Food safety awareness has also increased exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought hygiene and protection to the forefront for organizations and individuals alike. National health departments created stricter regulations. Practicing proper food safety habits can ensure your organization provides your customers with safe, high-quality, and hygienic food, preventing the spread of harmful foodborne illnesses.
This article breaks down food safety, why it's crucial, and some of the best food safety practices for organizations.
What is Food Safety?
From a business perspective, food safety refers to properly handling, preparing, and storing food to reduce the risk of contamination and prevent customers from contracting foodborne diseases. It is a global concern that affects various areas of daily life.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main principles of food safety are to prevent food from becoming contaminated and leading to food poisoning. Nutrition, food safety, and food security are interwoven concepts. It is estimated that almost one in every 10 people fall sick after consuming contaminated food, causing 420,000 global deaths a year. Foodborne illnesses can also negatively impact the socioeconomic development of a nation, straining healthcare systems and affecting tourism, trade, and the economy.
Several international regulations are in place to control food production and business. Some of the most well-known ones include:
1. ISO 22000
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) dictates requirements for different industries. ISO certifications indicate high-quality, consistent products. ISO 22000 for Food Safety Management lists specific requirements for food safety management systems. It outlines what organizations must do to demonstrate their capability to control and prevent food safety hazards and ensure their food is safe to consume. These can be used by any organization in the food industry, regardless of size or position in the food chain.
2. HACCP
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (more often known as HACCP), is a food safety management system that analyzes and controls biological, chemical, or physical hazards during the production of raw materials, procurement, handling, manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of food.
What Should Food Workers Use to Protect Ready to Eat Food from Contamination?
There are several steps to maintaining food safety and hygiene, which can vary based on what part of the food supply chain your organization is involved in. However, most steps can be broadly classified into 4 different categories, known as the four Cs. These include:
1. Cleaning
Keeping workspaces clean is one of the most basic ways to maintain food safety. This involves cleaning and disinfecting the food in the preparation area, any equipment or machinery used, tools, etc., particularly after handling raw foods.
Cleaning must be done regularly and consistently. It is recommended that your work areas be cleaned before, during, and immediately after any task. Including a strictly maintained cleaning schedule in your food safety program can help.
Since your organization handles food, it is crucial to use non-hazardous and non-toxic cleaning products and dispose of food waste correctly.
2. Cooking
Cooking food is not just about taste—it is crucial for killing bacteria and preventing foodborne illnesses. This becomes particularly important when handling meats. Businesses involved in food preparation must understand which foods need cooking and for how long to ensure harmful bacteria are eliminated. For instance, meats such as poultry, duck, pork, various minced types of meat, and offal must be steaming hot throughout, with no pinkness or redness in the center. Furthermore, any juices should run clear.
3. Cooling or Chilling
Just like heating food to high temperatures, chilling (or freezing) is crucial to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Most ready-to-eat dishes, such as salads and desserts, cooked meals, and foods with use-by dates, must be appropriately chilled.
To correctly chill dishes, organizations involved in the industry must immediately put items into refrigerators or chillers and ensure foods have cooled down sufficiently before placing them inside so as not to raise the freezer's internal temperatures.
Lastly, one of the most important aspects of correct food storage is to label them correctly. All stored foods must include the date they were bought and their use-by dates and be clearly labeled.
4. Cross-contamination
Cross-contamination is a serious concern when handling food. It occurs when harmful bacteria spread across workspaces through equipment or food, often when raw food comes into contact with cooked, ready-to-eat dishes. It can also result from direct contact between foods and equipment, dripping, or inadequate cleaning and disinfecting. Cross-contamination can also affect customers with food allergies. Even trace amounts of a particular allergen can cause severe reactions. Handling and storing food correctly are crucial to accommodating different allergies.
How Should Food Workers Protect Food from Contamination After it is Cooked?
A significant concern in the food industry is to protect cooked food from being spoilt. Some steps organizations can take to prevent cross-contamination include the following:
- Thoroughly disinfect all work areas, utensils, equipment, machinery, chopping boards, etc., and regularly wash hands and sanitize utensils between handling ready-to-eat foods and raw foods.
- Always store raw foods separately from cooked, ready-to-eat dishes, and strictly avoid touching them. Ideally, raw foods, especially meat, should be stored on the bottom-most shelves of fridges or storage areas to prevent juices from dripping onto cooked dishes and other ingredients.
- Cleaning materials, chemicals, and other non-food items must be stored away from any foodstuff.
- Cleaning cloths must be regularly washed and sanitized. Additionally, clothes used for cleaning equipment, toilets, or other non-food areas should not be stored near food or used to clean anything that may come in contact with food.
- Employees must thoroughly wash and dry their hands before beginning work, while changing tasks, or after taking breaks (even if they are short breaks).
The Bottom Line
Food safety is a major concern and should not be taken lightly. Failure to follow regulations can often lead to severe legal penalties, fines, and even lawsuits. Even one instance of foodborne illness can destroy an organization's reputation, causing it to lose customers and revenue. Providing a safe and hygienic environment is also important for improving employee morale and efficiency.
Meeting food safety standards might seem challenging, but investing in Food Safety Management Software can simplify the process. Effivity's Food Safety Management system offers organizations a straightforward, automated HACCP and FSSC 22000 platform. To learn more, visit Effivity's website today!
