Food Safety and Quality

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Teaches about safe and quality food production, processing, and distribution, such as foodborne diseases, HACCP, GAP, and organic certification.

Microbiology: The study of microscopic organisms, their growth, and the effects they have on food safety.
Foodborne Illness: The diseases that occur as a result of consuming contaminated foods and the methods of preventing them.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP): A systematic approach to identifying and preventing potential hazards in the food production process.
Regulations and Standards: The legal and industry standards that govern food safety and quality.
Food Safety Management: The policies and procedures that are implemented to ensure safe preparation and handling of food.
Food Additives: The substances added to food to improve its nutritional value, shelf life, and appearance.
Contamination: The introduction of harmful substances or microorganisms into food that can cause illness or injury.
Food Preservation: The methods and techniques used to maintain the nutritional value and safety of food over extended periods of time.
Quality Control: The measures taken to ensure that products meet the desired quality standards.
Food Processing: The methods and techniques used to transform raw food materials into finished products.
Packaging and Labeling: The methods used to package and label food products for distribution and sale.
Food Allergies and Intolerances: The adverse reactions that occur when certain foods are consumed by individuals with allergies or intolerances.
Food Safety Training: The education and training programs used to teach food handlers about best practices and safe food handling techniques.
Environmental and Sustainability Issues: The impact that food production and distribution have on our environment and society, and the measures taken to minimize their negative effects.
Emerging Trends and Technologies: The latest developments in food safety and quality, including new technologies, trends, and practices.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP): It is a preventive food safety system that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards in food production and processing.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): It is a set of guidelines for growers to follow during crop production that ensure food safety and quality.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs): It is a set of guidelines for food manufacturers to follow during food processing that ensure food safety and quality.
Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI): It is an international organization that sets standards for food safety and quality that are recognized worldwide.
Food Defense: It is a set of measures taken to protect the food supply from intentional contamination.
Traceability: It is the ability to track a food product from its origin to the end of the supply chain.
Quality assurance: It is a set of procedures used to ensure that food products meet the required quality standards.
Quality control: It is a set of procedures used to ensure that food products meet the required quality standards during production.
Sanitation: It is the cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, facilities, and surfaces to prevent contamination of food products.
Environmental monitoring: It is the process of regularly testing the environment (air, water, and surfaces) for the presence of bacteria, viruses, and other microbiological hazards that can contaminate food products.
"Food safety (or food hygiene) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness."
"The occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food is known as a food-borne disease outbreak."
"In this way, food safety often overlaps with food defense to prevent harm to consumers."
"Food safety considerations include the origins of food including the practices relating to food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, as well as policies on biotechnology and food and guidelines for the management of governmental import and export inspection and certification systems for foods."
"The usual thought is that food ought to be safe in the market and the concern is safe delivery and preparation of the food for the consumer."
"Food safety, nutrition, and food security are closely related. Unhealthy food creates a cycle of disease and malnutrition that affects infants and adults as well."
"The main types of pathogens are bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus."
"Food can also serve as a growth and reproductive medium for pathogens."
"In developed countries there are intricate standards for food preparation, whereas in lesser developed countries there are fewer standards and less enforcement of those standards."
"In the US, in 1999, 5,000 deaths per year were related to foodborne pathogens."
"In theory, food poisoning is 100% preventable."
"This cannot be achieved due to the number of persons involved in the supply chain, as well as the fact that pathogens can be introduced into foods no matter how many precautions are taken."
"The origins of food including the practices relating to food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, as well as policies on biotechnology and food and guidelines for the management of governmental import and export inspection and certification systems for foods."
"Another main issue is simply the availability of adequate safe water, which is usually a critical item in the spreading of diseases."
"Unhealthy food creates a cycle of disease and malnutrition that affects infants and adults as well."
"Food can transmit pathogens, which can result in the illness or death of the person or other animals."
"The concern is safe delivery and preparation of the food for the consumer."
"In lesser developed countries there are fewer standards and less enforcement of those standards."
"Food safety often overlaps with food defense to prevent harm to consumers."
"Food hygiene is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness."