WSQ Food Safety Level 3 (FHO) key terms

Any person who handles or prepares food, or touches food-contact surfaces, in a food establishment, including cooks, kitchen assistants and those who wash utensils and equipment.

A person appointed by a food establishment operator to oversee and supervise food hygiene and safety practices on site, holding the required certification and registered with the relevant authority.

A Workforce Skills Qualifications credential awarded after passing an approved food hygiene course, required for food handlers and hygiene officers at the level specified for their role.

Periodic retraining that food handlers and hygiene officers must complete to keep their hygiene knowledge current and their certification valid, usually at intervals set by the licensing authority.

An illness caused by eating food contaminated with harmful microorganisms, toxins or chemicals. Symptoms commonly include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever, sometimes appearing hours to days after eating.

The transfer of harmful microorganisms or allergens from one food, surface or utensil to another, often through raw food contacting ready-to-eat food, hands, chopping boards or knives.

Food that is intended to be eaten without further cooking or processing to make it safe, so it must be protected from contamination at all stages of storage, preparation and display.

The temperature range, generally between 5°C and 60°C, in which bacteria multiply most rapidly. Food should be kept outside this range through proper chilling or hot holding.

Keeping perishable and ready-to-eat food at or below 5°C during storage and display to slow bacterial growth, with refrigeration temperatures checked and recorded regularly.

Keeping cooked food at or above 60°C before service so that bacteria cannot multiply, with the food reheated thoroughly if it falls below the required temperature.

A written or digital record showing the temperatures of chillers, freezers, hot-holding units and cooked food at set times, used to prove monitoring and to trigger corrective action.

The practice of washing hands with soap and water, or using sanitiser where appropriate, at defined moments such as before handling food and after toilet use, to prevent contamination.

A dedicated basin supplied with soap and running water, reserved for washing hands only and never used for washing food, utensils or equipment, kept accessible to food handlers.

Items worn by food handlers such as clean aprons, hairnets, gloves and masks that help prevent their bodies, hair or clothing from contaminating food during handling and preparation.

Any surface or utensil that food directly touches during preparation, storage or service, such as chopping boards, knives, tables and containers, which must be cleaned and sanitised regularly.

A two-step process in which visible dirt and grease are removed with detergent, then microorganisms are reduced to safe levels using heat or a chemical sanitiser on food-contact surfaces.

The strength of a chemical sanitiser, usually measured in parts per million, that must be mixed and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions to kill microorganisms effectively without leaving harmful residue.

A board system in which different colours are assigned to different food types, such as raw meat, cooked food and vegetables, to reduce cross-contamination during preparation.

A documented, systematic set of policies, procedures and records that an operator uses to identify food safety hazards and control them consistently across all operations.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point: a preventive system that identifies biological, chemical and physical hazards, sets control points, and monitors them to keep food safe.

A step in the food process where a control measure is applied and, if not properly controlled, could result in an unacceptable food safety risk, such as cooking or chilling.

A measurable value that separates acceptable from unacceptable at a critical control point, such as a minimum cooking temperature or a maximum holding time.

The scheduled observation or measurement of a control point, such as checking chiller temperatures or sanitiser strength, to confirm that critical limits are being met.

The step taken when monitoring shows a critical limit has not been met, for example re-cooking, discarding affected food, or repairing equipment, and recording what was done.

Activities that confirm the food safety management system is working as intended, such as reviewing records, checking calibration, or testing food and swabs, beyond routine monitoring.

The ability to track a food item and its ingredients one step back to the supplier and one step forward to the customer, supported by records, so it can be recalled if needed.

The process of removing unsafe food from sale and informing customers or authorities, carried out promptly when contamination or a labelling error is discovered.

A structured approach used by food establishments to build and sustain food safety practices, covering the setting up of systems, adherence to them, ensuring staff follow through, and evaluating results.

A licensing scheme in which food establishments receive demerit points for hygiene and food safety offences; accumulating a set number of points within a period can lead to suspension or cancellation of the licence.

The permit issued by the food safety authority that allows a business to operate a food establishment, subject to meeting hygiene, structural and operational requirements.

A temporary withdrawal of a food establishment's licence, often triggered by accumulated demerit points or serious hygiene breaches, during which the business must stop operating until reinstated.

The person or company that owns or runs a food business and is responsible for ensuring the premises, equipment, staff and processes comply with food safety requirements.

The structural and operational standards a food establishment must meet, covering areas such as flooring, ventilation, pest proofing, waste handling and adequate washing facilities.

Measures that prevent and eliminate pests such as rodents, cockroaches and flies, including proofing openings, keeping waste covered, and using licensed pest control operators with records kept.

The safe handling and disposal of food waste, used oil and refuse in covered, pest-proof containers, removed regularly so it does not attract pests or contaminate food areas.

A statement in which a food handler confirms they are free of symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea or fever, and reports any illness so they can be excluded from food handling duties.

The practice of removing a food handler with vomiting, diarrhoea, fever or infected wounds from food handling duties until they are clear, to prevent spreading pathogens to food.

A substance in food, such as peanuts, shellfish, eggs or milk, that can cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people; handlers must prevent cross-contact and provide accurate information.