Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Food Safety

What?

It is a scientific discipline that describes the way of handling, preparation, and storing of food to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens. It is also the proper handling of food, using cleaned and sanitized surfaces and equipments. This is to prevent the increase in microbial growth and contamination that can result in foodborne illnesses. Food safety is to ensure that food is cooked properly, killing all pathogenic bacteria/microorganisms (e.g salmonella, s.aureus, coliforms, c.bostulinum, yeast and moulds).

Why?

Food safety is important because food prepared in wrong methods will cause foodborne illnesses. symptoms of it are fever, diarrhoea, vomitting. If it is serious, it can even lead to death.

How?

Hygiene
One can first start by practicing good hygiene: Personal and kitchen hygiene. Make sure that kitchen equipment and utensils are washed properly. Be sure that cupboards and containers are clean and dry. The kichen should also be kept pest free.
Bathing once everyday, wash hands after using the toilet, having short trimmed nails are some examples of good practice of personal hygiene. It is also recommended that one's hair be tied up (if hair is long) or to wear a hair net to prevent hair from dropping into food.

Food Preparation

Food should be prepared properly, cooked at a high enough temperature and for long enough to kill any bacteria present. During preparation of food, there should be no handling of cooked and raw food together. This can cause cross-contamination. An example is using of a same knive without washing it when preparing both raw and cooked food. One should never thaw food at room temperature but rather thaw in the refrigerator, under cold water, or in the microwave.

Food Storage

We should never leave a food in the open for more than 2 hours and refrigerate/freeze perishable foods as soon as they are purchased. Maintaining refrigerator's temperature (chill 0-4C, freeze <(-18)C) is also critical to keep food safe.

Stocks

We can also practice good kitchen stocking. Using the first in first out (FIFO) method to ensure that food is fresh. Expired food products should also be cleared and not use for consumation.

Who?

Regulating legal bodies are the World Health Organisation (WHO) at international level, Food and Drug Adminstration-US (FDA) in the U.S. and lastly we have our very own Agri-food and Vetinary Authority(AVA) in Singapore.

~ { 1:48 AM }
phoebeee~*

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Frozen Cakes

What are the potential hazards in making frozen cakes?

Frozen cakes are made by first baking the cake the usual way (in an oven), followed by a freezing process. Potential hazards of making frozen cake include inadequate cooking time and temperature to kill pathogenic bacteria, and the incorrect storage conditions. Cooking time and temperature is critical if not they can cause foodborne illness. Frozen cakes must be kept in a freezer within (-20) t0 (-18)°C. This is to suppress microbial activity and to create undesirable envronments for microbial growth.

Whar are the potential hazards in the raw materials used?
The ingredients for making frozen cakes are eggs (whole and yolks), vanilla extract, butter, cake flour, sugar, salt, water. Our major concern here are the eggs because it can cause adverse effects when not cooked properly. Raw eggs have high microbial counts of salmonella and coliforms. This microorganisms when over the legal limits (salmonella 0 cfu/g, coliforms 20 cfu/g) in a product will cause foodborne illness. Another concern ingredient is the butter. If the butter has undergone oxidative rancidity it will cause an unpleasant taste and smell in the final product. The final product will also not be safe for consumption. We must also make sure that the water used is safe for consumption and not contain any toxic substances.

~ { 11:31 PM }
phoebeee~*

Monday, April 2, 2007

Avian Flu (Bird Flu)

Avian Influenza (in birds)

Avian influenza is an infection caused by wild birds carrying avian influenza viruses. Although these wild birds carry the virus in their intestines, they do not fall ill form it. This virus is highly contagious among birds and can kill chickens, ducks and turkeys (domesticated birds).

Birds become infected with influenza virus when they come in contact with secretions/excretions from infected birds. Domesticated birds can also be infected through virus contaminated surfaces/materials.

Human Infection

Avian influenza virus can infect human too. Most cases of infection from this virus is by direct contact with infected poultry or contaminated excretions/secretions from infected birds. The spread of this virus from person to person is rare.

There are 3 known kinds “human influenza virus”, specifically H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. Some genetic parts of human influenza A viruses are said originate from birds. This virus changes constantly and can be adapted over time to spread to other fellow humans.

Symptoms of avian influenza in humans range from fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, eye infections, pneumonia, and severe respiratory disease to life threatening complications.

Food Safety

Besides this, World Health Organization (WHO) has also come up with 5 guidelines to prevent foodborne disease:
1. Keep clean
2. Separate raw and cooked
3. Cook thoroughly
4. Keep food at safe temperatures
5. Use safe water and raw materials

Another known fact is that when a bird is infected, there will be a drop in egg production or eggs laid are more prone to breakage. These eggs hardly/never get to the final stage of food production line. Therefore this does not pose a big problem as to whether one will get infected consuming an infected egg. Furthermore, proper and adequate cooking time will eliminate any spread of this virus.

~ { 11:59 PM }
phoebeee~*

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