Food Safety Management

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Executive Summary:Food safety and maintenance of its quality issues have become a major economic factor

throughout the world. This report specially spells light on food safety management to a hotel

business named Covent Garden Hotel. Temperature control and its ways are described in this

report as this is a big issue in the safety of food. There are various ways to preserve food like

freezing, drying, canning, pickling. Food contamination can be minimized with the help of

personal hygiene approaches. Cleaning and disinfection of the employee is very much important

to safeguard the quality of food. Pest control strategy are inevitable to the safety of food

premises. There should be hygienic design and construction of food premises. Training facility is

important in order to build quality mechanism. This is important to any food serving

organization to maintain its quality and service towards its customer in order to achieve success

in the long run.

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Table of ContentsExecutive Summary:...................................................................................................................................2

Introduction................................................................................................................................................4

Discussion on the key steps in a temperature control system (AC 3.1)...................................................5

Summarizing methods for safe storage of food (AC 3.2).........................................................................5

Evaluating the importance of personal hygiene in the control of food contamination. (AC 3.3).............7

Evaluating cleaning and disinfection as a process supporting safe food production. (AC 3.4)................8

Assessing the problems regarding pest control in food remises (AC 3.5)................................................9

Justification of the need for hygienic design and construction of food premises. (AC 3.6)...................10

Justification of the importance of training as a quality assurance mechanism. (AC 3.7).......................10

Producing a food hazard risk assessment (AC 4.1)................................................................................11

Completion of a food safety control system. (AC 4.2)...........................................................................13

Devising a food safety guide for legislation compliance. (AC 4.3).........................................................15

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................16

Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................17

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IntroductionThe supplier of food always keeps in mind that they should focus on food safety and its due

delivery because it ensures their organizational success. Food safety is an inevitable need for

every customer. Without making sure proper safety of food, customer will not rely on the

organization. But day by day, it has become too much complex to ensure safe supply of food

causing diarrhea to death. Covent Garden Hotel is a 5-star hotel situated in London, England.

There are 58 beautifully designed bedrooms. There are large curtains and aged wood furnishings

at the reception. There are also gym and spa facilities in this hotel. This hotel follows certain

steps in controlling food contamination. It ensures its employees be personally hygiene in the

premises for making sure food safety. This hotel also focuses on pest control mechanism.

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Discussion on the key steps in a temperature control system (AC 3.1)

The most important element of preserving food is temperature and so to ensure food safety,

proper temperature system should be applied. Proper temperature of heat and refrigeration can

minimize the increment of bacteria and other toxins in food. Appropriate temperature requires

temperature control system (Motarjemi M. 2014).

There are four steps of temperature control system. Which are:

Establishing required temperature: The first phase is to establish the required temperature

level. Like there are various types of food, there are lots of difference in temperature

requirements. Chilled food needs 5° C, whereas freezing food needs -18° C. In cooking food, it

needs high temperature which helps killing bacteria.

Emerge techniques to arrange those temperature: The second step tells the terms and

techniques to arrange temperature according to their needs to food preparation. The leading

controller install efficient and effective techniques in the temperature control system.

Monitor the achieved temperature: After we find required temperature by using techniques to

achieve it, we should then monitor it on a daily basis. It is needed to ensure proper maintenance

of temperature control.

Take record of the temperature: The last step tells to keep record of the temperatures being

used in the whole process. Temperature control management system should take down record of

temperatures (Motarjemi, M. 2014).

Summarizing methods for safe storage of food (AC 3.2)

Some food does not remain fresh always. There needs proper storage of food. if we do not ensure

proper storage of food, it can cause serious harm to human body. Food can be stored by many

ways which are discussed below:

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Figure: Methods for safe storage of food.

Dry Storage System: Perishable foods are preserved in a ventilated room. That room needs to

be cleaned properly. The foods are sealed properly and labeled firmly into packet and stored in

that storage room.

