NZ Food Safety US 167 flashcards

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

Temperature danger zone

The range between 5°C and 60°C in which bacteria multiply fastest. High-risk food should spend as little time as possible in this range during preparation, transport and display.

2-hour/4-hour rule

Ready-to-eat food kept above 5°C and below 60°C: under 2 hours may be returned to refrigeration, 2 to 4 hours must be used immediately, and over 4 hours must be thrown out.

High-risk food

Food that is moist and high in protein, such as cooked meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, cooked rice and pasta, and cut fruit. It supports rapid bacterial growth and needs strict temperature control.

Food Control Plan

A written plan for higher-risk food businesses under the Food Act 2014. It sets out the steps staff must follow to keep food safe, plus the records that prove the steps were done.

National Programme

A lighter set of food safety requirements under the Food Act 2014 for lower-risk businesses. It covers safe handling, cleaning, training and record keeping, checked by a verifier at set intervals.

Biological hazard

A danger to food safety caused by living things or their toxins, including bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, viruses such as norovirus, moulds, and parasites.

Chemical hazard

Harm from substances such as cleaning chemicals, sanitiser residue, pesticides, or undeclared allergens getting into food. Prevented by correct storage, labelling and rinsing of food-contact surfaces.

Physical hazard

A hard or sharp object that can injure a person eating the food, such as glass, metal, bone, plastic, stones or plasters. Controlled by covering cuts, checking equipment and good housekeeping.

Allergen cross-contact

The transfer of an allergenic food into a food that should not contain it, through hands, utensils, boards, oil, or shared equipment. It can cause severe reactions and must be prevented and declared.

Cross-contamination

The spread of bacteria or other hazards from raw food, dirty equipment, hands or surfaces to ready-to-eat food. Prevented by separation, colour-coded equipment and handwashing.

Cleaning versus sanitising

Cleaning removes visible dirt, grease and food with detergent and hot water. Sanitising then reduces microorganisms to a safe level using heat or a chemical sanitiser on a clean surface.

Two-step cleaning method

Wash the surface with hot water and detergent to remove soil, rinse, then apply sanitiser for the contact time on the label, and let the surface air-dry before use.

Handwashing duration

Wash hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, including between fingers and under nails, then dry with a single-use paper towel or hand dryer.

When to wash hands

Wash before handling food and after the toilet, handling raw meat or eggs, touching bins or waste, coughing or sneezing, touching the face or hair, and after cleaning or handling money.

Exclusion after vomiting or diarrhoea

A food handler with vomiting or diarrhoea must stay away from food work and normally wait 48 hours after symptoms stop, because some bacteria and viruses remain infectious.

Reporting illness to supervisor

Staff must tell their supervisor if they have vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, sore throat or jaundice, or an infected cut or skin infection, so the risk to food can be assessed and managed.

Cooking to 75°C

Cook high-risk food until the thickest part reaches 75°C, or an equivalent combination such as 70°C for 2 minutes. Check with a clean, calibrated probe thermometer.

Two-stage cooling

Cool cooked food from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then from 21°C to 5°C within a further 4 hours. Record the times and temperatures taken during cooling.

Reheating food safely

Reheat high-risk food quickly so it reaches at least 75°C throughout, and reheat only once. Never use a bain-marie or slow cooker to reheat food, as it passes too slowly through the danger zone.

Hot holding temperature

Ready-to-eat hot food must be held at 60°C or above. Check and record the temperature at least every two hours, and reheat or discard food that falls below that temperature.

Cold storage temperature

Chilled high-risk food is stored at 5°C or below, and frozen food at -15°C or below (commonly -18°C). Check and record fridge and freezer temperatures daily.

FIFO stock rotation

First in, first out: older stock is used before newer stock. Store food labelled with date and contents, keep it off the floor, and never use food past its use-by date.

Use-by versus best-before

A use-by date is about safety; food must not be sold or eaten after it. A best-before date is about quality; food may still be safe after it but may have lost quality.

Receiving delivery checks

Check chilled food is 5°C or below, frozen food is solid and below -15°C, packaging is intact, date marks are valid and there are no pests. Reject and record any failure.

Corrective action

What you do when a food safety check fails: fix the problem, isolate or discard affected food, find the cause, record the action taken, and tell the supervisor.

Food safety records

Written evidence that the plan was followed, such as temperature logs, cleaning schedules, pest checks, training records and corrective actions. Complete them at the time of the check.

Verifier visit

An independent check that the business is following its Food Control Plan or National Programme. The verifier reviews records, observes practice and may check temperatures and cleanliness.

Thermometer calibration

Checking a probe thermometer against a known reference, such as an ice slurry at 0°C or boiling water, and adjusting or replacing it if the reading is outside tolerance.

Pest control in food premises

Keeping pests out by sealing gaps, closing doors and screens, storing waste in closed bins, clearing food debris, and recording pest checks and any sightings or bait stations.

Colour-coded chopping boards

Boards and utensils in different colours are used for different food types, such as raw meat, cooked food, and vegetables, to reduce cross-contamination between them.

Personal hygiene in food areas

Clean uniform or apron, hair tied back, no hand or wrist jewellery, short unpolished nails, no eating, drinking or smoking, and covering cuts with a detectable waterproof plaster.

Allergen declaration

Common allergens and sulphites must be declared on labels or menus. Staff must never substitute ingredients without checking the label and telling the supervisor and customer.