Factors Contributing to Food Spoilage and Prevention Strategies

This assignment content focuses on food spoilage, preservation methods, and pest control procedures in the food industry. It covers various aspects of food safety, including factors that contribute to food spoilage, steps to avoiding food contamination, and high-temperature food preservation techniques. The content also touches on risk assessment and provides examples of risk assessments for food preparation and service.

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................1
LO 2 UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY PREVENT FOOD SPOILAGE AND CONTROL
FOOD QUALITY............................................................................................................................................2
2.1 CATEGORISE THE FOOD SPOILAGE AGENTS THAT AFFECT THE FOOD..............................................3
2.2 DISCUSS THE METHODS OF FOOD PRESERVATION...........................................................................3
2.3 EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOD PRESERVATION METHODS..............................................4
LO 3 UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE PREVENTION SYSTEMS IN CONTROL OF FOOD
CONTAMINATION.......................................................................................................................................5
3.1 DISCUSS THE KEY STEPS IN A TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM......................................................5
3.2 SUMMARISE THE METHODS FOR SAFE STORAGE OF FOOD..............................................................5
3.3 EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL HYGEINE IN CONTROL OF FOOD CONTAMINATION. . .6
3.5 ASSESS THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PEST CONTROL IN FOOD PREMISES..............................7
3.6 JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR HYGENIC DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOOD PREMISES......................8
3.7 JUSTIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AS A QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISM.........................9
LO4 BE ABLE TO CONSTUCT CONTROL AND FOOD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS............................................9
4.1 PRODUCE A FOOD HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT.................................................................................9
4.2 COMPLETE A FOOD CONTROL SAFETY SYSTEM...............................................................................10
4.3 DEVISE A FOOD SAFETY GUIDE FOR LEGISLATION COMPLAINCE....................................................12
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................15
INTRODUCTION
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The nutritional value of food gets changed when it is expose to certain factors or a combination
of factors like high or low temperatures, light, moisture conditions, invasion by insects or
rodents, invasion by micro organisms like fungi, bacteria, etc. The food contamination causes
food borne infections and even poisoning in the individuals with symptoms like vomiting,
nausea, headache, fever, etc and can be fatal like the contamination caused by Listeria in
cantaloupes causing deaths of many human beings. The study involves case of an organization
which has got a tender to supply 12000 meals per week to three hospitals in a nearby town
distanced around 50 Kilometers and thus considers the contamination and spoilage of food as a
concern. Thus the discussion basically aims at highlighting the various factors responsible for
food spoilage and prevention measures to avoid food contamination.
LO 2 UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY PREVENT FOOD SPOILAGE AND
CONTROL FOOD QUALITY
2.1 CATEGORISE THE FOOD SPOILAGE AGENTS THAT AFFECT THE FOOD
The food spoilage denotes the change in the nutritional value of the food and at the same time
change in the color, texture, etc such that the food remains no longer fit for consumption of
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human beings. Eating of spoiled food can cause food poisoning accompanied by nausea,
vomiting. Mainly the food spoilage is due to micro- organism present in the environment which
is mainly classified in to yeasts, moulds, bacteria and fungi. The yeasts cause fermentation
reaction with the sugars found in the food to form alcohol and thus releasing carbon dioxide.
Moulds are found in the environment and get surfaced at the food and grow in to spores which
are filament like structures. However, Bacteria prefer to grow on low acidic food like
vegetables, meat, etc unlike yeasts and mould which prefer highly acidic foods like tomato,
jams, etc, exhibiting spore forming and non pore forming natures. Other reasons for the
spoilage of the food is due to enzymes found in food itself which causes the non desirable
changes in texture, color, etc of food, however they get destroyed upon high temperatures
while cooking. Also the oxygen found in the air can cause spoilage due to oxidation reaction
with the food components. Also the invasions by rodents, insects, etc can make the food unfit
for consumption. Many raw Foods like cucumber, potato, etc can be damaged due to
extremities of low temperature causing watery and broken surface, which allows
contamination along with a change in color and texture. Excessive high temperatures cause
proteins and vitamins in the food to destroy and causes drying of food. Conditions like
excessive moisture help the moulds and yeasts to grow on food causing decay. Exposures to
light can also cause food spoilage especially in liquid foods (Alterman et al, 2012).
