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3.16 Health, Safety and Hygiene Revision Guide
Health, Safety and Hygiene underpin the catering syllabus. You must know the
following Acts and Legislation.
1. HASAWA (Health and Safety at Work Act)
This covers all aspects of health and safety of employees.
� Employers must provide safe working areas (includes use of machinery
and tools, adequate working space, good temp control (i.e. ventilation /
heating), supervision, instruction and training of staff, cleaning, First
Aid, clothing etc.
� Employees must also take care of their own health and safety, not
endanger others and not misuse premises or equipment.
2. Food Safety Act
This covers:
• Food quality
• Food safety
• Food composition
• Food labelling and advertising
Under the act Environmental Health Officers (EHOs)
• can close dirty premises immediately
• can impose fines of £20,000 or 6 months imprisonment
• take legal action for manslaughter
All premises must be registered with Local Authority and can be inspected at
any time by an EHO.
Food Safety Act links closely with Hygiene Regulations and HACCP i.e.
controlling temperature (under 5°C / over 63°C), having strict cleaning
schedules, high personal hygiene, effective pest control.
3. Food Hygiene Regulations
These regulations are to prevent outbreaks of food poisoning.
These are 3 main areas:
(i) Food premises – these must be clean and well maintained, hot and
cold water available, good toilet facilities, clothing lockers, First Aid,
Fire Prevention, equipment in good condition, adequate storage
facilities, good ventilation.
(ii) Personal Hygiene – correct footwear, uniform, headwear, good
personal habits, good health, cleanliness.
(iii) Hygienic Practices – food stored correctly, waste disposed of
hygienically, cleaning schedules, no animals in food areas etc.
HACCP (Hazard Analysis – Critical Control Points)
Think of flow of work through a catering kitchen. Make sure you think of at
least 3 points to write about each one i.e. possible danger/hazard – how to
prevent danger occurring
� Purchase of food – buy from reputable suppliers
� Receipt of food – checking deliveries – for temp, quality points
� Storage of food – remember DRY, CHILLED, and FROZEN
� Preparation of food – avoid cross contamination – how?
� Cooking of food – cook thoroughly (above 75º C)
� Cooling – cool through the danger zone as quickly as possible
� Hot Holding – above 63º C
� Reheating – not for high risk groups.(above 75º C for 2 minutes)
� Chilled storage – between 1°C – 5º C
� Serving – obey the 4 hour rule for cold food
2 hour rule for hot food
5. Key Temperatures
-18ºC
Freezer temperature
(bacteria are dormant – not dead at low
temperature)
0ºC – 5ºC
Fridge temperature
(never put hot food into a fridge – it raises
temperature to an unsafe level)
5ºC – 63ºC
THE DANGER ZONE – bacteria multiply
rapidly especially at room or body
temperature
63ºC +
Hot-holding of food
70ºC
2 minutes (minimum core temp of reheated
food)
75ºC
Core temperature of cooked food
100ºC
Boiling water – most germs killed
70º – 190ºC
Frying temperature of hot oil in a deep
fryer/friture (so extreme care needed when
frying)
Food Poisoning
There are over 14,000 notified cases each year.
What causes it?
1. Food prepared too far in advance
2. Cooling too slowly through danger zone
3. Not re-heating food to a high enough temperature
4. Use of pre-cooked food (bought ready prepared)
5. Under cooking food
6. Not thawing frozen food properly
7. Cross contamination
8. Hot holding food below 63 C
9. Infected food handlers
10. Use of leftovers e.g. rice once cooked is a high risk food, but often used again for
salads, stir fries etc.
Food poisoning is caused by harmful (pathogenic) bacteria.
Types of food poisoning: E.Coli (raw and undercooked meats) Salmonella (chicken
and eggs) Listeria (soft cheeses and pate) Staphylococcus (nose and throat of
humans).
Salmonella causes 80%+ cases of food poisoning in the UK.
High risk foods are usually - moist
- high in protein
e.g. cooked poultry, cooked meats, dairy produce, cooked rice, soups, sauces and
stocks, shellfish, raw eggs in mayonnaises
Low risk foods are usually - low in moisture
- low in protein
- acidic
e.g. dried or pickled foods, jams, food with high salt content i.e. bacon, and
chemically preserved foods.
Symptoms of food poisoning are:Abdominal pains, nausea, sickness, diarrhoea, fever
Remember: BACTERIA need FOOD, WARMTH, MOISTURE and TIME to
multiply!
Keep food COLD, CLEAN and COVERED