrated with plenty of water and eat small amounts of bland food which won’t irritate the stomach.

How to know if the food poisoning is dangerous

If your symptoms don’t clear up within a week or become very severe, this could be a sign that your food poisoning is serious.

Seek urgent medical attention if an individual is:

• Vomiting repeatedly
• Cannot keep a small amount of liquid in the body
• They are showing key signs of serious dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat and inability to pass much urine.

Ms Rawnsley, a woman from Hertfordshire, sadly passed away after consuming a few mouthfuls of chicken which was contaminated with E-coli during a holiday in Corfu. Ms Rawnsley went to see a doctor after vomiting seriously in the aftermath of consuming the food, and she was diagnosed with a serious case of gastroenteritis. Following no improvement in her symptoms, Ms Rawnsley was admitted to hospital and sadly died shortly after this due to severe and dangerous food poisoning. The contaminated chicken which Ms Rawnsley ate had resulted in an E-Coli infection.

Therefore, food poisoning can be deadly, and it is important to know how to deal with dangerous episodes of food poisoning if they occur.

Food poisoning is caused by the contamination of food by bacteria, viruses and germs during the food production journey, from the growing of food to the serving of food. Food can be contaminated by physical, biological or chemical germs, which can grow and multiply on food and then affect our bodies once the contaminated food has been consumed. The Food Standards Agency in the UK ensures that food businesses conduct their food safety and hygiene practices appropriately, to ensure that consumers are protected from food poisoning.

Foods which are commonly contaminated:

• Raw meat
• Undercooked meat
• Seafood
• Raw eggs
• Unpasteurised milk
• Soft cheese

However, most foods can be contaminated if they are handled incorrectly. Therefore, knowing how to protect the food you are handling and consuming is of the utmost importance.

How is food poisoning caused?

• Food is not cooked thoroughly, until the core temperature reaches 75°C or 70°C for at least 2 minutes.
• Food is re-heated, but not to piping hot throughout, and therefore bacteria remains.
• Food has not been stored correctly. If food needs to be refrigerated, it must be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Refrigerators should therefore be set at 3°C or 4°C.
• An individual handles food without washing their hands or whilst wearing dirty clothes, allowing pathogens to transfer onto the food.
• Food is left out on the side for too long, in ideal growth conditions for bacteria to multiply on the food.
• Food is consumed after the “Use By” date.

Physical Contamination

Physical contamination occurs when harmful, physical objects contact food.

Physical objects which can contaminate our food include:

• Glass
• Human hair or animal hair
• Plastic
• Plasters
• Metal
• Fingernails
• Jewellery

Biological Contamination

Biological contamination is the contamination of food by living organisms such as bacteria or viruses.

Bacteria includes:

• Salmonella
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)
• Campylobacter
• Listeria

Viruses include:

• Norovirus
• Hepatitis A and E
• Rotavirus

Chemical Contamination

Various forms of chemical products can contact food throughout the food production journey.

Chemical products include:

• Pest control products which land on surrounding food.
• Pesticides which are used on growing plant foods, which is a major source of chemical contamination.
• Kitchen cleaning products which are sprayed and land on surrounding food.
• Artificial chemical substances.

The UK Food Standards Agency

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) enforce regulations which food businesses are obliged to follow when they provide food to consumers. The FSA investigate 600,000 food business in the UK, along with local authorities to inspect the food hygiene practices which take place. If a food business is producing food which could potentially cause food poisoning to consumers, the FSA will prosecute the firm. This prosecution can result in fines, closure of the business, negative media attention and for individuals, imprisonment.

In August 2018, John and Susan Cooper died under suspicious circumstances after visiting a Thomas Cook hotel in Egypt, the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel. Prior to the passing of the couple, there had been numerous complaints regarding the food hygiene standards of the hotel, which were tremendously low, with reports of undercooked meat and many illnesses as a result. Therefore, it was suspected that the couple’s death could have been related to poor food hygiene levels in the hotel.

