Food Hygiene And Your Health

FROM FARM TO FORK!

So let's define the eight stages correct food production.

1) The farm- Animals, and crops must be handled and cared for humanely & professionally by trained professionals and with proper supervision by qualified Vets or agronomical expert supervisors. In vegetable and fruit growing it is important to use fresh water for the irrigation of foods. In areas which have sufficient rain this might not be a problem but in some countries some less reputable growers may be tempted to use semi treated sewer water. Also, crop spraying must be done with permitted pesticides only and in doseges which conform to the guidelines under the statutes of the law. Crops must be picked, transported and stored professionally to ensure the crop arrives undamaged to the shop shelves. Livestock must be reared in suitable conditions. Their environment must be controlled to ensure that they are reared free of desease. Milking parlors must be thoroughly cleaned and CIP and SIP (cleaning in place and sterilization in place), must be carried out in a wash cycle within the udder cups and piping of the milking system after every milking session. Udders should be washed with warm water before milking to ensure that all feces and debris is removed from the udder. The milk of cows receiving anti biotics should be not be sent to the collection tank. Likewise, a sample of milk should be squirted from each teat to ensure that the milk is flowing freely and mot cagulated. Any coagulation would indicate the presance of mastitis, or infection of the udder. In such cases the milk must be disguarded. Sore or inflamed udders or teats should also be treated and any milk from them disguarded until the condition has cleared up. All milk collection tanks should be chilled until the time of milk collection by the tanker And thoroughly cleaned after collection with an appropriate detergeant..

Animals should be reared humanely in clean conditions with an eye to rearing strong healthy animals. All illnesses should be dealt with promptly. Eating and drinking troughs need to be kept clean and flies and other parasites should likewise be controlled.

Crops should be grown on land which is suitable for the growth of food crops. Care should be taken to check for parasites that may threaten the quality of the harvest and chemicals used on crops should be used legally and according to the correct time limits before harvest. Likewise packing must be done professionally and harvested crops must be stored in proper, clean facilities and must be shipped correctly.

2) Transprtation of raw materials- animals and crops must be transported in a way which complies with state legislation and ethical codes. Animals which are are being transported to reputable slaughter houses will be handled with care because well organized establishments will not accept sick or injoured animals for fear of introducing bacterial infestations into their line. Some farmers may try to sell sick or injoured animals to second rate slaughter houses when an animal is falling sick of has been seriously injoured. Meat such as this will be sold to disreputable butchers who are looking to buy meat cheaply. Meat such as this will not have any documentation nor will it have been passed as safe for consumption by vetinary officials. In some countries horses are brutally slaughtered in secret corals away from public view and their meat is sold as beef. Such meat is dangerous. If you know of any such activities, hear about or suspect illegal slaughter it is most important to report it a) to the police, b)to the local health and safety office and c) to the area head vetinary authority.

3) Processing plants.- this stage includes slaughter houses, packing stations and factories. All of these sites should be authorised by appropriate regulatory bodies, have a valid manufacturers license, issues to state and national specifications, and comply with GMP, ISO 9002 and HACCP's standards. All authentic, safe products should have the name address and telephone number of the processor or manufacturer clearly printed on the packing.

GMP=Good manufacturing procedures

HACCP=Hazard anaylsis and critical control points

Iso=International standards organization

At This point I would like to explain why it is so important to buy meat which has been slaughtered in authorized establishments. After an animal has been slaughtered certain physiological reactions occur within the muscles of the corpse, such as rigor mortis. These reactions cause the temperature of the meat to elevate to around fourty degrees centigrade. This happens over a period of several hours which means that over that period particularly the body becomes a perfect beading ground for a multitude of pathogenic bacteria. Authorized and regulated slaughter establishments will but the meat into a wind tunnel that is specially designed to cool the meat to below sixteen degrees centigrade. Thus, the multiplication and spread of harmful bacteria within the meat is prevented. This is why it is so important to buy meat from a safe source. Also, qualified vets will examine critical areas of the body such as the heart and other internal organs to look for for signs of parasitical and bacterial infestation and on the basis of his findings he will deem a)if the meat is safe for human consumption and B) if the meat has to be frozen at very low temperatures to destroy spores.

