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Introduction
Employees in a foodstuffs company working with the production of food products must be either vocationally educated, or have completed a course in food hygiene. The aim of this course is to give participants:

Knowledge of the relevant laws concerning the manufacturing of foodstuffs. Knowledge of the diseases transmitted by infected food. Knowledge of microorganisms occurrences and cultivation within foodstuffs. Learn how to impede the reproduction of harmful microorganisms. An understanding of the principles concerning "Self-inspection". Knowledge of the functions of health and safety inspections.

On satisfactory completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate that gives you the right to work with the production of foodstuffs in an authorized, or approved, foodstuffs company. The course is comprised of a printed text, which you can read for yourself, or as an audio file. During the course, there will be films shown on microorganisms, food hygiene, and self-inspection. There will also be a lot of assignments and games during the course, which you are encouraged to participate in and complete. Questions concerning the course? If you have any questions concerning the course, you are welcome to call "Alimentas" hotline on 70 23 13 12. The telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 16.00 hours. Furthermore, questions can also be sent by e-mail to mailservice@alimentas.dk. All questions will be answered as soon as possible (but always within two days of being received).

General Microbiology
In this module, you will gain a fundamental knowledge of microorganisms, and their propagation. It is essential that you learn how the formation of microorganisms can be stopped, thus ensuring that consumers will not become ill through contact with the foodstuffs you have responsibility for.

Contamination of foodstuffs
Contamination by physical objects
As an example the presence of small stones in rye bread, insects in grain or flour, splinters from tools, hair, cigarette ends and many more should be mentioned.

Contamination by chemical substances

As an example the remains of sprayed pesticides must be mentioned. Also packing not approved for wrapping of foods might liberate toxic chemicals, which will contaminate the food. Hot tap water usually contains heavy metals. Remains from cleaning detergents which have not been washed away properly from a table or from a tool, are also an example. In this case the detergent remains are transmitted to foods being handled on the table or getting in touch with kitchen utensils.

Contamination by microorganisms
This type of contamination can rarely be seen either, but can lead to food poisoning and food infection. If you work in a food company, you should understand the living conditions needed by microorganisms, and how to limit, or totally prevent their propagation. Microorganisms are a very large group of extremely small organisms. A microorganism is a generic term for these three major groups:

Bacteria Fungi Viruses

It is not possible to see single microorganisms with the naked eye, but you can see them under a microscope. Only when there are many microorganisms grouped together, we can see them without the aid of a microscope. We call a group of many microorganisms for a colony. For example, patches of mould on bread are in fact a colony of fungus, whereas mucus on meat is in fact a colony of bacteria. These we can see with the naked eye. Microorganisms are found almost everywhere. We find them in water, soil, on animals and on us. The largest amounts are found in excrement from animals and people, as well as in soil and on the surface of water.

Bacteria
Bacteria are single-celled organisms. During propagation, the cell divides into two, that is to say one bacterium becomes two bacteria. Subsequently the two bacteria can further divide themselves into four bacteria, and these can divide into eight and so on. The time it takes for one bacterium to transform into two bacteria is known as the generating time. Different external environments like the availability of water, temperatures, acidity, influence the generation time and so on. When writing down the names of bacteria one uses italics, as for example in Salmonella.

Fungi
Fungi are an important part of nature and are found everywhere. Mould fungi are a little larger than bacteria, but even these can only been seen if there are several of them bunched together. In everyday language, we call mould fungi simply mould. Some mould fungi are useful, and they are used, in amongst other things, in soft-cheeses such as Camembert and Danablu (blue cheese). However, there are also disease-causing mould fungi. Some of these can be found, for example, on bread, in jam, or dried fruit. Yeast fungus, long before anyone had ever heard of yeast cells, has been used in the production of alcoholic drinks and baking bread. In these cases yeast fungus is useful. However, foodstuff destroying fungi mould can also occur, such as when unimpeded fermentation occurs in fruit juice. Some sorts can also be disease causing.

Virus
Unlike bacteria a virus cannot grow in foods, but is usually transferred directly from foods to people either through vomit or stools typically through the hands. However, only a small amount of virus is needed to cause a disease in comparison to the amount of bacteria. Sources of infection can be polluted water and berries or fruit, which have been rinsed in contaminated water. Another source of infection is shellfish that is eaten alive (raw). Shellfish has a particular skill to gather virus particles from water. In order to protect yourself from virus infections it is essential to have a good personal hygiene. You must make sure to wash your hands before starting the preparation of food and also generally to be clean. In this way the risk is considerably reduced. If you want to serve shellfish, the only safe way to kill any virus is by boiling the shellfish thoroughly.

Microorganisms in foodstuffs
Foodstuffs can contain several different types of microorganisms: bacteria, yeast and mould fungi and viruses. These microorganisms can ruin foodstuffs or cause illnesses in consumers. The majority of microorganisms are however harmless. Some are even useful and can add flavour to food or increase their storage life. Microorganisms are divided into three groups:

Useful microorganism Destructive microorganism Disease causing or pathogenic microorganisms

Useful microorganisms
Harmless bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria, can be added to the production of various foodstuffs: sour or acidic milk products, butter, cheese, rye bread and some meat products such as for example fermented sausages and ham. During generation, lactic acid bacteria ferment carbohydrates in foodstuffs, which results in certain kind of acidic production primarily lactic acid, acetic acid (vinegar and other acids). Furthermore certain other flavor - giving substances are also produced. Bacterial growth therefore adds certain smells, tastes and consistencies to foodstuff products. Bacterial growth can also have a preserving effect on foods. Breweries use yeast fungi in the production of beer. Yeasts are also used in bread making. Bread must rise before baking. Rising is occasioned by the yeast fungi giving off air when they propagate, and the air makes the bread rise Mould fungi are nowadays used in the production of penicillin. Penicillin and other antibiotics can prevent or kill disease-causing microorganisms. Mould fungi are also known from use in cheeses as for example Camembert and blue cheese (Danablu). Here the mould fungi are used to give the cheese its characteristic taste. Lactic acid bacteria are used to the production of yoghurt. In nature, you find microorganisms that break down dead cells from, for example, dead animals and plants causing them eventually to decompose into humus.

Destructive microorganisms
Destructive microorganisms can break down nutritional substances in foods, causing them to appear undesirable, smell and taste unacceptably. They make food go mouldy, and make food sour or rotten. Aside from these modifications to foods, destructive microorganisms can cause discoloring or food to become mucilaginous. To what degree, and just how, foodstuffs become putrefied is dependent on, amongst other things, external environmental factors such as storage temperatures and moisture; as well as the microorganisms ability to propagate and break down respectively, carbohydrates, proteins and fats in foods.

All foodstuffs that smell bad and un-fresh must be thrown away. As a rule, foods with moulds should also be thrown out, for example, jams and fruit. On solid foods such as cheese, you are allowed to cut off a few centimeters to remove any mould present.

Microorganisms Living Conditions Temperature

Temperature levels play an important role in the growth of microorganisms. The chemical reactions that occur in connection with propagation are temperature dependent. Generally speaking, you can say that the greatest amount of microorganism propagation occurs between 5 and 65C. The bacteria growth is highest between 20 - 40C. However there are some microorganisms that can grow at temperatures below 5C and above 65C. However, propagation is much slower at these extremely low or high temperatures. who is connected to the preparation process of foodstuffs must be aware of the necessary living conditions of microorganisms. One must know how food infections and food poisoning can be avoided. It is essential that food is prepared in a safe manner. If you know the theory behind the living conditions of microorganisms then you can practically inhibit or totally stop their propagation. The necessary living conditions for microorganisms in foodstuffs are dependent on many different conditions, such as:

which type of foodstuff is being considered at what temperatures foods are being stored in what way foodstuffs are stored as well as the presence of moisture oxygen levels in foodstuffs pH values in foodstuffs the presence of substances that inhibit microorganisms can also influence the rate of growth

Living Conditions = Growth Conditions

Sustenance
The nutrients that microorganisms need are essentially the same as people need to survive. Therefore, the majority of microorganisms thrive on our foodstuffs. In foodstuff companies it is therefore essential that you clean thoroughly.

Warming
All disease causing microorganisms die at temperatures above75C. Therefore easily perishable food that is heated must always be warmed at a temperature of at least 75C. When all microorganisms have been destroyed through heating one should ensure that no reinfection occurs. On products that have been heat-treated all microorganisms are absent, therefore any new arrival of microorganisms will have the perfect conditions for reproduction. There are bacteria, which can assume a spore stage that is very heat-stable. Some bacteria can form spores, which are a type of "survival-pod". A bacterial spore is capable of surviving high temperatures, severe cold, and drought conditions and salt. Spores can survive normal boiling. If they later are exposed to good living conditions then they can turn into normal bacteria. The spores that are still present in foods after heat treatment begin to form into bacteria when the cooling-down temperature drops below 65C. Therefore it is important that the cooling-down process is as short as possible. These spores can only be killed at temperatures between 120 and 135C, in other words by autoclaving (pressure heating). These high temperatures cannot be achieved through the normal

production processes of boiling, frying or baking. In order to be able to reach these temperatures heating must occur with the use of an autoclave.

Cooling-down
Under the cooling-down process and in fridge/cold storage microorganisms propagation is halted. There are however individual microorganisms that can still propagate, though at greatly reduced rate. The lower the cooling temperature the less growth and propagation will occur. Therefore it is important that time taken to cool-down produce is as short as possible.

Refrigeration
If the temperature is decreased even further and falls below freezing point then microorganisms become inactive, but are not killed. Microorganisms enter a period of inactivity. If foods are then thawed up again, the microorganisms begin to propagate again. Therefore, it is vital that you do not thaw foods outside of the fridge or cold room environment. No bacteria can propagate below freezing point. However, some mould fungi can propagate below freezing point (not by deep-freezing) but it goes very slowly. On the thermometer, you can read at which temperatures microorganisms or bacteria spores die, when there is a danger for propagation, and when they enter a period of inactivity.