Frozen Storage System: It is used mostly. In this approach, foods are kept between 0°C to -

10°C. to preventing freeze burn, foods are wrapped with papers (Newslow, D. 2014.).

Canning storage system: Liquid food items are kept in canning system to preserve food quality.

Different types of mushrooms, sauce are canned in this respect. Canning system is being applied

in two ways and these are water bath canning system and pressure canning system (Newslow, D.

2014.).

Refrigeration storage system: In refrigerator food keeps away the bad odor from the food.

Foods are kept in jars or in containers for storing the quality of food. It is mandatory to monitor

and control the temperature of the refrigerator frequently.

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Methods for safe storage of food

Dry Storage System

Frozen Storage System

Canning storage system

Refrigeration storage system

Evaluating the importance of personal hygiene in the control of food contamination. (AC 3.3)

Food contamination can be reduced by proper utilization of personal hygiene. It is mandatory for

hotel business like Covent Garden Hotel which has lots of employees. These employees need to

take proper steps on personal hygiene. If they are not hygiene, it can cause detrimental effect on

customer. Food borne diseases are spreader over to customer in case employees are not

personally hygiene.

Figure: Personal hygiene of food handler

Source: thewholekaboodle.com

There are lots of food processing plants and they have rules and regulation for ensuring personal

hygiene. Employees who are engaged production must wear hats, gloves and masks as they

minimize the possibility of food contamination. Workers can carry different kinds of bacteria and

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toxic germs on their skins, hands and hair. Germs do not stay calm; they spread throughout

human body from one person to another. For this reason, hotel authority should take steps on

personal hygiene. Employees should always bear in mind that they ought to clean themselves

before and after food production, after using restroom, after sneezing, coughing.

Food contamination can happen from dirty body and dirty uniform of the employees. so they

should be dressed properly and be clean in their uniform. They should wash away their hands in

a proper manner in order to avoid spreading viruses. But in case an employee become affected

by those viruses, they he should not be allowed to produce food there because it spreads the

viruses to others’ in the food processing area. All employees should be informed and followed

the basic food protection policies and practices (Stranks, J. 2007).

Evaluating cleaning and disinfection as a process supporting safe food production. (AC 3.4)

To support safe food production, cleaning and disinfection are very important factor to be

notified. Cleaning means eradicating dirt or any harmful object from the outer surface of the

human body. Disinfection means maintaining a place or an object free from the execution of

microorganisms or bacteria. By utilizing both cleaning and disinfection process in the hotel

business, good quality food production can be ensured. External surface of equipment and

human body are the main object to which these process are mainly applied. Microorganism and

its growth can be reduced with the development of these processes. Disinfection, on the other

hand, reduces the growth of infection and preventing food contamination (Tompkin, R. 2002).

Covent Garden Hotel use various types of detergent to clean dirt to chemicals from the external

surfaces. Among them, they surfactant which helps them in cleaning. There are various kinds of

surfactant such as anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants. These

surfactants are used as bactericides. Cleaning process ensures safe food service to customer and

so it is very important. It can be executed in food production in four variables named as physical

action, temperature, time and concentration or detergent. These action refrains outer level of

surface free from bacteria or soil mixture.

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Assessing the problems regarding pest control in food remises (AC 3.5)

Different kinds of pests can cause food contamination. It spreads and transmits diseases from one

body to another. Any stage of food processing is a hostage of pests. It is mandatory to control

pest. There are 3 kinds of pest such as insects (such as cockroaches, bees, flies, beetles and ants),

birds (such as pigeons, sparrows, crows starlings, seagulls) and rodents (rats, mice). They destroy

food crops, damages property and otherwise. These pests are detrimental to Covent Garden

Hotel. Rats and mice enters easily under the doors of premises or If the door and windows are

kept open, or if any gaps still remain around cables and pipes or if the drainage system is kept

uncovered.

