Food Safety and Hygiene Supervision Level 3 (VTQ)
Course Content
- Introduction to Food Safety Level 3
- Food Safety Laws and Regulations
- HACCP
- Bacteriology and Food Poisoning
- Introduction Food Poisoning and Foodbourne Diseases
- Understanding Foodborne Illnesses
- High risk groups of people for food safety
- Poisons and Food Poisoning
- Food Poisoning - Signs and Symptoms
- Food Poisoning and allergic reactions
- Introduction to Microbiology
- Bacteria and Their Effects
- How we Control Bacteria Growth
- Guidance in Controlling E.coli 0157
- Types of Infections
- Storage and hazards of chemicals near food
- Natural Plant Foods and Allergies
- Listeria and keeping food safe
- Campylobacter
- Sources of Food Poisoning
- Non bacterial Food Poisoning
- Destruction of Bacteria in Food
- Food Contamination
- Introduction to Contamination Hazards in Food Safety
- Cross-contamination direct and indirect
- Example of indirect cross contamination
- Preventing cross-contamination
- Chemicals and Foreign Objects
- Wearing Jewellery in Food Production Areas
- Effective cleaning
- Cleaning Schedules
- Types of cleaning and chemicals
- In-House and Contract Cleaners
- Chopping Board Colours
- Introduction to Food Safety Pest Management
- Pest Control
- Fly control
- Rules on food waste, including waste cooking oil
- Storing Hot Food
- Serving in bars and restaurants
- Restaurant Workers
- Signs of Food Spoilage
- Physical Contamination
- Causative Agents
- Controlling food pests
- Essential Pest Control Measures for Food Supervisors
- Personal Hygiene
- Personal Hygiene in Food Safety
- Cleaning your hands effectively
- Waterless hand gels
- Protective clothing in food production
- First aid kits for food preparation
- Personal responsibilities at work
- Personal illness and exclusion from work
- Personal illness, employee's responsibilities
- Food area PPE
- Using a Nailbrush
- Accidents and First Aid
- Food Premises
- Food Storage and Preservation
- Food area requirements
- Rules on keeping your water supply safe
- Date Marks, Damaged Food and Record Keeping
- Heating, refrigeration and freezing
- Refrigeration and Freezing
- Dietary requirements
- Gluten free foods and Coeliac Disease
- Egg precautions
- Use by and best before dates for effective stock control
- Defrosting
- Stock Control
- Food Safety Monitoring
- Water and Water Supplies
- Waste Handling
- Cleaning, Disinfection and Workplace Controls
- Food Safety Supervision Management
- Enforcement and Visits
- Diet, Nutrition and Hydration introduction
- Macronutrients
- Micronutrients
- Fluids
- Nutrition and Malnutrition
- Food Groups
- Different Diets
- Food Labelling
- Food Allergies
- Food Allergies and Labelling
- Allergen Controls
- Summary
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The Food Standards Agency and Defra have published new guidance to help the food industry decide whether their products require a 'use by' or 'best before' date. There has been much confusion on the difference in the dates and what is required and what is best practice. The Food Standards Agency state that under the new voluntary guidelines, food packaging should only use either ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date labels to make it easier for shoppers to know when food is at its best and how long it is safe to eat. ‘Sell by’ and ‘display until’ labels used for stock rotation should be removed to avoid confusion for shoppers, with different ways of tracking stock control explored by retailers. There are two types of durability indication and the FSA define the 'best before’ date will be appropriate for the vast majority of foods and indicates the period for which food can reasonably be expected to retain its optimal condition or in other words, it will not be stale. 'Best before' dates relate to food quality, including taste, texture and appearance. Eating food past its 'best before' date is unlikely to be harmful. The 'use by’ date is the required form of date mark for those foods which are highly perishable from a microbiological point of view. These foods are likely after a relatively short period, present a risk of food poisoning, and so this date relates to the safety of the food. 'Use by' date is the most important date for people to consider, as these relate to food safety. A product with a ‘use by’ date cannot be sold after that date and should not be used after midnight of that day. While it is an offence to sell food after the 'use by' date, retailers can, with the exception of eggs, sell products after the 'best before' date, providing it is safe to eat. Eggs have a 'best before' date, but should not be eaten after the date shown on the label. Retailers often use 'sell by' and 'display until' dates on their shelves, but these are not required by law and are used mainly for stock control purposes. The date mark is mandatory and must comply with clear labelling requirements and be conspicuous, legible and indelible. Black inkjet on a dark green background, for example, is not acceptable; nor ink-jet onto pictures or other writing which would make it difficult to read. It is the responsibility of those originally labelling the food, namely the manufacturer, packer or EU seller, to set the appropriate durability indication or date marks, together with the storage instructions required to achieve that shelf life. In practice, the brand owner will be involved in decisions about the setting of the date mark. Where a food business has insufficient resources to determine which date marks should apply, it is recommended that expert advice is sought, for example, from a specialist food consultant or their Local Authority who can direct them to an appropriate expert source. It is an offence to alter or remove a date mark if you are not the manufacturer, packer or EU seller originally responsible for marking the food unless each alteration is authorised by the person originally responsible for setting the date mark. When you have food you must practice effective stock rotation to avoid new stock being used before older stock and ensure that displayed food is removed when past its date. You can help the quality of the stock you use and sell by ensuring the quality of what you buy and only buying from reputable suppliers. You need to ensure that when food is delivered to you or from your business to the customer, that it is transported in accordance with the recommended guidelines to avoid problems in transport causing the food to be affected like transport temperature. Food can also be damaged if not transported in the correct way. Spoiled food must be managed and disposed of correctly. It is important to visually check food and smell it to help identify if it is spoiled. The colour and texture is also an indicator of problems and water around the food which has been produced as it becomes spoiled. Finally, spoiled, damaged or out of date food must be disposed of in accordance with local regulations.
Understanding 'Use By' and 'Best Before' Dates in Food Packaging
New Guidelines on Date Marking
The Food Standards Agency and Defra have issued new guidance to clarify date marking on food packaging:
- Food should only display either ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ labels to inform consumers about food safety and quality.
- ‘Sell by’ and ‘display until’ labels should be removed to prevent confusion among shoppers.
- The 'best before' date indicates food quality, while the 'use by' date relates to food safety.
- It is legal to sell products after the 'best before' date (except eggs), but not after the 'use by' date.
Legal Requirements and Labelling
Key legal requirements and guidelines for date marking on food:
- Date marks must be clear, legible, and indelible on packaging.
- Manufacturers, packers, or EU sellers are responsible for setting date marks and storage instructions.
- It is an offence to alter or remove a date mark without proper authorization.
Stock Rotation and Quality Control
Best practices for maintaining food quality and safety:
- Implement effective stock rotation to ensure older stock is used first.
- Purchase food from reputable suppliers to maintain quality standards.
- Transport food according to recommended guidelines to prevent damage and maintain temperature.
Handling Spoiled Food
Procedures for identifying and disposing of spoiled food:
- Visually inspect food for signs of spoilage such as changes in colour, texture, or presence of water.
- Dispose of spoiled, damaged, or out-of-date food in compliance with local regulations.