Smoke curing
Smoke contains chemical elements, which add taste, but also aid in prolonging the storage life of foodstuffs. Products surfaces are at the same time dried during curing and therefore microorganisms propagation is slightly inhibited.

Food preservatives
Microorganisms are inhibited or killed through food preservation. There are many different types of preservation substances, which can be added to produce. In products such as jams there are always food preservatives present.

Oxygen
Microorganisms needs for oxygen are very varied, and one can categorize them depending on their requirements broadly into whether they grow better with the presence of a lot of oxygen, little oxygen or none at all. Most microorganisms do however need some oxygen to be able to propagate. There is a packaging method whereby food can be packed into a controlled environment or in a protective environment. By this method one replaces the normal atmosphere with a different

composition of gas. In this way microorganism propagation is inhibited and produce can have a longer storage life. When a vacuumed or protective packaging is broken, the use-by date no longer applies. Check the label on the packaging to learn of the new use-by date on unsealed packaging.

Water
Microorganisms need water for their propagation. If one removes water it will inhibit microorganism propagation. Therefore a way to increase the shelf life of foods is to dry the products e.g. dried fruits and milk powder. In flour and grain products bacteria are not able propagate due to a very small content of water, but there will always be bacteria spores in these products.

pH value or degree of sourness

Microorganisms are very largely affected by the degree of sourness (acidity). The majority of foods have a neutral value or slight acidity. That is they have a pH value of around 6 or 8. The majority of bacteria thrive best in a neutral environment, due to their optimum pH value precisely being 6 or 8. Disease inducing bacteria cannot grow at pH values of less than 4.5. This means there is no risk that foodstuffs that have a pH value of less than 4.5 are inductive to bacterial food borne illnesses. Sour products such as preserved beetroots, cucumbers, pickles, mayonnaise and coleslaw have a pH value of less than 4.5. Therefore these products can be kept at room temperature.

Salt/sugar
The use of large quantities of salt or sugar in foodstuffs can inhibit or totally reduce the growth of microorganisms. Sugar is used to preserve, for example marmalades and juices. Salts ability to absorb water is nearly ten times greater that that of sugar.

The hurdle effect

If several parameters are present in a foodstuff at the same time, such as requirements for preservation and growth inhibiting are both present, for example, a low pH value, a low water contetn and a temperature of less than 5C exist, then microorganisms ability to survive and propagate is altered. There can occur a so-called "hurdle effect" which acts as an intensifying of the preservation effect. For example, it can lead to the minimum pH value for bacterial growth of a certain bacterium being increased, if at the same time there is a low water content in the produce, and if the produce is stored in a fridge. In order to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria it may be important to introduce several propagation hurdles at the same time, especially in certain critical or sensitive products.

How rapidly do microorganisms propagate?

Under proper living conditions bacterial cells can subdivide them selves into two approximately every 20 minutes. This means that a single bacterium can turn into more than a million bacteria within six hours.

Disease causing or pathogenic microorganisms

Disease causing microorganisms can lead to illnesses in people, if they are present in certain quantities in foodstuffs, or if they have formed toxins, in other words poisons in foods. The production of disease causing microorganisms does not lead to the putrefaction of foods. They are cunning, because you can neither see, smell nor taste that foods have been contaminated with disease-producing microorganisms. Disease causing microorganisms, can amongst other things, be spread to foods via the surrounding environment, especially in the production environment, and via animals and birds. Disease causing microorganisms are also known as pathogenic microorganisms.

Causes of microbial food-borne illnesses

In order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses it is necessary to reduce the risks of infection, and transmission, that is say to reduce the contamination of foodstuffs in all areas of the production process from primary production, manufacture and storage before final preparation in kitchens. Everyone has the right to buy healthy food. Certain produce, however, will contain in varying degrees disease-causing microorganisms. Therefore, it is necessary to take particular precautionary measures when storing and preparing foodstuffs so that the health risks associate with eating food is kept to a minimum. From this schedule you can see that the most frequent reason to pathogenic diseases is the Norovirus also known as acute gastroenteritis and the Salmonella bacteria. To protect yourself from virus infections it is essential to have a good personal hygiene. Make sure to wash your hands before your start cooking and always keep yourself clean. In this way the risk is reduced considerably. If you wish to serve shellfish, the only sure way to kill any virus is to boil it thoroughly. To protect yourself from Salmonella infections it is of vital importance that chicken, pork and eggs are heated up to at least 75C and to keep a good separation in the kitchen and also a good hand hygiene.

Food poisoning
Food poisoning is the term used when foods contain bacteria or bacteria spores that grow and propagate, or they propagate in the intestines of humans, where they produce toxins/poisons. Toxins are waste substances that bacteria produce during propagation and can therefore cause intestinal problems. Some of these toxins can be very poisonous such as for example, those coming from Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus.

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Less poisonous toxins can also be formed such as Staphylococcus aureus. Toxic substances can be destroyed, as a rule, through heating, but there are some that despite prolonged heating are not destroyed.

Food infections
You can get food infections when food contains bacteria that by themselves can cause illness in humans. Examples of bacteria which can induce food infections are: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Listeria, Escherichia coli 0157 and Shigella.

Who gets ill?

Everyone can be hit by food poisoning or food infections. But those people with a weak immune defense system are most likely to be affected, that is to say the newborn, elderly people or sick people. The pregnant and breastfeeding mothers also have a weakened immune defense system.

Disease causing or pathogenic microorganisms

The symptoms of a food poisoning and food infection owing to the various pathogene bacteria are very much the same. The symptoms are: nausea, stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea. However, there is a great difference of the incubation period - i.e. the time it takes from having eaten the infected food until you get ill. The incubation time may vary from 2-3 hours as for Staplycoccus aureus and up to 10 days for Campylobacter. As you are not aware, which food-stuff has caused the illness or whether the illness owes to a food-stuff at all, it is extremely difficult to find the cause of the illness. In most cases you never find the food-stuff in question. The problem is also that the food causing the disease has been eaten and therefore evidence no longer exists.

Food-borne illnesses
Occurrence
As mentioned before there are bacteria everywhere and especially our food-stuffs contain good conditions for bacteria. Products like poultry and meat especially contain bacteria that can cause infections, i.e. bacteria which themselves are pathogenic. That could be Salmonella, Campylobacter and Yersinia. If you just make sure to heat up the food sufficiently, these bacteria are killed, and you can then eat food, which has been contaminated, if it is only cooked thoroughly. In the past years Campylobacter and Salmonella are the food-borne bacterium causing the highest number of cases in Denmark. Just one small drop of Campylobacter-infected meat juice or blood can cause a disease. If you use the chopping board to cut salad and then use it to cut chicken, you have a great risk of getting ill from Campylobacter.

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On vegetables and spices coming from the nature you will find spore-forming soil bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus. These spores can cause food poisoning. The problem with soil bacteria arises when they get in touch with perishable foods. As an example the bacteria may occur in a stew, which after the heat treatment has been cooled off too slowly so that the surviving spores have got good conditions to develop into bacteria and create toxins. Pathogenic bacteria can also be found on people. Staphylococcus aureus is mainly to be found in the nose and throat of humans. Very often they are present in infectious boils, wounds and fingers and are then transmitted to foods from there. In dried foods such as nuts, corn and dried fruit which have been harvested and stored at a too high umidity, damaging mould fungus may occur such as Fusarium and Aspergillus. These mould fungus make toxins/poisons such as aflatoxin which is cancer-causing. In raw fish you very often find small damaging parasites called anisakis larva. They are not a microorganism, but is mentioned here as it is also pathogenic. If you heat treat the fish, it is not dangerous to eat it. However, if you eat it raw such as sushi, gravlax etc, the parasite may make you ill. If you eat shellfish coming from contaminated water, you may be ill due to the norovirus.

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Self Inspection
In this module, you will gain general knowledge of what self-regulation is and how to build up a self-regulation program. In the following module, the different areas within self-regulation are looked at closer, such as the handling of foodstuffs, storage, production and cleaning.

Short introduction to self-regulation

Self-regulation is the systematic routine companies carry out to ensure that Veterinary and Food Administration's regulations are observed. Self-regulation is daily monitoring and periodic controls. Self-regulation should ensure that a company has the necessary procedures to monitor:

That product does not present a health risk to people. That the Veterinary and Food Administration's regulations are observed.

All companies that prepare and handle foods are required by law to have their own internal control programs and to carry out self-regulation. Self-regulation gives an overview of the risks and mistakes that typically occur in the production process. Thereby the risks and mistakes can be reduced, and a safe product can be produced. Furthermore, the costs can also often be reduced, as fewer products need to be destroyed. Self-regulation is a common European Union requirement for food companies, regardless of their size. Self-regulation is built up around the HACCP system, which includes:

Risk assessment Critical control points/Good work practices Critical limits Monitoring procedures Corrective actions Documentation Revision

Self-regulation ensures good hygiene, safe and healthy food produce, good quality and prevention of mistakes.

Registration of self-regulation program

Companies must send their self-regulation programs for registration to the relevant Veterinary and Food Administration's regional control office. The program will be discussed with the company and will be evaluated to establish whether there is need for adjustment or additions before it is registered. The self-regulation program is hereby a part of the companys approval.

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Self-regulation program
A self-regulation program is a description of how a company performs self-regulation of their business. Self-regulation programs must cover the following areas:

Primary produce Production Finished products Cleaning Maintenance Personal hygiene

Completed self-regulation is documentation for the preparation of foodstuffs has been performed according to the self-regulation program and thereby complies with the Veterinary and Food Administration's regulations.

Documentation
As a rule, self-regulation must be documented. It must be written into the self-regulation program which areas of the company are to be documented. There must always be a register of failures recorded mistakes, how they can be corrected, what has been done to ensure they do not repeat themselves. Staff can eventually note down on a scheme or similar that monitoring has been done. Companies can have, for example, a scheme for the monitoring of heating and cooling down of foods and a scheme for the monitoring of temperatures in fridges and freezers. There should also be documentation that a cleaning schedule is followed.

