Food Safety Tips


		Five top causes of food borne illness


Did you know that the five top causes of food borne illness include: 1. poor personal hygiene 2. contaminated equipment 3. inadequate cooking 4. improper holding temperatures 5. food from unsafe sources
		Suppliers evaluation


Food products can become contaminated anywhere along the food supply chain. Evaluate your suppliers and obtain your ingredients and packaging materials only from reliable sources. The effectiveness of your food safety system requires the use of safe incoming materials.
		Pest control


Warm weather brings with it numerous flying insects that may contaminate your food products and processing areas. UV light traps effectively control these pests, providing the bulbs are changed annually since UV light emitted decreases over time. Replacing your bulbs ensures optimal trap performance during the summer and fall seasons. Cold weather means that rodents and other pests will be looking for a warm place to live. Now is the time to check your pest control program: ensure that all gaps, cracks and crevices are sealed to prevent entry. Pay attention to good housekeeping and sanitation practices so that pests cannot get into your facility.
		Prevent cross contamination


Cross contamination can cause foodborne illness and the recall of your product. To prevent cross contamination in your facility, colour code your tools and equipment. Use different colours to represent items or areas that would be considered food contact and non-food contact. This technique can also be useful when separating ingredients and tools for allergen and non-allergen food products.
		Temperature danger zone


Bacteria multiply very quickly if food is stored at room temperature. By holding food at temperatures below 4°C (40°F) and above 60°C (140°F) you slow down or stop bacterial growth. Chilling food properly is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of food borne illness.
		Assessing the effectiveness of sanitation


One way to assess the effectiveness of your sanitation program is conducting a visual examination after sanitation is performed and as part of your pre-operational activities. Tools to assist you include a flashlight, ladder for accessing high areas of the equipment and a reflective mirror (polished stainless, not glass) to access undersides of equipment. Documentation of this process is essential.
		Inventory management


First in first out (FIFO) stock rotation is an important component of any shipping, receiving, handling and storage program. FIFO inventory management prevents waste by ensuring oldest items are used first and are not forgotten about. Mark incoming stock with the received date, a use by or a best before date and then store behind older supplies.
		Food safety and lunch bags


When bringing your lunch to work or school ensure that you keep it cold. Cold cuts and other lunch meats, as well as tuna salads, chicken salads and egg salads must be kept refrigerated since bacteria grow and multiply rapidly causing foodborne illness. You can keep lunch food cold for a short time using insulated lunch bags and including a frozen gel pack or a frozen juice/water bottle.
		Calibration


Are your technicians and operators aware of the importance of calibrating key monitoring equipment not only at the set frequency, but also if it is dropped, bumped, damaged or exposed to excessive vibration or moisture or perhaps a power failure? Be on the safe side: minimize food safety risks, re-calibrate and document it.
		Hand washing


The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that hands spread about 80 percent of common infectious diseases like the common flu and cold. Proper hand washing with soap and warm water is the best way to remove dirt and germs from hands. You may use hand sanitizer to prevent contamination when soap and water are not available, but remember that this does not replace hand washing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer does not work well if you have dirt or grease on your hands.

		Leftovers

If you are a processor, you probably use the term rework. Ex: product scraps, returns, etc, that are too valuable to throw out and can be safely used in a final product. The problem is they tend to sit around awhile and could potentially become hazardous. Time and temperature control are critical. You must also ensure good record-keeping: all ingredients, including rework, must be traceable in the event of a complaint or recall.

If you are a consumer, you are very familiar with leftovers – sometimes they are the best part of a meal. To enjoy them and stay healthy, follow a few common sense basic rules:
- refrigerate or freeze them quickly
- do not let them stay in the “bacteria party zone” (also known as: “Danger Zone”):4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F), for more than 2 hours
- label the container with the date
- if in doubt, discard

		Preventing cross-contamination from reusable bags


Reusable bags can be contaminated with bacteria from the food they carry or from the environment. Prevent cross-contamination by washing them frequently with hot soapy water and by putting fresh and frozen raw meat, and produce in separate plastic bags before placing them inside the reusable bag.

Water safety

For most food industries water is essential as an ingredient or as part of a process. Water can be used for different operations, including: food manufacturing, cleaning, ice making and steam production. Ensure the water you use in your facility is safe and meets provincial regulations and national quality guidelines.

		Barbeque food safety


Prevent food borne illnesses during barbecuing season. Health Canada suggests you make the burger patties thin to ensure the meat cooks all the way through. Use a food thermometer to check that the middle of the burger reaches 71 C (160 F). Insert the food thermometer through the side into the middle of the patty. Colour alone is not a reliable indicator that meat is safe to eat. Meat can turn brown before all bacteria are killed. For more barbeque food safety tips and safe temperatures click here.

		Validation of Food Safety Programs

Validation is an essential part of your food safety program. Remember to collect and evaluate technical and scientific information to determine if your HACCP plan effectively controls your hazards. Validation includes: hazard analysis justification, support for hazard identification and CCP location, and support of critical limits and monitoring activities.

		Training

Each year statistics show many people suffer from food borne illnesses caused by improper food safety practices during food processing. Employee Training is essential when implementing your food safety program. A training program must ensure that employees understand and follow your company’s policies and procedures.

		Chlorine Solutions Monitoring

Chlorine compounds are widely used in the food industry to kill bacteria and disinfect. Once you prepare your chlorine solution, use a test kit to monitor free available chlorine and in some cases, total residual chlorine (TRC) concentrations. Free available chlorine refers to the amount of chlorine available to react with bacteria. TRC is the amount of chlorine in the water, which includes chlorine available and chlorine bound with organic materials. Free and total residual chlorine test kits are commercially available including test strips, color cubes, titration-based test kits, colorimeters and colour discs.

		Internal Audits

Internal audits are a valuable tool to assess the implementation and effectiveness of your Food Safety System including but not limited to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. They help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your food safety system and discover areas that may require improving. It is critical that you follow through with audit findings and implement corrective and preventative measures. Internal audits need to be more strict and rigorous than external audits and management commitment is essential to ensure the audits are conducted regularly and remain effective. If you are working towards a Global Food Safety Initiative bench marked scheme it is important to note that internal audits are a requirement of all standards.

		Supplier Managment

As a manufacturer of food, it is very important to know where your ingredients and packaging materials come from. The safety and quality of food depends on the components used to make it. To help ensure safe food production, use only suppliers who can provide ingredients, packaging and services that meet your company’s food safety standards.

For information on the Food Safety Program contact the CVO/Food Safety Knowledge Centre. For technical information, call 204-795-7968 in Winnipeg; or e-mail foodsafety@gov.mb.ca. For general information, contact your local GO Centre.

Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

Food Safety Tips