2.2 DISCUSS THE METHODS OF FOOD PRESERVATION
Food preservation refers to the methods employed to prevent the food from spoilage. There
are various methods available mainly canning, freezing and drying techniques. Canning includes
the heating of food packed in cans with vacuum to kill microbes inside the food and this is done
through heating to particular temperature which is generally 212 degrees for a specific time
through us of water- bath canning technique. Highly acidic foods like fruits, tomatoes, pickles,
etc can be preserved using this method whereas low acidic foods like meat, eggs, etc can be
preserved using a temperature of 240 degrees and high pressure through pressure canning
technique. Freezing is a technique which can be used to maintain the freshness of meat,
vegetables, bread, cakes, soups, etc and keeping the food at 0 degrees in freezing containers or
tightly wrapping in freezing paper can help to retain the quality of food. However the exposure
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of food to the dry air in the freezer and any changes in temperatures needs to be avoided.
However heating the food temperature is a simplest method of preserving cooked food as
pathogens are destructed at high temperatures (Jeanroy et al, 2012)
2.3 EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOD PRESERVATION METHODS
The various techniques used for the preservation of the food can be very effective as the
company is supplying the food to the hospitals in a city at around 50 Kilometers distance and
thus the contamination during the process of cooking and during the process of transfer can be
of great concern for the organization supplying meals to patients and hospital staffs at around
12000 meals per week. As the time involved in transfers of the cooked meals is about an hour,
so the effect of light especially on the liquids like juices, etc for the patients can be mitigated by
use of photo-resistant packaging. Also to avoid the effects of heat, the temperatures inside the
vehicle involved in transfers needs to be balanced. Also vacuum technique in the food packets
can be used to avoid oxidation of food components like fatty acids, on coming in contact with
oxygen and prevent spoilage due to moisture. However the major concern is microbial
infestation, which can be controlled through use of pasteurization in case of dairy and liquid
products, irradiation, vacuum packaging and canning. For the control of atmosphere
surrounding the food especially raw salads and sprouts for the patients, special bags can be use
with reduced oxygen content and increased carbon-dioxide content allowing the food to retain
its texture and not allowing any microbial or other invasions by insects and pests (Subhranita,
2015).
LO 3 UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE PREVENTION SYSTEMS IN CONTROL OF
FOOD CONTAMINATION
3.1 DISCUSS THE KEY STEPS IN A TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM
The temperature between 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit is called the Danger Zone as it allows
the most suitable conditions for growth of bacteria, moulds, yeasts, etc. hence the control of
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temperature is of utmost important for the food industry to retain the nutritional value of the
food and prevent contamination of food causing illness and food poisoning upon consumption.
Hence frozen foods are best stored at temperatures of -0 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. The best
temperatures for storage of canned and dried foods are around 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperatures around 145 to 165 are warm enough to prevent growth of micro organisms
but allow their survival. The highly acidic foods like tomatoes, pickles, fruits, etc are canned at
212 degrees Fahrenheit while low acidic foods like meat, beef, eggs, etc are canned at around
240 degrees Fahrenheit (James, 2011). Thus pasteurization must be used effectively in order to
prevent spoilage of milk and other liquid objects through following a series of temperature
treatments allowing for destruction of the entire microorganism in the food.
