Malaysia Food Handler Course flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Food Act 1983

The principal Malaysian statute governing food safety, food quality and labelling, under which the Food Regulations 1985 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 are made.

Food Hygiene Regulations 2009

Malaysian regulations covering food premises, food handlers, equipment, transport and serving; they require food handler training, typhoid vaccination and premises registration.

Typhoid vaccination requirement

Food handlers in Malaysia must be vaccinated against typhoid and hold valid certification; this is enforced under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 for food handlers.

JAKIM halal certification

The Malaysian Department of Islamic Development administers halal certification; MS1500:2019 is the national halal food standard and unverified halal claims can be an offence.

Food handler definition

Any person who prepares, handles, packages, transports, stores or serves food, or who touches food-contact surfaces and equipment in a food premises.

Exclusion of ill handlers

Food handlers with diarrhoea, vomiting, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A, dysentery or infected skin lesions must be excluded from food handling to prevent contamination.

Duty to report illness

A food handler must inform the supervisor before starting work if suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms, skin infections or other conditions that could contaminate food.

Protective clothing

Clean, light-coloured, washable clothing, head covering and, where required, a face mask; jewellery and watches are removed from hands and wrists.

Correct handwashing

Wet hands, apply soap, rub palms, backs, between fingers and under nails for at least 20 seconds, rinse, then dry with a single-use towel or air dryer.

48-hour exclusion rule

A food handler with diarrhoea or vomiting is excluded from food handling until at least 48 hours symptom-free, and longer if a pathogen is confirmed.

Nail and jewellery rule

Nails must be short and unvarnished, with no artificial nails or nail polish; rings, watches and bracelets are not worn during food handling.

Covering cuts

Cuts and abrasions must be covered with a waterproof dressing, preferably a detectable blue plaster, plus a glove over the affected hand where appropriate.

Biological hazards

Living organisms that cause foodborne illness, including bacteria such as Salmonella, viruses such as norovirus, and parasites; controlled by temperature and hygiene.

Chemical hazards

Harmful chemicals in food such as cleaning agents, pesticides, veterinary residues, mycotoxins, allergens and heavy metals; controlled by correct storage and approved suppliers.

Physical hazards

Foreign objects that can injure consumers, including glass, metal, plastic, bone, stones, hair and jewellery; controlled by inspection, maintenance and good practices.

Bacillus cereus

A spore-forming bacterium associated with cooked rice left at room temperature; its emetic toxin is heat-stable, so rapid cooling and hot holding are the main controls.

Aflatoxin

A heat-stable mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus in peanuts, maize and nuts; controlled by approved suppliers and dry, cool storage.

Cross-contamination

Transfer of pathogens from raw food, surfaces, hands, cloths or pests to ready-to-eat food, causing illness without further cooking to destroy the organisms.

Colour-coded boards

Chopping boards and utensils assigned by colour (commonly red for raw meat, green for vegetables, yellow for cooked food) to prevent cross-contamination between food types.

Raw below cooked

In refrigerated storage, raw meat, poultry and seafood are placed below cooked and ready-to-eat foods to prevent drips from contaminating food that will not be cooked.

Two-stage cleaning

Cleaning food-contact surfaces with detergent to remove soil, rinsing, then applying a sanitiser at the correct concentration and contact time, followed by air-drying.

Danger zone

The temperature range of 5°C to 60°C in which bacteria multiply rapidly; cold food is kept at or below 5°C and hot food at or above 60°C.

Two-hour/four-hour rule

Ready-to-eat food in the danger zone under 2 hours may be refrigerated; 2–4 hours must be used immediately; over 4 hours it must be discarded.

Two-stage cooling

Cooked food is cooled from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then to 5°C within a further 4 hours, giving a maximum total cooling time of 6 hours.

Safe reheating

Reheat cooked food to at least 74°C within 2 hours, reheat only once, and never reheat food in a bain-marie because it heats too slowly.

Safe thawing

Thaw food in a refrigerator at or below 5°C, under running potable water, or in a microwave followed by immediate cooking; never thaw at room temperature.

FIFO and FEFO

Stock rotation methods: First In First Out and First Expired First Out, ensuring older stock is used first and expired food is removed from storage.

Clean, rinse, sanitise

The correct sequence for food-contact surfaces: remove soil with detergent, rinse with potable water, apply sanitiser at the specified concentration and contact time, then air-dry.

Pest proofing

Physical measures such as screens, door sweeps, air curtains and sealed gaps that prevent pests from entering food premises, supported by monitoring and waste control.

Linear workflow design

Premises layout arranged in one direction from receiving to storage, preparation, cooking, cooling and service, so raw and cooked food paths do not cross.

HACCP seven principles

Hazard analysis, CCP identification, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and record keeping; prerequisite programs such as GMP support the system.

Critical control point

A step in the process where control is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level, with measurable critical limits and monitoring.