Revision
If changes occur within a company, for example, new equipment is bought or the work procedure is changed, the company must perform a self-regulation program and evaluate the need for adjustments. In addition, if there have been no changes to the company, the company must perform their own self-regulation program at least once a year. In that connection the failures register make a good basis for revision of the program.

Template for self-regulation program

Companies must send their self-regulation programs for registration to the relevant Veterinary and Food Administration's regional control office. The program will be discussed with the company and will be evaluated to establish whether there is need for adjustment or additions before it is registered. The self-regulation program is hereby a part of the companys approval.

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There is a template for use in the self-regulation program available on the Veterinary and Food Administration's homepage. If one uses such a template then the program does not need to be sent in for approval, but can be approved by company inspection.

Branch codes
Branch codes are a kind of recipe book, adapted to each particular branch, which offers guidance in how to organize and carry out self-regulation in individual companies. A branch code contains the guide lines that a self-inspection program must include for a specific branch e.g. bakeries, butchers or supermarkets. The branch codes are elaborated by the branch organizations and contain a risk analysis for the specific branch. The branch codes are provided by the Veterinary and Food Administration, but still have to be adapted to the specific business.

Inspection and control

The results of the self-regulation must be accessible to inspection by the Veterinary and Food Administration's regional control office. The Veterinary and Food Administration's regional control office continues to make controls in a company, which has a self-regulation program. An important job of the inspector is to evaluate whether the company carries out self-regulations and whether the program is working properly.

A self-regulation program should be built up using the following seven steps: 1. Risk assessment: What can go wrong in my company? 2. Critical control points/Good work practices: Where/how can I control so it does not go wrong? 3. Critical limits: What are the limits for making a product acceptable or not? 4. Monitoring procedures: How and how often do I control? 5. Corrective actions: What do I do if something goes wrong? 6. Documentation: How do I write the critical control points I have monitored? 7. Revision: How do I ensure that the self-regulation program always matches my business?

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Step 1: Risk assessment

In all food companies there are many risk factors, which are connected to the production of the company. The risk assessment must deal with:

All work spaces in the company, for example o kitchen o dishwashing o o cold store Work processes in the company, for example o heating of foods o grinding of meat o hakning af kd o cleaning of surfaces Personal hygiene Training

Step 2a: Good work practices

Activities in the company where there is no direct risk of food safety, it is sufficient to have good work practices. All foods business must employ good work practices for the way they ensure proper hygiene and ensure that products are correctly labeled and that they generally comply with the rules. The company itself determines its own good work practices. There are no demands that the good work practices should be written. Some businesses will likely choose to write down their good work practices to help in controlling everything. This can be an advantage especially for businesses with many employees. Good work practices are typically:

cleaning pest control waste disposal personal hygiene training of personel

Step 2b: Critical control points

Critical control points are activities/areas in the company where there is a direct risk of food safety and which can be measured and regulated Point out the areas where it is possible to carry out control. Many processes and points can be systematically controlled so that a greater food safety is achieved.

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Critical control points are typically:

Sufficiently low temperature for cooled products at receipt of raw food The storage temperature of the fridge and freezers Sufficiently high temperature for heated products Sufficiently high temperature for hot holding products

Step 3: Critical limits

Critical limits for the critical control points are determined. The company determines when a product is acceptable for example

The temperature of cooled products at receipt of raw foods The storage temperature of the fridge The heating temperature of easily perishable food The hot holding temperature Allowed time for cooling down hot food

Step 4: Monitoring procedures

The company can decide themselves how the monitoring is to be performed, for example

At the receipt of raw food always make a spot test controlling whether the products are proper labeled, separated, packed and have the right temperature Every day control the temperature of the fridges Always control the temperature when heating easily perishable food Every time food stuffs are cooled down the time and temperature are controlled

Step 5: Corrective actions

The corrective actions tell you what to do when the critical limit is exceeded, for example - If chilling or freezing cabinets cannot maintain the temperatures necessary You have to determine:

Whether the products can be used or must be disposed of If a product is not disposed, what can be done to make the product acceptable Who is responsible for taking action

Examples of corrective actions:

If the temperature of the fridge is too high you have to control whether the temperature of the products is too warm or not. If these are still o.k., they can be moved to another fridge. If the products are too warm, they should be disposed of If the temperature has not reached 75C in all parts of a product, it must be heated until it reached a minimum temperature of 75C

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Step 6: Documentation
You must maintain an account of the critical control points. In your self-regulation program there must therefore be a record of:

What you write down, and How often you do this

All documentation must be kept for at least 2 years.

Step 7: Revision
If you make changes in the store or restaurant you must check as to whether an adjustment of the program is needed. You should check the program at least once a year to be sure that it matches your business. You must contemplate whether you should make corrections in your self-inspection program:

when new changes of the legislation mean that you must do things differently when you change your activities or change the interior of your business when the same mistake of a critical control point occurs several times

Summary
All companies that prepare and handle foods are required by law to have their own internal control programs and to carry out self-regulation. Self-regulation ensures good hygiene, safe and healthy food produce, good quality and prevention of mistakes.

A self-regulation program should be built up using the following seven steps:

1. Risk assessment: What can go wrong in my company? 2. Critical control points/Good work practices: Where/how can I control so it does not go wrong? 3. Critical limits: What are the limits for making a product acceptable or not? 4. Monitoring procedures: How and how often do I control? 5. Corrective actions: What do I do if something goes wrong? 6. Documentation: How do I write the critical control points I have monitored? 7. Revision: How do I ensure that the self-regulation program always matches my business?

A critical point is an area:

Where there is a danger that propagation of possible microorganisms in foods will take place Where there is danger for the addition of new microorganisms to foods Where there is risk of physical or chemical contamination

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Primary Produce
Introduction
In this module, you will learn about primary produce and stock delivery. You will learn about what you should pay special attention to when receiving primary produce deliveries, and which critical points may occur concerning different types of produce. By saying, a foodstuff is easily perishable, means that if kept at room temperature it will quickly go off. A non-perishable foodstuff can be kept at room temperature.

Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables, which are to be sold or served in a food company, must be fresh, must not be rotten and not be infested with pests. If potatoes are green, this means they have been exposed to too much light and overexposure to light can cause toxins to form in potatoes. Therefore, it is not permitted to sell, or use, green colored potatoes. Because vegetables always grow under or in the ground, there will always be earth-bound bacteria on them. There is no danger in eating earth grown vegetables, even if there are remains of earth upon them. The danger lies in any contact they may have with easily perishable produce such as raw meat. On such produce, earth bound bacteria have an ideal climate to reproduce and contaminate produce, and at the right temperature form toxins. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that meat and vegetables are kept separate, r ight up until the moment that they are to be used together in, for example, a stew. It is also important to make sure all vegetables are washed and peeled as well as possible. When handling vegetables covered with earth, earth-bound produced bacteria are transmitted through air; therefore, it is vital that they are kept separate from easily perishable foodstuffs. Therefore, raw vegetables must be washed in a separate room or separate sink, all depending on what the regional Veterinary and Food Administration has deemed acceptable. Keep all vegetables separate from all other foodstuffs. This is important when receiving stocks, when storing, when cleaning and when cutting or slicing for preparation. Small children sitting on the lawn are rarely ill simply because they eat a few mouthfuls of earth. However, if the same amount of earth was added to a portion of meat sauce and then left at room temperature it would immediately become life threatening to eat. Good work practices concerning fruit and vegetables:

Sufficient peeling and cleaning Keep fruit and vegetables separate from other food produce

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Eggs
Freshly laid eggs rarely contain bacteria in the actual egg, but because eggs actually come out of the rear end of chickens, there is a mass of microorganisms on the actual shell of the egg. The eggshell is actually supposed to protect the yolk and white of the egg, but occasionally bacteria can seep into the egg through the shell. If eggs are damp or wet, then bacteria can easily break through the shell, or of course, if there is a crack in the shell. Salmonella is present in approximately one out of a thousand eggs. As Denmark uses approximately 10 million eggs daily, this means that on average about 10,000 eggs containing Salmonella are cracked open everyday. Therefore, it is forbidden to use raw egg products, which have not been prewarmed, to temperatures of at least 75C. When working with raw eggs it is essential that you have very good kitchen hygiene. Ensure that all utensils, cloths, and work places, which are or have been in contact with eggs, are well washed down and if necessary disinfected. Egg trays may not be used for anything else than keeping or containing eggs. Eggs still in their shells must be kept at a temperature under 12C and pasteurized eggs must be kept at a temperature no more than 5C. Critical control points and good work practices concerning eggs:

Dishes which include raw eggs must be heated to at least 75C For dishes which are not to be heated above 75C, pasteurized eggs must be used Keep raw eggs separated from other food products Raw eggs must kept at a temperature below 12C Pasteurized eggs must be kept at a temperature below 5C

Meat
I Meat is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria. When the animal is slaughtered, some of the microorganisms, which are present in the animals stomach, mouth and throat are transmitted to the meat. When kept at room temperature it will not take long for pernicious microorganisms to turn the meat mucid and make it smell. Neither will it take long for pathogenic bacteria to reproduce at room temperature, and therefore make food a health risk. Therefore, it is essential that the cooling process for meat is never broken. In other words it is essential that meat always must be kept cold, from the point when it is slaughtered to the moment of preparation and consumption. Whole pieces of meat do not contain bacteria in the middle of them. Bacteria always sit upon the surface layer of meat, but when cutting into the meat or chopping it up, the bacteria are transferred to different layers of the meat. Because chopped meat has a larger surface area, an optimal environment for bacterial growth is produced. Therefore, chopped, or minced meat must be used within 24 hours of preparation. When slicing, or chopping, it is essential that you work and prepare meat on/at clean work places/tables/and chopping boards. With clean hands, clean knives and clean choppers.

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Minced meat, which is kept in a supermarket cooler, must be labeled with the time it was chopped. If the meat is packed in a protecting environment by an authorized company, then its used by date can be extended by a few days. It is permitted to process meat, that is to say you can take a joint of meat that has been on sale in a refrigerated display counter and carve up into chops, then afterwards sell it as diced meat, and finally sell it on as minced meat. You are allowed to process as much as you believe is responsible, however, companies are naturally held responsible in ensuring that an acceptable level of microbiological meat quality is retained.