3.2 SUMMARISE THE METHODS FOR SAFE STORAGE OF FOOD
As the bacteria and other micro organisms grow in temperatures around 5 to 60 degrees
Celsius hence foods like meat, dairy products, eggs, seafood, cooked rice, sandwiches,
prepared salads, etc should be stored in fridge at temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius and
freezer temperature at -15 degrees. Frozen foods must be placed immediately into freezer
upon reaching the food Industry premises. Cooked and raw foods should be placed and stored
separately as the bacteria from raw food can contaminate the cooked foods. Also while storing
cooked and hot food into refrigerator, very hot food should not be allowed directly and should
be allowed to cool slightly in shallow dishes. Frozen food should be cooked immediately after
defrosting as bacteria can grow immediately on thawed foods and should not be allowed
freezing again as the number of bacteria multiply during the process. Also the food should be
stored in non toxic containers with strong tight fitted lids. Grains like wheat, rice, etc must be
kept in sealed containers to prevent moisture and infestation from insects and rodents. High
levels of poly unsaturated fats found in cooking oils can make them go rancid if stored
improperly thus they should be refrigerated once opened in order avoid oxygen heat and light
to allow rancification (Marotz, 2008)
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3.3 EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL HYGEINE IN CONTROL OF FOOD
CONTAMINATION
The hygiene and cleanliness is of utmost importance in the food industry to avoid any
contamination of food. Cleanliness should be maintained at the premises in order to reduce
the pest from entering the food preparation area causing contamination. All the equipments
and the surfaces of food preparation areas should be cleaned thoroughly and regularly to avoid
food contamination. Also use of appropriate chemicals is necessary as it may cause food
intoxication if it is not used with precaution and these chemicals must be store at separate
places far from the food storage areas. All the kitchen staff must use the Personal Protective
Equipment while operations and must maintain personal hygiene in order to avoid any sort of
contamination of food through their coughing, sweating, sneezing, hair fall, dandruff, etc. and
they must disinfect their hands after use of toilets to avoid any contamination. Also all the
kitchen surfaces, utensils, floors, crockery, utensils, etc must be cleaned and disinfected at
regular intervals and records must be kept by the staff personal apart from maintaining
personal hygiene (Desrosier, 2015).
3.4 EVALUATE CLEANING AND DISINFECTION AS A PROCESS SUPPORTING SAFE FOOD
PRODUCTION
The food contact areas must be disinfected regularly and the hobs, microwaves, toast makers,
etc must be disinfected daily to prevent the contamination of food coming in contact with
them. All the cooking utensils and crockery must be washed immediately after use and should
not be left overnight as this increases the risk of contamination upon subsequent use of these
utensils. The fridges must be cleaned on a regular basis at least once a week. Safety in food
production can be ensured through the use of a well maintained dish washer and drying
system in place. Clean and dry crockery and utensils should be stored at dry place free from
pests in order to avoid contamination from eggs of insects, excretory products of rats, etc. Also
kitchen towels must be replaced regularly from use and must be disinfected on a regular basis.
Also the floors should be cleaned thoroughly through use of appropriate disinfectant. However
due to health risks associated with the use of disinfectants like bleach, a proper assessment
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must be undertaken and safe use of chemicals should be done in order to avoid any
contamination of food (Kilham, 2012).
Cleaning: Cleaning is the process which helps in removing external particles that are
accumulated on the surface of utensils and food items. The use of soap and water for removing
these particles and substances is done in cleaning. The food production and consumption
processes are incomplete without cleaning.
Disinfecting: Disinfecting is a process of removing germs and bacteria by killing them. It is not
necessary that disinfecting will clean the surface but it reduces the risk of diseases and
infections that is caused by the production of bacteria.
3.5 ASSESS THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PEST CONTROL IN FOOD PREMISES
The organizations operating in food industry are required to undertake effective and
mandatory pest control in order to prevent any rats, insects, cockroaches, etc entering in to
food preparation areas and infecting the cooked or raw food materials like grains, vegetables,
etc thus affecting the overall food quality through contamination. The companies must check
for any holes in the windows, doors, drainage, etc at the premises allowing the entry of rats
and other pests. Also the companies must check for any evidence of pests in the food premises
like their wastes materials or any damages caused by them and work to chase them out
through effective control. Also as the insecticide sprays cannot be used for killing the
insecticides thus the business must make use of insect proof screens to avert the entry of any
insects in the food premises or use electric insect killers placed away from the cooking surface
and main light sources. There are Organizations like British Pest Control Association in Britain,
who can help the food Industry operators in finding the companies and agencies helping in the
pest control in business premises (Krucik, 2013).