Pests cannot be totally eradicated but they can be minimized to some extent. General steps

include keeping doors and windows close, building properly the food production infrastructure,

ensuring proper maintenance of equipment used. To reduces the flies, electronic fly killing

devices are used. This is used mostly. The cooking place i.e. kitchen should be kept clean

always.

The food premises should be monitored regularly. These above mentioned are the normal

procedure of pest control. When chemicals are used to control pests, it creates some problem.

One of the problems of pest control is their side effect on environment. To reduce pests some

food service providers, use pesticides which primarily minimize pest’s growth but eventually

affects badly. These pesticides kill pests and its predators both. When pests start to generate in

multiple number afterwards, then there comes up a gap between pests and its predators. The

increased amount of pests but decreased amount of predators cause unquestionable worse

consequence on the environment.

Pest control system also generates bioaccumulation problem. This problem demonstrates the

transmission of pesticide from one object to another. Herbivores animals are fed on plants. If the

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plants are contaminated with chemical pesticides compounds, then these go to the body of that

animal and remain in the shape of fatty tissue. These compounds remain unused in the body

rather they are not broken down or removed through the urine. When food is prepared using

these meats of these animal, the compound elements of the pesticides are passed into the

carnivores and it causes serious damage to the body.

Justification of the need for hygienic design and construction of food premises. (AC 3.6)

Food premises consist of materials, walls, ceiling and floors, doors and windows, hand washing

facilities, lighting and ventilation. Food adulteration can be reduced by constructing and

maintaining all hygienic requirements in the food premises. So food premises should be designed

and constructed in a way that can assure reduced risk of pollution of food.

A premise which is constructed by maintaining hygienic requirements can eradicate

contamination or pollution of food. For instance, the building of the hotel should be kept free

from the leaning of dust, smokes and other types of pollutants because this assures food

production premises safe. There should have the facility of hand wash in the food premises

because it will reduce the germs and bacteria. Store room and food storage room preserves food

for a good period. So in a hotel business organization it should be maintained thoroughly. As

lighting helps eradicating bacteria, in a food premises there should have proper circulation of

lighting system. Good ventilation system not only removes oily air, steam but also provides safe

and calm atmosphere. There also should have drainage system as it stops needless amount of oil,

plump, grease from entering into the premises. There should have sufficient space for producing

food as machines and other equipment are needed to be adjust within the space (Lund, B. and

Hunter, P. 2008).

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Justification of the importance of training as a quality assurance mechanism. (AC 3.7)

Quality assurance mechanism in a food premises ensures food safety. This mechanism includes

food quality system, safety system and complies with federal, provincial and municipal

regulations hereby. Large scale food processing companies wants to increase their revenue. It

can only be possible when they can assure good quality and safe food. Training facility works

effective hereby in building employees towards quality assurance mechanism. The large scale

companies usually provide training facilities in order to provide good quality food to the

customer because it can hold their success afterwards. A trained employee can serve better to a

consumer than an employee who has not taken training. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points

(HACCP) principles are needed to be followed to supervise the work of food handler as they are

directly associated with the food process.

Hotel business must promote training program as a quality assurance mechanism in order to

prevent food poisoning risk heading to detrimental effect to customers. Food handlers must be

trained up properly to ensure proper handling of food. This training does not need formal course

criteria. An ‘on the job’ approach is sufficient because it uses staff member to pass on skills and

knowledge through verbal instructions and demonstrations.

Producing a food hazard risk assessment (AC 4.1)According to Codex Alimentarius commission “Food hazard risk assessment is the scientific

evaluation of known or potential adverse health effects resulting from human exposure to

foodborne hazards”. This analysis helps to produce high quality goods to assure safety and look

after public health. Food hazard risk assessment strengthens food safety system and reduces food

borne illness.

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There are four steps which are needed to be followed and these are:

1) Hazard Identification: The elements which can affect food are identified in this stage.

These effects can be known or potential related to a particular cause.