Beef
Beef can contain many different bacteria, amongst others, Salmonella and E. coli. As bacteria are only found on the surface, it is permitted to serve a not thoroughly cooked roast of beef.

Pork
Likewise, in pork several different pathogenic bacteria can be found. The most common are Yersinia and Salmonella. Yersinia can grow in fridges, but heating can kill it. Therefore, it is important to ensure good kitchen hygiene practices when working with pork. Critical control points and good work practices concerning meat:

Minced meat must be used within 24 hours of mincing Minced meat packed in a protective environment has to be kept at the temperature labeled. If its use by date is to be prolonged over 24 hours, it has to been labeled Meat is heated to at least 75C Meat must be kept separate from other produce

Poultry
Because a large amount of meat contains pathogenic bacteria, it is very important to have good kitchen hygiene practices when working with fresh poultry. Therefore, it is very important that poultry is always thoroughly cooked and that you use separate tools, chopping boards and work places when handling fresh poultry. In poultry the most common bacteria are Salmonella and Campylobacter. Neither of these bacteria produces toxins, and heating can kill both off. If you ensure that the dish is thoroughly cooked, and you make sure that no juices from the poultry are transferred to other foods, then it is perfectly safe to eat poultry, even if Salmonella or Campylobacter have infected it. The dangerous thing about Campylobacter is that there only has to be a few bacteria present to induce sickness. A few drops of meat juices are enough to induce stomach aches and chronic diarrhea. However, if you stick to good kitchen hygiene practices then you will not become ill, even though bacteria may be present in meat, which is almost unavoidable as bacteria are present everywhere in nature.

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Every year about 50,000 Danes fall ill due to Campylobacter in food. The majority of these cases are due to poultry contamination. The majority of cases also occur during the summer. This is partly because many people forget to practice good hygiene when barbequing, and partly due to Campylobacter thriving in the summer. , far more chickens contain the bacteria in the summer half of the year than during the winter. Minced poultry, just as minced meat, must be used within 24 hours of mincing.

Fish
Fresh fish must always be kept at a temperature of no more than 2C and must be kept on ice. This is due to fish sometimes containing microorganisms that can convert the amino acid histidine to the toxin histamine. This microorganism can be active at very low temperatures, all the way down to 2C. Raw fish often contains parasites (Anisakis larva) and these can be harmful. If you heat the fish, the parasites will die and therefore are safe to eat. However, if you are eating raw fish, like for example Sushi, raw salmon and so on, the parasites can be detrimental to health. If fish is frozen at a temperature of less than minus 20 C for over 24 hours, then the parasites will also die and the fish is safe to eat. If the fish is heavily pickled or salted, then the parasites will also be killed and therefore this type of product does not require freezing before being served. Therefore, it is required by law that all fish that is to be served raw must be frozen at a minimum of minus 20C for 24 hours. Fish forcemeat (cream of fish) must, like minced meat, be used within 24 hours of mincing. Shellfish, as for example oysters, which have lived in contaminated water, can contain Norwalk-like viruses that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore, the eating of shellfish is at the customers own discretion. Critical control points and good work practices concerning the serving of raw fish:

Fish must be frozen for at least 24 hours at a minimum temperature of minus 20C Fish must be kept at a temperature of under 2C before and after freezing

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Flour, Grain and Rice

Products such as grain, rice and flour are not easily perishable and can be kept at room temperature in dry storage. This is because there are no liquids available for the growth of bacteria. These products can contain bacteria spores that if exposed to moisture can convert into bacteria and form toxins. Therefore, it is very important that the dry storage area has a good ventilation system. Furthermore, it is essential that the area is protected from pests and vermin. When Rice has been boiled, it should be treated as an easily perishable product. This means it should be cooled down within 3 hours from 65C to 10C and kept chilled at 5C. This is because now there is liquid available for any eventual remaining spores to use and convert into bacteria, which may produce toxins.

Critical control points and good work practices concerning flour, grain and rice:

Store flour, grain and rice in dry conditions Cool down dishes containing flour, grain or rice from 65C to 10C within 3 hours due to bacteria spores

Spices
Spices and herbs contain spores, so when adding spices to food, bacteria spores are also added. Therefore, it is important to be extra careful when handling easily perishable foodstuffs that have been spiced. Furthermore, it is important to heat food that has had spice added to it. This does not mean you cannot sprinkle extra pepper over your food on the plate, because if consumed immediately there is no problem attached. There is only a problem attached if the spores contained in spices are allowed time to develop and grow in food. Critical control points concerning spices:

Spices are to be added to dishes before being heated to 75C due to bacteria spores Cool down dishes containing spices from 65C to 10C within 3 hours due to bacteria spores

Water
When you use water in cooking, you should always use water taken from the cold tap. There is a great risk that the water from the hot tap contains bacteria or heavy metals. When using an ice machine, it is important to practice good hygiene, as well as cleaning the machine regularly. Ice cubes must be taken up with a clean spoon. The spoon must be placed on top of the machine in a clean container, and must never be left lying amongst the ice cubes. If the spoon is placed into the machine - the bacteria - that have been transferred from the hands to the spoon will be transferred to the ice cubes.

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It is important that the machine is rinsed down thoroughly after cleaning, to ensure no remains of cleaning fluids or disinfectants can be transferred to the next batch of ice cubes.

Self-inspection
Primary produce must always be fresh and intact when taken delivery of and when used. One risk on delivery is that the foodstuffs have been kept at too high a temperature whilst chilled or frozen, causing them to be deteriorated or even putrefied. To avoid this - a company can impose demands on suppliers when negotiating purchasing agreements. Companies can specify that relevant foodstuffs laws concerning primary produce must be upheld, for example the chilling of fresh fish and the temperatures existing during transport and delivery. If the right demands are written into the purchasing contract, then it should be adequate just to control the temperature, packaging, and appearance of the produce on delivery. Companies who import their own produce may have to place more demands on their suppliers.

Reception of goods
When the goods arrive at the company, they must be controlled to see whether they are OK. From the moment you receive the foodstuffs, you are responsible for the goods and it is therefore important that you have reliable suppliers. Also it is important that the goods have been stored correctly during the transport both regarding the temperature as well as the risk for cross contamination. For example is it not permitted to accept a leaking carton of milk. Partly you dont know when the leak has arisen (which equals opening of the carton) and partly microorganisms may have contaminated the milk through the hole. Also you must control that no goods with a passed use-by date are received nor goods with visible impurities or mould. A foodstuffs company must only accept foodstuffs from other registered and approved or authorized companies. You must never use products from private and not approved homes. For example is it not allowed to peel potatoes at home and take them to work, because it is not allowed to prepare earth contaminated vegetables in the company in question. In such cases you must buy the potatoes from another company, which is approved to peel them. Immediately after having controlled and accepted the goods, they must be put away in the fridge room, the freezer room, the storage room or in the store. Its important that cool and frozen foods are put away immediately after the arrival so that the temperature does not get to high. Foods must never be placed on the floor not even for a short moment.

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If you open canned foods such as peeled tomatoes and it splashes, you must never use the contents. This means that the autoclavation of the can has not been effected correctly and there are bacteria in the can. They are air producing bacteria making this over-pressure in the can. Critical control points and good work practices at reception of goods

The temperature must comply with the law. The use-by date must not have passed. The packaging must not be ruined. The packaging must not be puffed out. The packaging must be clean. The foodstuffs must be separated to avoid cross contamination. No foreign objects must be present. If possible control that the goods smell fine and look fresh

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Storage
In this section, you will get some information on the storage of foodstuffs. You will become familiar with certain terminologies such as refrigeration, temperature levels, defrosting, and storage of frozen goods, storage in dry conditions and used by dates. The storage of foodstuffs can only take place at legally approved sites. Storage can be by refrigeration, frost or in dry conditions. It is not allowed to store private items in a companys fridge, refrigerator or storage room. For example, if employees have their own lunch boxes with them, they must be stored in a special separate fridge, which may be placed in a staff room. Foods are only allowed to be stored in approved packings. It is for example not allowed to keep ham in a garbage bag, as this might give off toxic chemicals to the ham.

Cold storage
It is always important to ensure that the fridge or chilled room is kept clean, and that the products are kept covered and separate from each other. Ensure that there is good ventilation in both the fridge and chilled room, and ensure that neither is overcrowded. Furthermore it is recommended that all products are clearly labelled with their end by date. In this way all employees will be aware of how fresh individual products are. In a large company, which has a large number of fridges and/or rooms, it is a good idea to use a separate fridge for each different type of foodstuff. For example, one fridge for the storage of raw meat, one for fowl and game, one for fish, one for ready-made meals such as sandwiches, and possibly one for vegetables and greens. Raw foodstuffs such as meats, fish, fowl and fruit and vegetables, which are all large bacteria carriers should not be allowed to be exposed to ready-toserve dishes. Neither should these bacteria full raw products be allowed to be exposed to each other. If there is only one fridge within the company then it is very important that different products are placed separate from each other, and that they are kept well covered up. The storage of food in fridges must be kept systematic and there must be a set of rules and practices available concerning where individual products are stored. It is a good idea to place the most vulnerable foodstuffs on the top shelves of the fridge, then for example raw meat products, and then eventually diary products on the lower shelves. It is very important to pay special attention to the fact that the temperature of a fridge is always highest at the top, and therefore the thermometer should be placed there. All fridges and freezers must have a permanently placed thermometer so that you can always control the temperature. The lower the temperatures within the fridge the better are conditions for keeping food fresh. When storing in fridges or in a chilled room, the temperature should normally be kept to less than 5C.

