Understanding Food Safety

Introduction to Food Safety

• Food safety is freedom from anything that might cause food poisoning or harm to people.
• Quality, taste, smell, looks, and quality control are mainly food quality issues.
• Diet and nutrition mainly refer to the nutritional values of food, calories, weight loss, and a balanced healthy diet.
• Food safety makes sure that what we eat will not cause food poisoning or harm, regardless of what it is.
• Food poisoning is mostly caused by food that smells, tastes, and looks good.
• In practical implementation, the three concepts of quality, diet and nutrition, and food safety are usually integrated.
• Foodborne illness is a general term describing any disease or illness caused by eating contaminated food or drink, traditionally referred to as "food poisoning."

The Importance of Food Safety

• Ethically, food safety protects human lives and prevents death, sickness, pain, and suffering.
• Legally, food safety is a legal requirement, and business owners convicted of food poisoning cases may face imprisonment, business shutdown, or fines.
• Financially/Economically, food safety is financially and economically important because food poisoning cases can cost countries billions of pesos yearly.
• Food businesses may lose clients, production time, and face increased insurance premiums or pay compensations.

Benefits of Effective Food Safety

• Satisfied customers
• Better job security
• A good reputation
• Less food wastage and controlled running costs
• Loyal customers
• A pleasant place to work
• Compliance with food safety laws

Costs of Poor Food Safety

• Food poisoning
• A bad reputation
• Customer complaints and possible loss of profit
• Higher running costs because food has to be thrown away
• Poor working conditions
• Legal action
• Possible redundancies and closure of business

Key Words

• Contaminated Food: Food that could be harmful to health because it contains something that should not be there.
• Food Handler: Anyone whose work involves food, or whose action or inaction could compromise the safety of food.
• Food Poisoning: A general term for an illness caused by eating contaminated food.
• Food Safety: Freedom of food from anything that might cause food poisoning or harm to people.
• Hazard (to food): Anything that could cause harm to a consumer.
• Legislation: The general term for laws, regulations, and directives.
• Risk: The likelihood that harm will be caused.
• Symptoms: The signs of illness.