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The pest or species which is found in food items especially where food production takes place;
has to be controlled. This process helps in reducing the diseases and infections which can
be caused to individuals who consume pest infected foods. On the other hand, the
chemicals used for controlling development of pest on food are equally harmful for
human body. Longer consumption of these chemicals can even lead to food poisoning,
cancer or harm to reproduction, etc. Hence, the food premises must use organic
measures for controlling pest.
3.6 JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR HYGIENIC DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOOD PREMISES
The design and the layout of the business premise operating in the food industry is of utmost
importance in order to prevent contamination of the food. The food preparation areas must be
designed .The storage areas must be designed such that to allow placement of raw and cooked
food separately. As the storage of vegetables like onion and potato needs dry moisture free
and cool places whereas the storage of carrots need moist and cool places, the design must
allow such storage. Wash areas should be separate as they are wet and involves a risk of
contamination due to presence of high moisture for the growth of microbes. The placement of
hobs and other equipments should be neat and allowing proper handling of food and
operations (Lactaoen , 2010).
Food premises are composed of disinfectants, cleaning materials, pest control measures, large
quantities of food products, etc. Any sort of negligence in handling these items can result in
fatal circumstances. Hence, the design and construction of food premises must be performed
accordingly. When accurate design and well defined structures are created, the activities in the
premises is managed. Certain components are essentially important in the standard design of
premise, like drainage system, dishwashers, fire proof ceilings, non-slippery floorings, etc.
3.7 JUSTIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AS A QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISM
Training to the kitchen staff and other operational staff is very much important in order to
make them function effectively in the delivering the needs of the industry, they must be
trained in order to take care of the requirements for hygiene operations of the food industry
(Marotz, 2008). The training must not only include an orientation towards the policies and
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procedures followed by a particular organization but it must include a necessary overview of
food spoilage agents and food preservation techniques. Also the standard staff operations
need certain skills regarding handling of equipments and maintenance of temperature for
avoiding food spoilage, etc which must be focused in the training. Also the process of checking
the quality of food and it maintenance while delivery , either raw or cooked state, needs
certain training as the consequences associated with supply of contaminated or spoiled food
are serious.
Training helps in enhancing the skills and attributes of the people or staff members. Quality
assurance can be acquired only when there is effective management of operations. This
attribute can happen only when there is efficiency in the working abilities of staff members of
food premises. Hence, training is important contributor in enhancing the quality of food
products.
LO4 BE ABLE TO CONSTUCT CONTROL AND FOOD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
4.1 PRODUCE A FOOD HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT
The risk assessment at ABC organization as undertaken by me, Xyz, food Safety Manager is as
follows:
 The cooking has become dangerous due to problems in layout of hob and other
equipments placed very closely in order to meet the increasing demands of the
industry, which can be dangerous if new space is not created for some of the
equipments and food processors. As the hob involves use of gas hence it should be
placed on a separate slab apart from electronic equipments like food processors and
mixers.
 Also the company has the staffs which plays major operation including delivery to the
customers, are unable to speak Chinese language which can be of serious concern and
can pose serious issues in the future, as they may be unable to understand what is said
by the customers or organizations while delivery or if in case they have any grievances
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with the existing services. Thus the company must provide training to its employees
about the use of language, as the company is operating in China.
 The company staff was seen to store the chemicals and disinfectants along with the
food grains and other edibles which can pose risks if it gets leaked out or vapors of
disinfectant tend to spoil the quality of food. Thus effective storage facilities need to be
devised in order to avert any risk situations.
