Food Hygiene

Micro-organisms are very small life forms, so small you

need a microscope to see them.

Different micro-organisms
Some bacteria are bad for you while others are good.
Moulds can cause food to spoil but they can also be used to make certain
kinds of cheese.
Yeasts are very useful for making bread dough rise.
Sometimes micro organisms cause food to look, taste or smell bad. You
wouldnt want to eat it, but it might not make you ill.

This bread has gone mouldy

and should be thrown away.

Bacteria
Bacteria are single celled micro-organisms.
Not all bacteria are harmful.
Human digestive systems need bacteria to work.
Bacteria are also used to make cheese and yoghurt from milk.

This yoghurt contains good bacteria which helps

your digestive and immune systems by reducing
the amount of bad bacteria in your gut.

Pathogens
Some bacteria can cause food poisoning. These are called pathogens.
Some examples are salmonella, campylobacter and E.Coli 0157.
Food infected with pathogens may not look, smell or taste bad, but it can
cause food poisoning.
The pathogens multiply in the stomach or gut of the person who eats the
food, causing stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The salmonella bacteria is sometimes

found in raw eggs.

Toxins
Some bacteria produce poisons called toxins.
In this case it is the toxin that makes a person ill, not the bacteria that
produced them.
Food poisoning usually lasts for one or two days.
In some cases, food poisoning can cause very serious illness or even
death.
The people who are in most danger are babies and toddlers, older people,
pregnant women, and people who are already ill.

Did you know?

Bacteria multiply by dividing. In the right conditions one
bacterium could produce several million bacteria within a few
hours.

What bacteria like

I like to be warm
between 5 and 63C suits
me fine.
Not cooking for a
few hours plenty of
time!

Nice and
moist I like
that!

Oh yum!
Food!

Fighting bacteria
We need to find ways to:
o stop bacteria getting onto food
o stop bacteria multiplying in food
o kill the bacteria.

Cooking food kills bacteria, while covering food stops

bacteria getting onto food.

Just Checking:
Find the answer below to fill the gaps.

We should keep food below 5degreed C to _____________ bacteria

________________
___________ food can stop bacteria getting into it.
Use food _________________ its use by date.
________________ raw and ready to eat foods _______________.
Make sure _____________ from raw meat dont __________onto food
which isn't going to be cooked.

drip

Cover

juices

stop

multiplying

separately

before

Store

Preserving food

Cooking
Thorough cooking kills bacteria.
It's important to cook food right through, especially
protein foods like meat.
If meat is properly cooked the centre shouldn't be pink and
the juices should run clear when you push a skewer into
the thickest part of the joint.
The centre of the meat should reach
a temperature of 70C for at least two minutes.
If you are cooking a ready-prepared
meal, always make sure the food is
piping hot all the way through.

Name as many food hazards as you can find in the picture above

Be safe
Pets can carry bacteria wash your hands before eating.
Keep raw meat away from food that will not be cooked .
Meat should be cooked until juices run clear .
If the flames are too high, food will burn on the outside but not be cooked
inside.
Cover food to keep insects off.
Warm temperatures make bacteria grow quickly.
Store food in a cool place until needed.

Your hands where have they been?

Your hands could have picked up dirt and bacteria from the
toilet, the bin, your pets or lots of other places.
Raw protein foods like chicken contain bacteria (which will be
killed when the food is cooked).
If you have handled raw foods you could spread bacteria from
them to other foods which will not be cooked (crosscontamination).

Keeping things clean and safe

Keep all surfaces clean by using an antibacterial spray

and a disposable cloth.

Use separate chopping boards for raw meat.

Clean knives that have been used for meat before using
them for other foods.

Wash up thoroughly to avoid traces of food being left on

plates and utensils.

Leave washing up to drain

tea towels can spread bacteria.

Summary
Some bacteria called pathogens can cause food poisoning.
Some bacteria make toxins that can also cause food poisoning.
Bacteria need warmth, air, moisture and time to multiply.
Cover food and store it in a cool place.
Thorough cooking kills bacteria.
Keeping hands and surfaces clean is important.
Keep raw protein foods like meat away from foods which are not going to
be cooked.

On the blank page of your book:

Make a poster to show good Hygiene practices in a kitchen at home
or in school