Food Contact Materials
Materials and packaging that can be reasonably expected to come into contact with food are called „ food contact materials ‟. These include :
� packaging ;
� food processing equipment ;
� cookware ;
� worksurfaces .
To keep the food products safe for consumption :
� make sure that food contact materials don ‟ t transfer anything to the food they touch ;
� make sure that food contact materials don ‟ t change the food they touch ;
� when inspected , be able to show where the food contact materials came from .
Bacteria and food poisoning
To keep food safe from bacteria , you should follow the HAACP plan . Bacteria that cause serious health problems are :
� E . coli O157 and campylobacter ;
� Salmonella , especially with the storage and handling of eggs .
Food hygiene training Employers are responsible for staff hygiene training . It can be either a formal training programme or an informal one . For example , on the job training or self study .
Food allergies If you are a food retailer or caterer , you need to manage food allergies when preparing and selling food .
Food inspections
You can be inspected by specific national authorities according to national or international laws / directives / regulations at any point in the food production and distribution process .
3 . Food Quality
Food quality represents the internal ( e . g . chemical , physical , microbial ) and external ( e . g . appearance , texture and flavor ) characteristics of food that are acceptable to consumers . Food quality is an important food manufacturing requirement , because food consumers are susceptible to any form of contamination that may occur during the manufacturing process . Besides ingredient quality , there are also sanitation requirements . Food quality also deals with product traceability , e . g . ingredients and packaging suppliers , should a recall of the product be required . It also deals with labelling issues to ensure there is correct ingredient and nutritional information .
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