Figure:

2) Hazard characterization: In this step, we evaluate the nature of hostile effects of

biological, chemical, physical agents present in the food with a quantitative and

qualitative aspect. In terms of chemical agents, we use dose response assessment

irrespective of whether data is available or not while in biological or physical agents, we

use dose response assessment in case the data is available.

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Figure: Hazard categorization (physical hazard)

Source: era-environmental.com

Figure: Hazard categorization (Chemical hazard)

Source: www.haccpmentor.com

3) Exposure assessment: This steps demonstrates the possibility of the hazard to occur and

for this assessment researchers need various kinds of qualitative and quantitative

evaluation are needed to find out the possibility.

4) Risk characterization: The last step is risk characterization. It categorizes the likelihood

of occurring adverse effects in a given population with the help of previous steps.

Completion of a food safety control system. (AC 4.2)The system that compels food operators to write down the steps they take in food delivery,

storage, handling, preparation and service to keep food safe is called food safety control system.

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It is the combination of control measures which assures the safety of food. The control measures

are normally the actions and activities which help to eliminate the hazards of food safety or

reduce to some extent. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) has provided some

principles which are needed to followed, implemented and maintained by food business

organization in order to ensure “food is safe to eat”. All staff including food handler must be

provided a handful of instructions at the time of their joining. This ensures the proper hygiene

model to incur. In order to ensure employees are working hygienically, supervision and formal

training is essential hereby.

Figure: HACCP model

Source: http://kombuchabrewers.org

There should be extra emphasis on the supplier safety assurance which is a particle of food safety

control system. An essential tool of a good HACCP system depends on identifying suppliers get

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ideas and helps in controlling hazards in a facility’s product. Strong supplier safety assurance

program includes that a supplier approves programs for packaging, components and other

supplies affecting food safety. It also includes an official supplier list, letter of continuing

guarantee, supplier performance assessment.

Food safety control system also concerns about audit trail. Audit provides actual assurance that

standards are being maintained properly. It increases a combined capability of stakeholders to

flourish continual improvement and safety of food within the distinct organizations. Organization

do food safety audits because it provides certification of upholding standards which is

appreciable. There are other reasons for obvious use. They conduct this kind of audits for

evaluating control system, obtaining commercial objectives, gathering customer requirements,

knowing about regulatory requirements.

Devising a food safety guide for legislation compliance. (AC 4.3)

A document which demonstrates the issues of a food organization in all areas including

preparation, handling and storage of food is called a food safety guide. In UK, there is a principal

guide on this, known for the Food Safety Act 1990. This act ensures some fact i.e. one should not

include anything in food or remove anything from food which would eventually harm its

consumer, one should serve food according to the expectation of the customer in line with the

help of natural resource and substances, one should not mislead in labelling, advertising and

presentation of food to consumer. Food hygiene regulations 2006 concern in identification and

control of food hazard. It compels food business organization to require a documented food

safety control system in place. Food standard agency works to monitor the implication of food

safety regulations and goes for checking whether the standards are really being met or not. The

health protection agency gives an assimilated wat to protect public health through the provision

of support to the local authorities, emergency services. Environmental health practitioners

(EHPs) usually develops and helps in implementation of health policies with the help of

specialist technical skills. Their task varies in accordance with how one deal with environmental

health issues and the degree to which they want to specialize in a particular area. Other roles of

EHP are carrying out routine visit to make sure proper justification of health and safety

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legislation, giving advice and assistance to businesses, helping in the inspection process,

inspecting complaints, carrying out food standards inspections, assessing of infectious disease.

Conclusion

Food safety management always concerns for safety of food and its maintenance of quality.

Human body functions according to the food we take in. So it is very much important to control

food safety by making sure proper safe production premises, pest control mechanism, proper

preservation formula and so on. Every employee must ensure personal hygiene in their work

place which will help food free from contamination. Cleaning and disinfection can be actively

used as a method of helping safe and good quality food production. Hygienic design and

construction of food premises reduces the possibility o food contamination. Employees must

follow rules and regulation of the food producing company so that they can produce safe food for

people.

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