Food poisoning often can be treated with home-remedies. However, sometimes it can be far more serious and require urgent medical attention. Therefore, it is important to understand how food poisoning is caused and how to avoid it as far as possible.

You can get food poisoning by consuming food which has been contaminated with bacteria, viruses, pathogens and germs which are harmful to your body. Food poisoning can be unpleasant, as it causes sickness and diarrhoea. Often, food poisoning can be treated at home and you will typically feel better after a week. However, serious incidents of food poisoning will require immediate medical attention. Knowing how to avoid food poisoning is important.

The living organisms which contaminate our food and cause food poisoning in our bodies include the following:

Bacteria:

• Salmonella
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)
• Listeria

Viruses:

• Norovirus
• Hepatitis A and E
• Rotavirus

Food Contamination

Food will become contaminated if it is not handled, stored, prepared and served to consumers appropriately. The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 set out the expectations which food businesses should abide by, regarding how they produce, handle and serve their food to consumers. If a food business does not abide by regulated food practice, then food could become contaminated due to the following:

• Failing to cook food properly, and therefore the core temperature of food does not reach 75°C or 70°C for at least 2 minutes, and all bacteria is not killed off completely.
• Leaving food out on the side for a long period of time, allowing warm conditions to encourage bacteria to multiply.
• Someone handles food without washing their hands thoroughly, allowing pathogens to transfer from the hands to the food.
• Reheated food isn’t reheated thoroughly, and therefore the present bacteria is not killed off.
• Food isn’t stored properly, either in a freezer or a fridge, allowing bacteria to grow in ideal warm conditions. Refrigerated foods should be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C.
• Food is consumed well after the date of expiry.

What are the consequences for making people sick from your food?

If a food business makes someone ill after serving them food which has been contaminated and produced un-hygienically, there will be serious consequences for this.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) are the body responsible for investigating food business in the UK to ensure they are producing food hygienically and safely for consumers. The FSA investigate 600,000 food businesses, along with local authorities, and if they find that UK food legislation is not upheld, they will bring the business in question to prosecution. Prosecution can involve fines, closure of the business, negative media attention and sometimes, imprisonment for individuals who have breached food safety laws severely.

In February 2019, it was reported that a woman sadly died after falling ill with food poisoning after an outbreak at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Valencia, the Riff. There were 29 other diners who had experienced food poisoning from the restaurant but were recovering. It is believed that a mushroom risotto was the cause of the food poisoning. However, the restaurant has been closed until it is discovered what definitely caused the food poisoning.

Knowing how to produce food hygienically and safely is of the utmost importance to avoid food poisoning.

It is essential to maintain excellent standards of hygiene in food businesses and at home, to ensure the health of those consuming food is protected. Excellent standards of food hygiene will have a positive impact upon employee morale and the sale of food, as consumers are far more likely to consume food from businesses which maintain excellent standards of food hygiene. Therefore, knowing how to maintain excellent standards of food hygiene is important.

The Food Standards Agency in the UK is an independent department of the Government and is responsible for protecting consumer health by monitoring food businesses and their standards of food hygiene. To monitor the standards of food hygiene in different businesses, the Food Standards Agency calculate food hygiene ratings. Food hygiene ratings help consumers to choose where to eat and where to buy food. The food hygiene rating scheme gives food businesses a rating from 0 to 5, with 5 being classed as very good food hygiene. Therefore, achieving a high food hygiene rating is important for businesses as it attracts more customers and positive attention to the business.

How to maintain excellent standards of food hygiene

Cleaning:

Cleaning is of the utmost importance. Ensure that you clean and disinfect the area which you are working in. This includes all of the equipment and utensils which will also be used, such as chopping boards, spoons and rolling pins.