 The company staff is seen to remove the Personal Protection Kit, while performing
cooking operations owing to irritation from the high temperatures, which is provided
for their safety and prevent contamination through their hairs, nails, skin, dandruff, etc.
thus the company must install effective supervision of staff through the use of cameras
to avert the situation.
The following risk assessment plan has been formulated for managing hazards and risk
regarding food.
Hazard identification: The degradation in the quality of food or hazard that has endangered the food
safety should be identified by respective personnel. This helps in finding specific solutions to the
problems.
Dose Response Assessment: Once, the hazard or risk is identified; dose response is assessed which
involves finding of different reactions that are acquired when exposed to various environments.
Moreover, the health problems associated with this situation should also be recorded.
Exposure Assessment: This stage of the risk assessment includes the details regarding the quantity of
pollutants or hazards which people have faced. These details are confined to a particular time period
and the number of people affected by the hazard are identified in this process.
Risk characterisation: The nature of risk or problem that has occurred to people after exposure has to
be identified. Characterisation helps in finding effective solution to the problem. These solutions have to
be implemented for understanding its effectiveness.
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Monitoring and Evaluation: After the execution of solution proper monitoring has to be provided so
that early detection of any sort of side-effect or inappropriate action is possible. This helps in reducing
the probability of future risks.
4.2 COMPLETE A FOOD CONTROL SAFETY SYSTEM
Xyz
Food Safety Manager
ABC organization
China
3 May 2016
To
The General Manager
ABC organization
Respected Sir,
I am pleased to inform you that the company is acting promptly on compliance of the tender
received on 1 May, 2016 for the supply of 12000 meals per week to hospitals nearby town. As
the client in the above mentioned tender includes patients and hospital staffs hence the food
should be delivered with utmost safety in terms of contamination and nutritional values.
To ensure the provision of food with best nutritional values and to prevent any spoilage, the
company has a dedicated team of workers and best in class facilities including temperature
control mechanism and nutritional measure scales. The company supplies food in form of non-
toxic and vacuum sealed packets, stating the manufacture of processed and best use dates in
case of juices and sprouts, salads, etc to avoid any food borne illnesses. Also the company
mentions the nutritional values in terms of minerals, vitamins, fats, etc on the food packets
along with the calories intake along with the serving size. The company tends to provide liquids
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like juices, milk, etc in form of cans prepared at high temperatures to retain freshness along
with nutritional values.
To prevent the food from spoilage and allow safe storage of food, free invasion by pests,
effective changes in the design and outlay of the cooking and storage areas have been done
from time to time. Also staff is trained on a regular basis to ensure best preservation and
storage of processed and unprocessed foods along with sufficient measures and knowledge, to
check any contamination from microbes or invasion by pests. Also cleanliness of premises and
personal hygiene has been given due importance in training and operations.
We are committed to perform the operations efficiently and provide timely delivery to the
consumers and are working constantly in the direction of improving the current status of
operations, as the organization follows ‘Kaizen’ approach. Looking forward to your valuable
suggestions and recommendations
Yours Sincerely
Xyz
4.3 DEVISE A FOOD SAFETY GUIDE FOR LEGISLATION COMPLAINCE
FOOD SAFETY GUIDE
Food Preservation
 Storage of processed and unprocessed foods separately
 Freezer temperature at – 15 degrees
 Fridge temperature at 0 degrees
 Proper knowledge and training of food preservation techniques is a must for all levels of
operations
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Food Spoilage
 Check for any spoilage through see, touch and smell strategy
 Check for any microbial developments through sampling and testing techniques
 Discard the spoiled food immediately
Packaging
 Non-toxic vacuum packaging
 Mention nutritional values and use-by dates
 Canning of liquids through pressure canning technique at 240 degrees Fahrenheit
 Proper handling of Vacuum and pressure Canner.