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Some produce, for example fish, however, requires a storage temperature of under 2C. At this temperature, bacterial growth is very slow or reaches a standstill. Control at least once a day that these temperatures are correct. In this way, the risk of disease spreading bacteria forming in food is reduced. For example, Salmonella bacteria can grow at 8C but not at 5C. The temperature in a fridge must not fall to less that 0C, otherwise foodstuffs will freeze. In open fridge and freezer cases, you must be extra aware of the temperature level on hot days. Customers must be able to always see the temperature level of both the closed and open fridge and freezers. There are no cold storage demands for fruit or vegetables (unless it particularly stipulates so on the packaging, as for example it does with bean sprouts), however, it is advisable you keep fruit and vegetables cold, for example at 10C, in order to prolong their freshness.

Temperature demands to the storage of foodstuffs

Foodstuffs must always be stored at the temperature stated on the packaging.
Max. temperature, C Detail 5 5 5 EGG Fresh eggs Industrially produced eggproducts (pasteurized eggs) MILK Liquid milk products (Except UHT- treated or sterilized liquid milk that can be kept at room temperature) FISH Fresh fish (hole, unwrapped) 12 5

Cold storage MEAT Meat of poultry (chicken, ducks, turkey...) Minced meat Cooked meat

0-2

Other fishproduce, vacuum packed, 0-2 minced Cooked produce of for example crayfish 0-2

Lightly preserved fish produce in 5 retail packaging , eg. smoked or heat treated Lightly preserved shrimps/prawns in 5 brine in wholesale packaging Semi-preserved fish 10

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OTHER Heated, cooled-down, easily perishable

Foodstuffs containing custard, cream 5 or mousse Foodstuffs containing custard, cream 10 or mousse to be sold within 12 hours of manufacture Mayonnaise, salads and coleslaws with a PH factor over 4.5 DEFROST Fish Egg and egg produce Deep-frozen produce Source: Fdevarestyrelsen (Danish Veterinary and food Administration) 10

-18 -12

Defrosting
Frozen, easily perishable foods should be defrosted in fridges. When food is frozen, bacteria are only in a temporary dormant state. When the temperature is again increased to more than 5C, a bacterial propagation will take place, due to the upper layer of the defrosted produce reaching room temperature - whilst the middle layer is still frozen solid. Foodstuffs that are defrosted must be placed in a dish or tray in order for juices and any liquids to be collected, ensuring they do not drip onto any surfaces. Gastric juices can contain pathogenic microorganisms that can cause problems if they are spread to foodstuffs that subsequently are to be heated. Defrosting takes a longer time in fridges, but the advantage is that the quality of, for example, meat is better, as the meat is able to mature and reabsorb the gastric juices that are often lost in the defrosting process. Defrosting may be performed in a microwave oven if the food is to be consumed or heated immediately afterwards. Defrosted foods may not be refrozen. Critical control points and good work practices concerning defrosting:

Temperatures must not exceed 5C, not even surface temperatures Inadequate packaging can lead to meat juices dripping onto ready to eat products

Freezing storage
Deep-frozen produce is kept in a freezer or freezer room at a temperature less than minus 18C (in other words the temperature may be minus 19C, but not minus 17C). Freezers must be defrosted regularly and all foodstuffs must be marked with a use-by date.

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Self-inspection
Monitoring procedures during self-inspection may be carried out daily to control that temperature levels are correct and to ensure foodstuffs are properly packaged. Critical control points and good work practices concerning a freezer:

Temperature less than minus 18C for frozen produce Different foodstuffs to be kept separate from each other Adequate packaging Cleaning

Storage of easily perishable foodstuffs at room temperature

If easily perishable foodstuffs are to be kept at a temperature of more than 5C and less than 65C, then they must be consumed/sold within three hours. This applies to products such as sandwiches, sausage rolls and pizzas.

Storage in Dry Conditions

A dry store must, as the name implies, be dry and have a good ventilation system. If damp or moisture is present then mould fungus may build up on many of the produce. It is important to prevent entry of pests or vermin, and ensure all produce is packed properly and air tight. If pests are seen to be present, then it may be necessary to dispose of all foodstuffs and seek professional help for the extermination of pests. You are not allowed to use poisons in the foodstuffs industry, not even to combat pest infestation in dry storage areas. Critical control points and good work practices concerning dry storage:

Good ventilation ensuring products are not exposed to moisture Containment of pests

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Durability & PerishAability

The durability of foodstuffs is dependent upon which type of produce we are considering, how the produce is treated and how it is packaged. Fresh meat products can hold chilled for a couple of days. Minced meat and minced fish though can only hold for 24 hours. Fresh meat products that are vacuum packed or packed in a modified protective atmosphere can have an increased use-by date if kept at the recommended temperature indicated on the packaging (though not more than 2C). Products which have past their use-by date may not be sold Packaged foodstuffs must be labelled with a use-by date, and this must be strictly respected. As soon as packaging is broken on, for example, vacuum or modified atmospheric packaging, then the use-by date is the same as it is for non-packed (exposed) products. Pre-heated and chilled foodstuffs, for example, soups and other ready-to-serve dishes can have a reasonably long use-by date if the products have been heated adequately and subsequently frozen correctly. Companies are responsible for marking of use-by dates on products they produce. All products must naturally have an acceptable level of bacterial content (germ count), if the foodstuffs are taken away to be analysed by the regional Food Administration. Food, which has passed the use-by date, must be removed/destroyed by companies when the date has passed. Food may not be allowed to remain in a fridge if the use-by date has passed, as a colleague may unknowingly sell the produce to a customer. Likewise, food with an exceeded use-by date may not be left in a retail outlet. It is forbidden to put a new use-by date on a product, which has exceeded its original use-by date, even if it appears that the product can hold fresh a little longer. However, it is permissible to reprocess produce, thereby enabling one to manufacture new products with a new use-by date. For example, it is permissible to make cuts of pork chops out of a joint of pork, which has been on sale in a cold counter for several days. Remember that the use-by date is only valid as long as packaging remain unbroken Many foodstuffs, for example milk, can only be kept opened for a few days in a fridge. Many products have a use-by once opened date. The labeled durability of different foods is only valid if the storage temperatures have been observed.

Special rules for cream desserts

All easily perishable foods with exception of cream desserts must be used within 3 hours, if they are kept at a temperature over 5C or lower than 65C. Cream products must be sold within 12 hours, if they are kept at a temperature below 10C.

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This means that if a cream cake is kept at 6C, it must be sold within 12 hours. If it is kept at 11C, it is recommended to be sold within 3 hours. If it is kept at 5C there are no rules and the company must decide the durability themselves. Whipped cream cakes, mousses and similar desserts, should normally be kept at less than 5C, but if they are to be sold within 12 hours, they may be kept at a maximum of 10C.

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Production
In this module, you will learn how foodstuffs should be treated under preparation. You will gain knowledge of terms such as cross-contamination, heat-treatment, cold dishes, cooling-down, heatretainment and buffets.

Cross-contamination
Foodstuffs can be contaminated if they are subjected to direct or indirect contact with microorganisms. Cross-contamination can occur in all areas of a company, in freezers, fridges or work surfaces.

Contamination from produce to produce

A direct type of contact can occur when, for example, vegetables are contaminated with earth or soil, and afterwards become contaminated with earth-borne microorganisms. Likewise, meat can come in direct contact with excrement and stomach contents from animals gastrointestinal tract, during the slaughtering process, and thus be contaminated with microorganisms, which are normally found in the intestines. Furthermore, transmission of microorganisms can occur between different types of produce. Meat, for example can become contaminated with earth-borne microorganisms if it comes into direct contact with earth-contaminated vegetables. Likewise, vegetables can be contaminated with intestinal bacteria from meat. During storage and the cutting out of different meat pieces there can also occur a spread of microorganisms from one meat type to another, or from one meat piece to another if they come in contact with each other, for example in a fridge or cold storage room or cold case. Such a contamination can cause substantial food hygiene problems. It can be eliminated by ensuring a proper separation of produce during manufacture, storage and preparation.

Contamination between raw and finished products

Another Another form of contamination can occur when raw and finished dishes are not kept apart. If finished products, or often-heated dishes, which have a low content of microorganisms, are exposed to the microorganisms present in raw meat, raw eggs or raw vegetables very unfortunate consequences can arise. The reason being that the microorganisms, which retransferred to the finished products, will be free to grow, as they will have no competition from other microorganisms. This can mean that potential disease inducing microorganisms can propagate in the fished products, and especially if these products are left outside of cold storage for a while. Finished products can for example be cold cuts of meat or cheeses used for sandwiches. As these are ready to eat products, which are consumed without further heat treatment, they can induce illness, if any point they have been exposed to contamination from raw products. Therefore, one

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must apply garnishes to these products when adding them to bread, such herbs or spices at the last minute, as spices and herbs are often contaminated with earth-borne bacteria.

Contamination through equipment

Contamination can occur via tools and equipment, surfaces, hands and so on. If utensils, which have been used to handle meat, are used immediately afterwards to treat vegetables, a crosscontamination between the tools and vegetables will occur. Such an example is salads containing microorganisms from meat. During the treatment of different types of meat, contamination of microorganisms from one type of meat to another can occur via knives, cutting boards and dicing machines, for example, transference from pork to beef, or from poultry to beef. Indirect transfer of microorganisms can also occur between raw and finished products via utensils, machines, table surfaces and hands. To avoid this form of microorganisms spreading you must be very careful when washing and cleaning utensils, machines, hands and so on during each stage of the work process. Furthermore, the risk of contamination can be greatly reduced by using different work areas for the handling of meat and vegetables and so on. Additionally, you must always use separate utensils, for example, different cutting boards, knives, dishes and so on in the preparation of meat, vegetable and ready-toeat products. If for example, you only possess one cutting board, it must be thoroughly washed and heat-disinfected in-between any changes in use.