4) Distribution networks.- Distribution of food must be done according to National, state and city regulations. Likewise deliverymen must be clean and well presented. Transport containers must be clean inside and out and be designed specifically to transport the type of food in them, EG. Frozen, chilled. Where appropriate container temperatures should be checked before off loading produce that you ordered. Make sure that thermometers and thermostats are placed correctly within the container and not inside a package/box. This is a technique use by many delivery men to make the ambient temperature inside the van seem colder than it actually is. The thermometers are in place to show the ambient temperature of the container to you. It is your right to look at it. By putting the thermometer inside a box containing frozen meat the driver can give the impression that the ambient temperature is lower than it actually is in reality. Should a driver refuse to show you the end of the thermometer he may well be hiding the fact that he is hiding it inside a box or inside a piece of meat. Look for holes in boxes that should not be there. If you notice such cases talk to other businesses who recieve from the same supplier and ask them if they see the same thing. You might consider reporting your findings to the authorities or changing suppliers. Remember to always tell your new supplier why you stopped working with the previous one. This will send out a clear message that you will not tollerate such practaces and that you indeed do check. If you should find a package like this you should take the following action: a) take a poleroid picture of the box, b) refuse to accept the delivery. c) report the incident to the city hygiene authority and to the head office of the company in question stating that a photograph has been sent to the appropriate municipal office.

5) Delivery and storage- food should de dilivered in good condition with undamaged packaging. It should be stored in suitable conditions for that type of food & in a way that prevents cross contamination with other food souces. This includes food storage in the home of the consumer. In some countries it is common practice for drivers to transport dead bodies at night to funeral homes for extra money. If you should see delivery vans of companies that you work with working at strange late hours it may be worth while investigating further and reporting your findings to all the appropriate authorities with photographic evidence if possible. Remember, the health of your clients is at risk.

6) Preparation of food before cooking.- Food should be prepared along clean guidelines. Meat should be thawed in refridgerated conditions and kept separate from vegetables, dairy products, eggs etc. by keeping the meat in a closed container during the defrosting process. Fresh vegitables should be cut on a separate clean cutting board and knives should be thoroughly washed before being used to cut other foodstuffs. In Professional kitchens there should be separate work stations for unclean vegetables, raw meat, dairy confectionaries and salads. Factories and processing plants should have GMP, ISO9002, and HACCP certification and comply with city/municipal regulations and be able to provide the relevant paperwork as proof.

7) Cooking, roasting, baking.- Cooking the food will kill most bacteria but keep in mind that some bacteria and their toxins survive high temperatures so it is most important remember to keep food hot until eaten or Alternatively chill in small containers and freeze as quickly as possible. Bacteria cease to be active at temperatures of less than 4 degrees centigrade.

8) Serving.- Serving food is often the stage when most people let down their guard. Food should be served at a temperature of above 70 degrees centigrade or at a temperature of 5 gegrees centigrade or less. Serving dishes, pates and cutlery should be spotlessly clean after being washed thoroughly at a temperature of above 70 degrees centigrade.

By checking all these stages as thoroughly as possible you can cut your risk of getting food poisoning considerably.

Cows may be milked as many as three times per day in some areas. This excessive milking may increase the risk of mastitis, or infection of the udder. To cure this the cow will be administered anti-biotics. Milking twice per day both improves the quality of the milk and lowers risk of disease.

Quality control means the attention to conditions and procedure under which your product is made. A product cannot be classed as a quality product solely by the appearance of the end product. Every stage of food preparation must be carried out with meticulous attention to hygiene, material quality and correct procedure.