The Science of Food Safety

Introduction to Food Safety

Food safety refers to the measures and protocols for handling, preparing and storing food to prevent infection and foodborne illnesses.
It consists of several practices like cooking at the right temperature, proper hand hygiene, and correct storage conditions.
The aim is to prevent food contamination from the four types of hazards: biological, chemical, physical, and allergens.

Biological hazards include harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These microorganisms can multiply rapidly under favourable conditions.
Chemical hazards involve harmful substances such as cleaning agents, pesticides, and foreign chemical compounds penetrating into the food.
Physical hazards refer to hard components in food that can cause injury, such as bone fragments, glass, and metal shards.
Allergens are substances that can cause an allergic reaction. They can range from gluten and milk to shellfish and peanuts.

Foodborne illness, or food poisoning, results from consuming contaminated food.
Typical symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, and sometimes, it can be life-threatening.
High-risk foods for foodborne illnesses are raw and cooked meats, dairy products, seafood, cooked rice and pasta, and prepared salads like coleslaw.

Food preservation slows down the activity of disease-causing bacteria. This helps to reduce food waste and maintain food safety.
Common methods include freezing, refrigerating, drying, canning, curing, pickling, or adding preservatives.

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is a preventive approach to food safety from biological, chemical and physical hazards in production processes.
It involves identifying potential hazards, implementing control measures, and monitoring the effectiveness of these controls regularly.
HACCP is part of a broader concept of risk analysis, which also includes risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.

Food safety legislation ensures that all food produced and sold is safe for consumption.
It encompasses rules for food handling, storage, preparation, as well as import and export standards.
It emphasizes accountability at every stage of the food supply chain, from the farmer to the retailer to the consumer.

While some microorganisms are harmful, others play a vital role in food production and safety.
Beneficial microorganisms aid in food fermentation (making yoghurt, cheese, and sourdough bread), fight against harmful bacteria, and enhance food safety.
Understanding the role of microorganisms in food can aid in developing methods to reduce foodborne illness and improve food preservation.

Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object or place to another.
It’s a key reason for food poisoning, making its control a critical part of food safety.
It can be controlled by separating raw and cooked foods, using different utensils for different food types, and maintaining strict hygiene regulations.