Learning Objective: Understanding the relationships between food hygiene and food-borne illness and the socio-economic cost of food-borne illness and their relationship to food safety, in addition to:

• The economic costs upon employers and the personal costs to individuals of food- borne illnesses.
• The benefits to the employer of high standards of food hygiene.
• Recent trends in reported cases of food-borne illnesses
• Reasons for seasonal variations in reported cases of food-borne illnesses.
• Customer aspirations and concern for the safety and wholesomeness their food.
• Benefits and cost of foodsafety.

Learning Objective:  To understand the characteristics and classification of bacteria (including pathogenic and spoilage), in addition to:

• Structure, shape and size of bacteria.
• Functions of spores and their role in the survival of bacteria.
• Toxin formation, and distinguish between exotoxins and endotoxins.
• Methods commonly used to identify bacteria.
• Phases and significance of the growth curve of bacteria, method of reproduction and generation times under optimum conditions.
• Factors influencing bacterial growth: nutrients, hydrogen-ion concentration, water activity, temperature, atmosphere and competition.
• Different optimum temperatures for bacterial growth and understanding the terms psychrophile, mesophile, thermophile and psychrotroph.
• Bacterial sampling and monitoring of food and equipment and their limitations.

Learning Objective: Causes and control measures of food-borne illnesses, in addition to:

• Food-borne illnesses caused by the ingestion of poisonous foods such as plants, fungi, and fish, and food contaminated by:
  • pathogenic bacteria or their toxins
  • chemicals including metals
  • viruses
  • mycotoxins
  • other agents such as protozoa and parasites

• The difference between toxic and infective food-borne illnesses.

• Sources, types of food commonly involved, incidences, vehicles and routes of transmission, average onset times/incubation periods, symptoms, likely carrier status and control measures for:
  • Salmonella spp
  • Clostridium perfringens
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Clostridium botulinum
  • Bacillus cereus
  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus
  • Escherichia coli including VTEC
  • Bacillary dysentery
  • Listeriosis
  • Typhoid and Paratyphoid
  • Campylobacter enteritis
  • viruses including Hepatitis A, Norwalk and SRSV

• The importance of the current control and prevention of Brucellosis and Tuberculosis in relation to food.
• The potential for bacterial contamination throughout the food production chain and methods of contamination control.
• Problems presented by carriers, (convalescent and symptomless and methods for their detection and control.
• Food-borne illness caused by chemicals (including metals) and examples of food contaminated by chemicals
• Symptoms of acute and chronic chemical foodborne illness.
• Foodborne illness can be caused by poisonous plants.
• Consumption of certain types of fish and shellfish that may lead to illness
• The role of management in an alleged outbreak of food-borne illness.
• Possible actions of enforcement authorities in the investigation of an outbreak of food-borne illness.

Learning Objective: The potential for physical contamination of food and measures available for its prevention, in addition to:

• The most common intrinsic and extrinsic physical contaminants of food.
• Procedures for the detection, prevention and removal of physical contaminants.
• Physical contamination by non-food personnel such as maintenance staff, contractors, visitors and delivery personnel.

Learning Objective: Different  types of food poisoning, its causes,Symptoms

• 10 main causes of food poisoning
• Food borne diseases
• Importance of Personal Hygiene
• Importance of Food Safety training

Learning Objective: The importance of providing and maintaining suitable conditions for the storage of all types, in addition to:

• The importance of satisfactory storage to minimise contamination and bacterial multiplication, deterioration, decomposition and infestation
• Stock control systems and the effects of spoilage organisms on food
• Variances in shelf life of stored products and the function of date labelling of food
• Examining stock for damage or spoilage and the methods for disposing of it
• Temperatures necessary to control enzyme and bacterial activity in food.
• Explain the requirements for hygienic and efficient use of refrigerated and frozen storage units.
• The necessity for rapid chilling of food
• Principles for maintaining the safety and quality of food by the use of:
  • low temperatures
  • high temperatures
  • cook- chill, cook- freeze and sous-vide
  • canning and bottling
  • dehydration
  • chemicals such as preservatives, salt and acids
  • vacuum packaging and modified atmosphere packaging
  • smoking
  • irradiation
• The importance of time controls in minimising pathogenic organisms.

Learning Objective: The importance of satisfactory design, the use of suitable materials in the construction of food premises and equipment, and the need for maintenance and improvement plans, in addition to:

• Criteria used in site selection.
• Features of satisfactory design of food premises, including product flow.
• The importance of adequate facilities for:
  • Personnel
  • Cleaning and disinfection
  • Waste disposal
• Maintaining standards of vehicles and outside catering
• Features of the satisfactory design of food equipment
• The importance and use of suitable construction materials for work surfaces, sinks and food equipment
• Priority lists for repairs and improvements based on food safety risks

Learning Objective: Principles and procedures for the satisfactory cleaning and disinfection of food premises, in addition to:

• Terms such as cleaning, detergent, disinfection, sanitizer and sterilisation.
• Need for and benefits of cleaning and the principles of systematic cleaning.
• Properties required for cleaning chemicals used in the food industry
• Principles of “cleaning in place”
• Appropriate cleaning processes for a range of activities, areas, equipment and environments
• The need for and essential elements of cleaning schedules.
• Management and administrative functions in relation to cleaning.

Learning Objective: Understanding the habitat and characteristics of food pests, the need for control, and effective methods for their control, in addition to:

• The habitat, characteristics and reasons for control of rodents and birds, as well as flying, crawling and stored-product insects.
• Methods of control (and limitations) for rodents, birds and insects in and around food premises, including environmental, physical and chemical control.
• The importance of obtaining professional advice or utilising trained personnel
• Methods to monitor the contractor and his effectiveness.

Learning Objective: Understanding the need for high standards of personal hygiene in addition to:

• The desirable personal qualities and standards of a food handler and the need for careful staff selection
• Staff responsibilities in respect of personal hygiene
• Hazards associated with:
  • skin injuries, infections and the use of inappropriate dressings
  • wearing jewellery and nail varnish
  • inadequate or unsatisfactory protective over-clothing
  • personal habits and bad practices
• Controls necessary in respect of persons suffering from, or suspected of, suffering from food- borne illness

Learning Objective: The need for and techniques involved in food hygiene training in addition to:

• The need for, and benefits of, food hygiene training
• Development and content of hygiene training programmes
• Principles and methods of effective training
• Use, benefit and need for training records
• The extent of training necessary for all associated personnel including food handlers, cleaners, serving staff, delivery personnel, contractors, administrative staff, supervisors and managers

Learning Objective: The importance of, and the techniques involved in managing food safety in addition to:

• Potential hazards (biological, chemical and physical) that may affect food safety
• Principles of HACCP, the stages involved in HACCP type studies, and how they can be applied in varying degrees of complexity to any food business
• The manager’s role in managing food safety
• Establishing procedures, monitoring them and responding to problems
• The importance of regular management inspections and internal audits
• Production and use of hygiene policies, manuals, standards, specifications, etc.