Cleanliness
 Personal hygiene is a must
 Also hygiene and disinfection of the premises is a collective responsibility
 Any suggestions to enhance the cleanliness and improve the food safety should be
addressed to general manager in written communications
Nutritional Facts
 Proper knowledge of measuring the nutritional values of the food
 Effective and error free use of relevant equipments
 Mentioning of nutritional values on food packets and cans in accurate and acceptable
format
Delivery
 Maintenance of temperatures while delivery
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 Ensure proper temperature control mechanism in the delivery vehicle
 Proper maintenance of delivery vehicle to ensure on-time delivery
CONCLUSION
The food must retain its nutritional values while cooking and sufficient measures needs to be
taken to avoid any contamination of food causing spoilage, which refer to a change in the
color, texture, etc of the food making it unfit for human consumption and causing food borne
illnesses. For the business operating in the food Industry, it is very important to allow storage
of food and raw materials safely to avoid losses due to spoilage of food and contamination
from pests like rats and insects. Food poisoning is a type of food borne illness which is caused
due to consumption of contaminated food. As the bacteria and other microbes causing food
borne disease and infection, resulting in food contamination grow on provision of suitable
condition like food temperature and moisture, etc hence the food must be preserved and
stored effectively for prevention of contamination (Jane, 2010). The organizations operating in
the food industry are required by the government to carry out necessary pest control measures
from time to time and keep appropriate records.
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REFERENCES
 Jeanroy, A. and Karen, W. (2012) Food Preservation Methods: Canning, Freezing, and
Drying (Online) available at http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/food-
preservation-methods-canning-freezing-and-dry.html last accessed on 2 May 2016
 Food Preservation (Online) available at
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 (Online) available at http://home.pacific.net.hk/~ppleung/Chem/spoilage.htm last
accessed on 2 May 2016
 Alterman, T. (2012) 6 Simple Food Preservation Methods (Online) available at
http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/food-preservation-methods-
zmoz12sozmel.aspx last accessed on 2 May 2016
 Subhranita (2015) What are the factors that contributes to Food Spoilage? (Online)
available at http://www.preservearticles.com/201105317331/what-are-the-factors-
that-contributes-to-food-spoilage.html last accessed on 2 May 2016
 Kilham, C. (2011) 6 Steps to Avoiding Food Contamination (Online) available at
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/18/6-steps-to-avoiding-food-
contamination.html last accessed on 2 May 2016
 Desrosier, N. (2015) Food Preservation (Online) available at
http://www.britannica.com/topic/food-preservation last accessed on 2 May 2016
 Marotz, L. R. (2008). Health, Safety, and Nutrition, Wadsworth Publishing. pp. 491–2.
 Pest Control in Food Business Premises (Online) available at
http://www.eastbourne.gov.uk/businesses/health-and-safety/food-safety-and-
hygiene/starting-up/pest-control/ last accessed on 2 May 2016
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 Cleaning and Pest Control in food Preparation Areas (Online) available at
http://www.unicen.cam.ac.uk/files/9_cleaning_and_pest_control_0.pdf last accessed
on 2 May 2016
 James, J. (2011) High-Temperature Food Preservation and Characteristics of
Thermophilic Microorganisms (Online) available at
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-94-011-6480-1_14 last accessed on 2
May 2016
 Temperatures for Food Preservation (2009) (Online) available at
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/food_pres_temps.html last accessed on 2 May 2016
 JANE E. A. (2011). "Tainted Cantaloupes Behind Deadliest Food-Borne Outbreak". ABC
News Medical Unit P 98-105
 Lactaoen, D. (2010) "FDA Announces Investigation Results from Listeria-Contaminated
Cantaloupe". ConsumerBell. P 37-48
 Krucik, G. (2013) Worst Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in U.S. History, Healthline, P 13-19
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http://www.cieh.org/uploadedfiles/core/policy/publications_and_information_services
/policy_publications/publications/pest_control_food_industry.pdf last accessed on 2
May 2016
 Risk assessment (Online) available at
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/risk-analysis/riskassessment/en/ last accessed on 2
May 2016
 Example risk assessment for food preparation and service (online) available at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/foodprep.htm last accessed on 2 May 2016
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