Food Safety and Food Poisoning

Food Safety and Food Poisoning

Food Safety is essential to meet the legal requirements of producing safe food for sale.

Safe Food is essential to ensure we do not:

• Give customers food poisoning.

• Injure them by having food contaminated with physical objects.

• Cause an allergic reaction.

Food Hygiene is all the practices and procedures that produce safe food, these are all the things you do when you work in a fish and chip shop and include:

• Staff.

• Premises.

• Equipment and utensils.

• The food you handle.

Food Poisoning

There are approximately 72,000 cases of food poisoning reported each year in the UK. These are the ones where people go to the doctor or hospital and are diagnosed with food poisoning. In reality the majority of cases do not get reported as the effects often only last a day or two and generally people’s immune systems will help them get better relatively quickly.

What are the symptoms?

• Typical symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, stomach pain, and fever.

• In extreme cases people can die.

Who can be affected?

Anyone can be affected but there are certain groups who are more likely to be affected and may have more severe reactions. Generally these are people whose immune systems are not at their optimum condition. These vulnerable groups are

• Young Children.

• Older people.

• Ill People.

• Pregnant women.

What causes food poisoning?

• Eating food that has been contaminated by food poisoning bacteria, the toxins they produce or by viruses that can be taken into the body by food. Norovirus is becoming a major issue in the UK. It is normally regarded as an airborne virus but it can be taken into the body on food as well. So if you work when you have Norovirus you risk spreading the virus around the shop which means it can get onto the food you are selling.

• Eating food that is contaminated by chemicals.

Injury

Chewing or swallowing food that is contaminated with physical items, such as glass or metal, can injure customers

Poor Hygiene Practices can and do, lead to outbreaks of food poisoning or injury. These are:

1. Preparation of food too far in advance.

2. Contamination of food from dirty surfaces or dirty food handlers.

3.Cross contamination, where the bacteria are moved from raw food onto cooked, ready to eat foods, by poor food handling practices and procedures.

4.Poor cleaning of premises and equipment.

5.Food handlers not washing hands after visiting the toilet, touching their mouth, nose or hair, or handling refuse and then touching food, thereby contaminating food.

6. Food Handlers working while suffering from Food Poisoning.

Food Safety issues are very serious and can lead to heavy fines or even closure of businesses if they are found guilty of being responsible for an outbreak. Companies should always consider any risk, no matter how slight. 

Allergy

Food safety also involves preventing allergic reactions. If allergens cross-contaminate food, they can cause severe reactions in sensitive individuals, leading to symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. It is essential to manage allergens carefully, ensuring that customers with food allergies are protected from exposure. This includes clear communication about ingredients and preventing cross-contact during food preparation. Remember, food allergens are not always visible, and an allergic reaction can be just as dangerous as food poisoning.