Compliance with the certification

It is essential that you comply with the rules outlined in the regional food control authoritys approval. Usually a description is written in this certification of how you may manufacture and produce the different foodstuffs. For example, it is mentioned how you must clean/peel vegetables in a scullery, and that open sandwiches must be prepared in a cold area and so on. In many smaller companies the approval will require that earth contaminated vegetables may not be handled, but that all vegetables must be received in a pre-clean state. This is due to the inspector assessing that there is not sufficient room on the premises for the handling of earth-contaminated products, due to them requiring separate preparation facilities. When you peel, for example potatoes covered in soil, earth-borne bacteria enter the atmosphere. Some companies can be granted permission to clean vegetables at a separate time to the remaining areas of the production process. In other words, they may be allowed to clean vegetables in the morning when they meet for work, and subsequently clean and disinfect all utensils and equipment, after which the remaining production processes may begin. This is only allowed if one has a specific approval to do so and the actual procedure is written in the self-regulation programme.

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Heating/Warming
Heating kills bacteria
Heat-treatment of foods can be performed in many different ways. The effectiveness of killing off microorganisms is dependent upon how long the heating occurs, and at which temperature. An adequate heating of foods heated to a minimum temperature of 75C can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses greatly, due to the disease carrying microorganisms being killed off. Furthermore, the shelf life of a foodstuff is increased after heating, because the destructive bacteria are also killed. The temperature can be measured with a roast meat thermometer placed in the middle of the piece of meat, or in the centre of a boiled or liquid dish. When producing large amounts of a dish, it may be necessary to measure the temperature in numerous places, as there might be wide varieties in temperatures between the middle and outer edges of dishes. It is not sufficient that a dish is simply bobbling, as the bobbling does not in itself necessarily indicate a sufficiently high temperature. If in doubt, always use a meat thermometer. Heat-treated easily perishable foodstuffs must always be heated to a minimum temperature of 75C. If food is to be re-heated the same rule applies, it must be heated over 75C.

Special procedures
Whole pieces of meat normally only contain bacteria on their surface. That is the reason why meat that has a tradition for not being well-done, such as roast beef and steaks, are excepted to the 75C rule. Minced meat contains bacteria all over, as bacteria from the surface of the meat is spread to the remaining meat during mincing. Dishes made of minced or diced meat must always be heated to 75C, which means that the meat will be thoroughly cooked. Likewise, poultry must be heated to 75C, as poultry contains pockets of air where microorganisms are found. Likewise, under normal conditions, fish must be thoroughly cooked or boiled. Dishes containing eggs must always be heated to at least 75C, unless using pasteurized eggs. But not eggs that are served one at a time. Only foods that are heated to at least 75C, the whole dish, such as meatballs, cakes, buns and like are allowed to contain raw eggs (eggs cracked from the shell). If you are serving raw eggs, or only lightly heated eggs, such as in omelettes, scrambled egg, barnaise sauce, custard, cold buttermilk dishes or ice cream you must use pasteurized eggs. It is permitted to use raw eggs where there is a tradition to do so, even if they are not heated to over 75C, such as soft-boiled eggs, fried eggs. However, we have not said you may not serve one person two fried eggs. It is the company who is responsible for the safety of food; however it is the customers own responsibility if they wish to eat such foods.

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In dishes where several eggs are mixed together and the temperature does not exceed 75C, you must use pasteurized eggs (this also applies even if the dish is to be served only to one individual). In other words, it is only in dishes where you serve one egg to one person that you are allowed to not heat the raw egg to a minimum of 75C. That is, if you are serving single portions of a dish, such as an omelette, you are not allowed to use raw eggs (not even if you are only using one egg in the recipe). Exceptions to the 75C rule: It is permitted to serve:

Meat that has a tradition for not being well-done, such as roast beef and steaks Eggs that are served individually, such as soft-boiled eggs, fried eggs and such like.

Heating/Warming
Heating in a microwave oven
Due Due to the fact that microwave oven heats food very unevenly, it is very important to make sure that food is adequately heated all over. Therefore, it is important to check the temperature of the product in different places after heating.

Self-inspection
The supervision process in self-inspection could be measuring of the temperature regularly and following approved recipes. Critical control points and good work practices concerning production:

Handle pork, poultry, beef, fish, eggs and vegetables separately so that transmission of microorganisms between the different produce does not occur. Keep raw meat and raw vegetables separate from finished products such as cold-cuts and ready-to-serve dishes. Always control that knives, machines and cutting-boards are completely clean before use. Utensils, and equipment which have been used to treat and prepare meat, poultry, fish, eggs and vegetables must be cleaned and disinfected immediately so as not to come in contact with other foodstuffs. Utensils must also be cleaned in-between the handling of different types of meat. Cloths, tea towels, aprons and so forth can spread microorganisms. Therefore it is of paramount importance that these are kept clean and are changed regularly. After handling a produce it is important to wash your hands thoroughly before moving on to the treatment of the next produce. The temperature must be a minimum of 75C all the way through the product.

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Cold Dishes
When working with cold dishes such as open sandwiches, it is important to ensure a high level of hygiene, as these are ready-to-eat products, which are not going to be heated before consumption. Due to the fact that is impossible to arrange the dish at 5C, it is important that the produce remains in the fridge for as long as possible before preparation. Furthermore, it is important that the prepared dish is returned to the fridge or is served as soon as it is ready (at least within 3 hours after it has left the fridge). Naturally, it is essential that you have a good level of personal hygiene and use clean utensils. After the use of cold-cutting machines, remains of cold meat will be found. These remains are ideal for the formation of bacteria as their temperature is approximately 20C. Therefore, it is important you clean them often, if you are using them all day.

Critical control points and good work practices concerning cold dishes:

Clean hands and good personal hygiene Use clean utensils, cutting-boards and cloths Clean hands, utensils and work areas often Use only fresh produce Temperature during preparation Only remove produce from a fridge when it is to be used Preparation should take place as near to the point of serving as possible

Desserts and cakes

When preparing foodstuffs such as ice cream, custards and cream cakes it is very important, you have both a good personal hygiene and good kitchen hygiene, as these products are not heat-treated. Therefore, you must always use pasteurized eggs, because these products are note heat-treated to a minimum of 75C. Cream, pasteurized eggs and so forth, must first be taken out of the fridge the moment you intend to use them, and the dishes must be put on chill or ice as soon as they are finished. If you are boiling cake cream, you are allowed to use raw eggs, but here it is essential that the cooling-down of the cream is done rapidly. It is recommended to cool it down from 65C to 10C within 3 hours. When the regional food control authority finds coli-shaped bacteria (contaminating bacteria) in this type of product, it is indicative that the company has been lacking in their hygiene practices. It could be that, for example, a whisk has not been sufficiently cleaned. Cream cakes, mousses and such like desserts should normally be kept at less that 5C, but if they are to be sold within 12 hours, they can be kept at 10C.

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Cooling Process
Easily perishable foodstuffs must be stored at a maximum temperature of 5C, and therefore heattreated easily perishable foods must be cooled down as quickly as possible to less that 5C. Heating foodstuffs to a minimum of 75C entails the killing of microorganisms, but any remaining spores can be turned into disease inducing bacteria. These can quickly propagate if food following heating is kept at too high a temperature for several hours. These bacteria can form pathogenic toxins that are not necessarily destroyed by subsequent heating. Therefore you can become very ill though the consumption of this kind of food. Bacteria thrive best at a temperature between 10C and 65C, and therefore it is important that food is kept for as short a period as possible at this temperature interval. The incorrect cooling down of foodstuffs is one of the major causes of food poisoning in Denmark. Easily perishable foods must be cooled down as quickly as possible. It is recommended that you cool down food in a way that the temperature range between 65C to 10C is passed within 3 hours. Is the cooling process to slow, there will occur a propagation of bacteria. At 37C one bacterium can grow to 1.000 in 3 hours and to 1 million in 6 hours. In order for warm food to be cooled down as quickly as possible, it should be placed on cold immediately after its steam has dampened off. It is often necessary to divide large portions into smaller ones - to increase the speed of the cooling down process. It can also be a good idea to effectively cool down foods with the help of running cold water or in a cold-water bath, before putting it on ice. It may be necessary to actively cool down large portions of food, in other words by using a cooling fan or cooling cupboard. It is not permitted to place warm foodstuffs outside to cool down. When heated foods are to be cooled down, the cooling down process must occur as rapidly as possible. It is recommended that you cool down food in a way that the temperature range between 65C and 10C is passed within 3 hours Remember that - when warm food is placed in a fridge to cool down - the fridge temperature increases, so be aware of any temperature increase in other foodstuffs in the fridge.

Portioning and wrapping

After food is heat-treated and thereby ready to be eaten, it is important to ensure that it is not contaminated with new bacteria. Therefore, it is always important to maintain a good standard of hygiene whilst portioning and wrapping food that is to be cooled down, or which is already cooled down.

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Suggestions to how cooling-down can be carried out:

Cooling-fan Portioned into smaller portions and afterwards put to chill or on ice Portioned into containers with large surface areas and then put to chill Containers with the heated foodstuffs are placed in ice cold/cold water

Self-inspection
The supervision process during self-inspection can be the regular measuring of time and temperature used and the use of certain containers with large surface areas. Critical control points and good work practices concerning cooling process:

Cooling down from 65C to 10C within 3 hours Clean redistribution utensils and clean containers Good personal hygiene Storage temperature above 5C Covered and kept separate from other foodstuffs

Heat retainment
Heated foodstuffs (75C), which are to be kept warm, such as liver pate and meatballs from a delicatessen, must be kept at a temperature of at least 65C. Control regularly that the temperature in all products is 65C. There are no rules concerning the time allowed for keeping food warm. This is up to individual companies to decide at their discretion. When foods are stored at a temperature greater than 65C, propagation of bacteria cannot occur; therefore there is no microbiological danger. However, heat retainment should only last for a shorter period as heat retainment greatly reduces the quality of foods. Therefore, it is often better to cool down the product after preparation, and reheat it later. If you wish to keep food warm, then you should always first pre-heat them to a temperature of at least 75C, and thereafter place them in a warming cupboard, or similar, with a temperature of at least 65C. It is not permissible to remove food directly from a fridge and place them in a warming cupboard at a temperature of 65C. Food that has been kept hot may be chilled again and reused if has been pre-heated to a temperature of more than 75C.