Personal hygiene standards are just as important. This involves cleaning your hands with soap and hot water thoroughly, before, during and after cooking. Clean clothes must be worn, hair must be tied completely back and gloves worn when bare hands are handling food.

Cooking:

Those who are responsible for the cooking of food must ensure food reaches the correct temperature, which will kill off all dangerous bacteria: a core temperature of 75°C.

Those responsible must complete all necessary food safety and food hygiene training which will teach them about the different forms of food contamination including biological, chemical, physical and cross-contamination.

Chilling:

When it comes to storing food properly, food handlers must be well aware of which food must be stored at room temperature, chilled or frozen. The food which needs to be chilled should be kept between the temperature of 0°C and 5°C. Refrigerators should be set at 3°C or 4°C.

Foods which must be frozen should be stored in a freezer which is set at the temperature of -18°C. Failing to store foods correctly is a demonstration of poor food hygiene standards and will lead to a food business being prosecuted for this.

Cross-contamination:

Cross-contamination occurs when foods which must be kept separate, such as raw poultry and vegetables, come into contact with one another and the germs from the surface of each food transfer across to the surface of another food.

To ensure that cross-contamination does not occur, foods must be stored separately. For example, raw meat must be wrapped up and placed at the bottom of a refrigerator, away from other foods, ensuring that juices from the raw meat can’t drip onto other foods.

The equipment which is used to prepare and cook foods, such as chopping boards and frying pans, must be thoroughly cleaned before different foods are used. For example, after chopping raw meat on a chopping board, either thoroughly clean this chopping board, or use a completely separate chopping board for other foods.

Therefore, following the necessary training for food safety and food hygiene will ensure that your food business can produce food safely and effectively.

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Compliance with food safety and hygiene legislation is important as it ensures that consumers can buy and consume food with confidence. If you don’t comply with food safety and hygiene legislation, you will be subject to investigation by the UK Food Standards Agency. To comply with food safety and food hygiene legislation, you must comply with the principles stated in the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Knowing how to comply with food safety and hygiene legislation is therefore of the utmost importance for food businesses.

Food Safety and Food Hygiene Legislation:

The Food Standards Act 1999: This Act establishes the functions and powers of the Food Standards Agency, an independent government department which aims to protect consumers from harmful foods produced by food businesses in the UK.
The Food Safety Act 1990: This Act provides the framework for food-related legislation in England, Scotland and Wales. The main responsibilities for food businesses involve ensuring that nothing is included in food which could damage the health of those eating it. Food must be served and sold with the quality that a consumer would expect, and food must be labelled and advertised properly, not in a way which could be misleading.

The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 (England): These regulations apply to food businesses in England, to ensure that everything carried out is done so hygienically. If you manufacture or distribute food, you must do so in line with these regulations. These regulations are supported by the European Regulation 852/2004.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) will ensure that food regulations are maintained. If they aren’t, the FSA will investigate and subsequently bring to prosecution those who have failed to abide by the expectations. This can be damaging for organisations, as they can face fines, prosecution, imprisonment and bad press. Therefore, complying with food safety and hygiene is important.
In April 2012, the restaurant Flicks, in Northern Ireland, received a large fine after there was an E. coli outbreak. The restaurant was fined £110,000 after it was discovered that 141 people fell ill, with 19 in hospital. It was found that ingredients such as parsley were not washed efficiently and there was a lack of hand washing facilities, totalling in 11 separate breaches of food hygiene.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles

The HACCP principles allow food businesses to effectively manage their food safety and food hygiene practices as best as possible. This includes looking at the current procedures which are in place and making sure these prioritise high standards of food safety and food hygiene. You must conduct a hazard analysis to identify critical control points and areas which you need to focus on, whilst making sure procedures are working to protect consumers from hazards. Ensure you keep a record of your steps to prove that you have conducted the HACCP principles.
Therefore, it is important to ensure you comply with food safety and hygiene legislation by implementing and maintaining strong food safety and hygiene procedures.

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