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Self-inspection
The supervision process during self-inspection could be the regular control of temperature levels in products that are to be kept warm. Critical control points and good work practices concerning heat retainment:

The temperature of foodstuff must always be at least 65C Foods must always be pre-heated to at least 75 C before they are kept at 65C

Buffet
When serving food as a buffet there are many critical control points to take into consideration. Especially there is a rather big risk that the buffet guests will infect each other with norovirus. The past years we have experienced an increase of the number of buffet guests, who have been infected with novovirus from other guests through the food on the buffet. It is therefore important to ensure that the guests are not having any directly contact to the food.

Cold buffets
If you have a cold counter with your buffet, for example, a salad bar, you may serve the produce for as long as you think it is responsible to do so. The produces temperature must be less than 5C.

Heated Buffet
If the buffet is to be kept warm, the same rules apply as when keeping food chilled: food may be served as long as it is deemed responsible. The temperature of foodstuffs must not be higher than 65C.

Buffet without a cold counter or heat

Food that is not presented as a chilled buffet (5C) or heated buffet (65C) should be eaten within 3 hours of preparation. Food that has been used for a buffet must be thrown away. If you have many products that must be kept according to the 3-hour rule, it could be an idea to put a parking disc with each product, or have a list where the time is written down.

Leftovers
Leftovers may be reused, however, if they have been standing for less than 3 hours, or have been heated to a temperature greater than 75C. For example, you may use the remains of a roast, which has been left standing for two hours as part of a buffet to make a beef hash. However, you cannot reuse it as cold cuts if you have not preheated it to more than 75C after it has been removed from the buffet and subsequently cooled down correctly.

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Self-inspection

The supervision process during self-inspection can be the regular measuring of the temperature of products kept chilled or warm. Control that the time period - at which products may be kept - does not exceed 3 hours. Ensure that the buffet is always under staff supervision, that there is always clean cutlery available and that food is not topped up but whole containers replaced. Critical points and good work practices when serving food at room temperature/buffet:

Customers come in direct contact with food. Food is often kept over 5C or under 65C, and therefore it is recommended that it is served within 3 hours including preparation time Easily perishable foodstuffs are sprinkled with greens covered with earth-borne bacteria There must be sufficient cutlery for the serving in order to ensure that no-one touches the food or uses the same cutlery to eat and dish-up New containers/dishes must be used each time, instead of topping-up old foods Staff should monitor the buffet closely at all times

Implements for self-inspection

To be able to carry out self-inspection optimally, it is necessary to have the correct implements. There must be permanently mounted thermometers on all heating, freezing, and cold storage appliances/areas. Furthermore, a company must have an insertion thermometer (roast meat thermometer) that can be used to measure the middle temperature. Furthermore, it is a good idea to have an infrared thermometer that can be used to control the delivery of foodstuffs, so that it is unnecessary to puncture the products with an insertion thermometer. An infrared thermometer measures the surface temperature of a product by holding it over the food and therefore cannot be used to control cooking temperatures. If a product is inside a plastic bag one must be aware that it is the temperature of the surface of the plastic bag that is measured, and this may not be the same as the temperature of the produce. An infrared thermometer is used to measure the surface temperature, whereas an insertion thermometer is used to measure internal central temperatures. If you are selling easily perishable foodstuffs such as sausage rolls or sandwiches which are to be kept at room temperature, you must make sure that they are sold within 3 hours. To control the time you can for example use an egg timer. If you have many products that must be kept according to the 3-hour rule, it could be an idea to put a parking disc with each product, or have a list where the time is written down.

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Cleaning
In this module, you will learn about cleaning, disinfection, maintenance and personal hygiene within foodstuffs companies.

Personal Hygiene
People who work in a retail food company must always ensure they maintain a high standard of personal cleanliness, thereby limiting the risk of spreading infectious harmful microorganisms.

Illness
Persons suffering from an illness that can be transmitted through foodstuffs may not work in a food company if there is a risk of contaminating foodstuffs with harmful microorganisms. You may not be exposed to foodstuffs if, for example, you have a cold, a throat infection, diarrhea or a similar infectious disease. In companies who are involved with the preparation and sale of animal foodstuffs, rules exist concerning the need for positive health certificates for employees.

Cuts and Sores

If one has cuts, abscesses or other similar types of infection on your hands then you are not allowed to work with foodstuffs. If you only have a small scratch, and if your boss thinks that, it is responsible to do so, then you may work wearing a patch and/or wearing rubber gloves.

Watches, Jewelry and Nails

When working with the production of food it is forbidden to wear nail polish, false nails, jewelry and watches.

Work Clothes
You must always meet clean at work, wearing clean work clothes, and wearing a suitable hairstyle, i.e. hair should be tied back into a ponytail if it is long. The law does not stipulate that you must cover your hair with a suitable head covering; each individual company is able to judge their own particular needs concerning such implementation. Some companies do actually stipulate that men with beards must have them covered. If it appears in the self-inspection then one must naturally follow the guidelines.

Smoking and Eating

If you wish to smoke, eat, or drink, then this must take place in the staff room or outside. It is not permitted to smoke, eat or drink in the production area.

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Personal Hygiene
Washing of Hands
It is vital that every employee in a company follows the companys rules for personal hygiene. If just one employee refrains from washing his hands after visiting the toilet the consequences can be disastrous. There have been numerous cases of restaurant guests getting seriously ill due to a single kitchen employee not washing his hands after visiting the toilet. Even if you are not working directly in contact with foodstuffs, it is always important to wash your hands after visiting the toilet, as you also touch door handles and so on, which the staff working with foodstuffs will also touch. The use of material towels is not permitted within a food company. Only disposable towels, for example those made from paper, are permitted. There must always be access to hand basins.

Self-inspection
People involved with the handling and preparation of foodstuffs must be educated and instructed in how to act in accordance to food hygiene. It is expedient for companies to hang up notices concerning, for example, the washing of hands, work clothes regulations, the use of gloves, and rules concerning illnesses, so that laws concerning the preparation of foodstuffs are observed. Employees must be instructed in these regulations. Critical control points and good work practices concerning personal hygien:

Clean work clothes No illnesses No cuts or sores No watches or jewelry No false nails or nail varnish No smoking, eating or drinking in the production area Good hand washing routines

The washbasin must always be equipped with soap, paper, and warm and cold water it must be used for handwash only. Always wash your hands when:

you meet at work before touching any foods. have visited the toilet. you change from working with one kind of food to another. you change from working with primary produce to manufactured goods. you have sneezed or coughed. you have touched your face or hair

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Cleaning and Disinfection

Work areas, inventory, tools, and equipment in food companies must be kept well maintained and clean, and if necessary disinfected, as required. This is very important, to combat the risk of a buildup of an environment inductive for bacterial growth. It is the responsibility of the company to ensure that their premises are clean and disinfected appropriately. If the cleaning and disinfection process is not satisfactorily enforced then a condition may arise where bacteria will thrive and a cross contamination of bacteria may occur. Insufficient cleaning within and between each level of production can lead to bacteria being transported from raw foodstuffs to ready-to eat products. Cleaning must be done regularly and so often that the company maintains a good hygiene. How often the cleaning must be done, depends on the activities of the company. A production room should be cleaned at least once a day. Basically utensils and equipment should be cleaned daily and if necessary also disinfected daily. The company has to use a suitable detergent. Disinfectants must be labeled stating that the Directorate of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has approved them. Such agents must be stored in such a way as to ensure that they are both kept separate from, and cannot be confused with, food ingredients, or can contaminate foodstuffs. The regional Veterinary and Food control center may ban a detergent or disinfectants, if its likely to contaminate the foodstuffs. It is especially important to clean up between work shifts from raw foods to ready prepared dishes. Cutting boards and knives must always be cleaned and maybe disinfected when used for different types of raw foods. Containers and bowls must always be cleaned when emptied. Fat filters and other parts must also be cleaned or replaced frequently When cleaning it is essential that clean water and cloths are used and they are rinsed and wrung out regularly. Special attention to cross contamination should be made even when cleaning; for example, you must not clean a toilet and then use the same cloth to wipe down a table.

Washing Up
There must be the necessary equipment available to perform the task of cleaning and disinfection of work tools and equipment. Dishwashers must have a rinsing temperature of 80 C in order to be able to disinfect.

Detergents
Plenty of clean, hot water and a suitable detergent are the basis of cleaning. A suitable detergent means that it must be able to remove the kind of dirt present in the company. Rinsing with clean water after the cleaning must always be done to avoid remains of the detergents in the foodstuffs.

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Disinfectants
Disinfection can be carried out by:

Heating with boiling water or steam Suitable disinfectants approved by the Directorate of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration Dishwashers that can be documented to have a rinsing capacity of at least 80C

After disinfections there should be rinsed with cold water and then dried. It is important to follow the manufacturers instructions concerning dilution rates and contact time. The contact time for chemical disinfectants is at least 10 minutes.

Labeling and Storage

Disinfectants must be labeled stating that the Directorate of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has approved them. Such agents must be stored in such a way as to ensure that they are both kept separate from, and cannot be confused with, food ingredients, or can contaminate foodstuffs.

Cleaning and Disinfection: a Two Step Process

Cleaning removes dirt. Disinfection removes bacteria and other microorganisms such as yeast and mould. The cleaning and disinfection of furniture, tools, and equipment must be conducted in a two-step process. In between the two steps, residue of cleaning detergents must be thoroughly washed away with cold water, just as any residue of disinfectant must be rinsed away with cold water. It is not possible to disinfect if there has not been cleaned on beforehand.

Self-inspection
Foodstuffs companies must have a cleaning schedule stipulating exactly how, and how often, premises and equipment should be cleaned and disinfected. An evaluation must be made of any cleaning carried out, before working with foodstuffs may begin. Legislation concerning foodstuffs does not include detailed regulations on how cleaning and disinfection is actually to be carried out. Self-Inspection is dependent upon the type of activities carried out by individual companies; therefore, companies determine their own guidelines as regards cleaning and disinfection. A companys premise must be well maintained in order for it to be cleaned properly; therefore, a company maintenance plan is necessary. Maintenance up-keep must also include protection from pests.

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Critical control points and good work practices concerning cleaning:

Clean water Clean cloths Correct dilution rates of cleaning detergents and disinfectants Effective rinsing down with water At least 80C water when disinfecting

Maintenance
All registered, approved and authorized companies must always be in a good state of up-keep. It is important that inventory, tools and equipment that are used within foodstuffs companies are kept in a good state of repair; facilitating unhindered cleaning to be carried out. For example, it is far more difficult to adequately clean a fridge if it is broken than if it is intact. Likewise, it is impossible to ensure an effective cleaning if tiles have fallen off from the wall. Ventilation systems should be constructed so that filters and other parts that need cleaning are easily accessible. Damp and cooking smells must be removed by effective extraction. There must be adequate facilities for the disposal of rubbish. All rooms and inventory in foodstuffs companies must be kept clean, tidy and well maintained. Protection from insects and pests must be in place. This is accomplished by among other things, ensuring that floor gratings are held securely in place. If windows are left open in a bakery then anti-insect netting must be in place. Each and every wash basin must be in working order, with access to running hot and cold water, and there must be soap and paper towels available at each basin.

Self-inspection
If at any time there are broken or defect equipment, machines or tools, then a maintenance report must be filled-in. Likewise, a maintenance report is required if any evidence of pest infestations observed.

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Control of Foodstuffs
In this module, you will learn about the veterinary and food control centers, as well as learning what the regional inspectors will be looking at, considering, whilst carrying out inspections. You will also gain knowledge of the different demands concerning the layout and organization of foodstuff companies.

Lay-out / Organization of Premises

All primary foodstuff producers and companies must be authorized or registered before establishment. Regional veterinary and food control centres control that organizational conditions are met. Companies must be organized so that that the preparation and sales of foodstuffs can be performed in a responsible and hygienic manner.

The demands to your premises are among others:

Sufficient room to store goods in fridges, cold counters, cold rooms as well as storage rooms. Sufficient room to store for example garbage, cleaning detergents and new packing. Floors and walls must be smooth and in perfect condition and must be washable with soap and water. Tables and shelves must also be smooth and washable. Ceilings must be smooth so they can be wiped. Ceilings in production premises must be washable with soap and water. Premises must be fit out so that dirt and condensation cannot hide in the corners. Extraction hood must be easily cleanable. Tools and equipment must also be easily cleanable - also the space around them. No leaks at doors, windows, ventilation or drains in order to avoid vermins like mice, rats and insects. A staff room for breaks and to hang their clothes. Sufficient number of toilets, which must be clean. No direct access to rooms where foods are being processed.

Lay-out / Organization of Premises

Premises
Companies must have separate and specially allocated localities, or areas, for the different activities that are carried out, ensuring that foodstuffs are protected from contamination. For example, there should be special areas put aside for the dispatch of food, preparation, storage, storage of cleaning materials and disinfectants, packaging and staff facilities.

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The layout of the premises must consider the temperature levels in order to secure the foodstuffs. There must be adequate ventilation. Furthermore, premises must be organized such that they are easily kept clean. Private living accommodation may not be an integral physical part of a company.

Size of Premises
The size and layout of a companys premises must be in proportion to the choice of foodstuffs wishing to be produced or handled with. For the processing and cleaning of, for example, earth contaminated vegetables or the packing of foodstuffs, separate facilities are very often needed. If a processing activity does not require such rigid separation, such as washing up and the preparation of buttered open sandwiches, it may be possible to simply separate the activities within the same locality. The actual size of rooms and premises available are therefore important, as any physical separation of activities will demand adequate space.

Use of Premises
A companys premises may only be used for the stipulated and approved use they are given. Within any room, there may only be equipment present, which is necessary for production. Therefore, any equipment which has no business being present, such as discarded or scrapped production equipment, private furniture or such like, may not be kept on the premises.

Lay-out / Organization of Premises

Pest Control
Premises must be ensured against the infestation of pests. In other words, there must be net coverings over any open ventilation systems and open windows. Similarly, doors and windows must be able to be tightly closed and outlet gratings and such like must be able to keep out any pests.

Lay-out / Organization of Premises

Inventory
Counters, tables, chairs, shelves and other furniture must be suitable for their purpose and easily cleaned, for example made of plastic laminated material or stainless steel. Furniture and equipment must be placed in a way that facilitates easy cleaning. Furniture and equipment, which are not easily moveable, must be placed on wheels or on firmly attached sockets. There must be room in fridges and freezers for the assortment of produce that a company wishes to produce or use, and room enough to ensure that cross contamination between foodstuffs does not occur. Heating, chilling and freezing areas usually used to store foodstuffs must normally be equipped with a thermostat. If such equipment is placed in the retail area of a premise - then a thermostat must be visible to customers.

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Wash
There must be separate washing facilities for hand washing, washing of foodstuffs and for dishwashing. The number of washing facilities and their placement are dependent upon the types of activities carried out within a company. Hand washbasins must be placed within a reasonable distance from work places and must be easily accessible.

Floors, walls and ceilings

Floor, walls and ceilings, doors and windows must be tightly fitted, well up held and made of nonabsorbent material, free of toxins, and made of easily cleanable material. Floors and walls must normally be easily washable. In areas used for food preparation, the ceilings should be able to tolerate washing down with liquid cleaning. In areas used for the preparation of foodstuffs the joints between floors and vertical areas should be easy to keep clean, for example concave (rounded off). Preparation areas must furthermore have adequate drainage facilities.

Staff Areas
Staff seating facilities and wardrobes must not be placed in areas where foodstuffs are either prepared or sold, with the exception, that areas used to serve food to customers may be used as a staff eating area. Eating and wardrobe facilities for staff may be placed in the same area. Usually there must be one staff toilet on the premises and if necessary a washroom/shower.

Guest and Staff toilets

A company, which serves finished dishes to the public, must have a guest toilet, if seating is offered to customers, or if strong alcohol is served on the premises. The number of toilets is proportional to the number of guests and or seating, and there should be both ladies and mens toilets available. Staff and guest toilets should be organized in such a way that a lobby room exits separating the toilet facilities from any areas where foodstuffs are stored, treated or sold. Walls between toilets and lobbies must go flux from the walls to the floor, no gaps between them are allowed. Toilet doors should usually be able to close upon themselves.

Control of Foodstuffs
Control of foodstuffs
Danish law is built upon the principle that companies and primary producers are responsible for ensuring that foodstuff they produce, and sell, are of a high standard. This principle can be called "self-inspection". Companies set up self-inspection programs that ensure that foodstuffs do not present consumers with health risks and that production, preparation, and the handling of foods live up to legal requirements.

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Regional Veterinary and Food Control Centres

The country is divided into 2 Veterinary and Food Control regions. The regional Veterinary and Food Control centers job is to control whether companies have control of their self-inspection programs and to watch companies through random inspections. Besides the inspection, the authority also informs companies of relevant regulations. The aim of the inspection and information is to ensure that consumers are protected against being exposed to food that may be hazardous to their health and to make sure that consumers receive the correct information concerning products they buy. Companies wishing to process or sell foodstuffs must be approved by the Veterinary and Food Administration.

Inspection
When a company has been approved an inspector from the Veterinary and Food Administration pays them an unannounced visit to control if they are observing the food regulations. Companies must be prepared to devote the time and resources necessary to aid in the inspection, cooperating with the inspector. All areas of the production process or premises may be examined. During an inspection, the following, amongst other things, is controlled:

Is the self-inspection program working as it should be, are there proper documentation and notes concerning errors or effective changes Cleaning of premises, work areas, machines, fridges and so on. Is the produce in accordance with the approved produce? Are there for example potatoes in a fridge in a company that does not have permission to process earth-contaminated vegetables? Staff hygiene. Are there for example signs of illness, are work clothes clean and appropriate, etc. Does the staff working with the processing and manufacture of foods have a relevant education? For example, have they passed a hygiene course? Is there an approval for the production taking place? Are the rules about separation observed? Are foods kept separated or does the preparation of foodstuffs and manufactured products take place on one table simultaneously? Storage of foodstuffs. Are products, which need to be chilled, kept refrigerated, and are raw and prepared foods kept separate from each other produce? Is there food on the floor or in the lobby room of the toilet? Do fridges, freezers and heat-mounted thermometers meet the temperature demands? Are there thermometers in all fridges and freezers? Are foodstuffs labeled, as the law requires? Is there produce present which has passed its use-by date? Are there soap and paper towels available at each individual hand basin? Do any parts of the fridges need to be replaced? Are there cracked tiles on walls/floors etc.? Are the premises free of and protected against pest infestation? Has the lay-out or organization of the premises been changed? Any changes to the organization or lay-out must first be approved by the Veterinary and Food Administration, as approval is granted in relation to a companys organization and availability of space. Is the inspection report placed in a way that it is visible to customers?

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Inspection report
Following every inspection, or drawing of samples, a company receives an inspection report, upon which comments and observations are written by the inspector. On the report a smiley is shown.

If the inspector had no remarks to make then the company will get a category 1 If it has been emphasized that the company must obey certain rules a category 2 If an injunction or prohibition has been imposed a category 3 If a company has received a financial penalty, been reported to the police or has its approval withdrawn a category 4 The last four smileys given are always evident on the report. However, it is not all areas of legislation that influence the giving of smileys. The administrative regulations, such as an unannounced change of ownership, do not give a bad smiley, even though you will receive a financial penalty. The inspection reports must be displayed on the door or the window so that the customers can read them before entering the shop. Shops with more entering doors must copy the reports and place them by all entrances. However, this does not apply for low-risk shops such as kiosks, wine shops, pharmacies, drugstores and pubs, which do not prepare food. It is freely whether they want to display the inspection report. However, they must display a control information form showing that the business is exempted from the regulation. All inspection reports are to be published on the website of the Regional Veterinary and Food Control Centres. Retail businesses with 4 happy smileys in a row in the inspection report and with no remarks d uring the past 12 months, get an elite status. This means that they receive an icon, which may be used in their marketing. www.findsmiley.dk