TEST 2: FOOD HANDLING

NAME: KHAIRUL AMIR BIN MOHD MOHTARI (55218114338)

QUESTION 1: The objective of refrigerating food products is to maintain quality and prolong shelf life by
keeping the product temperature at the point where metabolic and microbial deterioration are
minimized. Relate the role of refrigeration and protection of perishable food during transportation.

Road transport refrigeration equipment are required to operate reliably in much harsher
environments than stationary refrigeration equipment. Due to the wide range of operating conditions
and constraints imposed by available space and weight, transport refrigeration equipment have lower
efficiencies than stationary systems. This, coupled to rapidly increasing use of refrigerated transport
arising from the much wider range of transported goods, home delivery and greater quality
expectations, is placing considerable pressures on the food industry to reduce the energy consumption
of refrigerated transport. The objective of refrigerating food products is to maintain quality and prolong
shelf life by keeping the product temperature at the point where metabolic and microbial
deterioration are minimized. Maintaining the desired or ideal holding temperature is a major factor in
protecting perishable foods against quality loss during storage and distribution. Quality loss is a function
of both time and temperature abuse. Abuse is additive and, even for short periods of time during
loading, transit, and unloading, may cause a considerable amount of quality loss by the time the product
reaches its destination.

Though cold storage is understood to be merely an application of refrigeration, it is in fact a

complete air-conditioning system in which room air is cooled to too much lower temperature over a
cooling coil and supplied back to the storage space. The conditions maintained inside the storage space
depend on the nature of the product stored. It is to be noted that in cold storages, often, strict control
of both temperature and relative humidity is required. Also, the storage life depends a great deal on the
temperature at which a product is stored. So, refrigeration removes excess heat and provides
temperature control for food products in transport vehicles. Heat is a positive and measurable form of
energy that always radiates or flows toward the cold or refrigeration source. A truck refrigeration
system must have sufficient capacity to remove heat generated by the sources described below. A truck
refrigeration system must have sufficient capacity to remove heat generated from the 5 type heat
below:-

1. Residual heat which is a heat air inside the trailer, and heat in the insulation and inner lining of
the trailer.
2. Exterior heat conducted through the floor, walls, and ceiling. It is dependent on the
temperature differential between the inside and outside air, type and thickness of insulation,
and the area of the conducting surfaces. Solar radiation will increase the temperature of outside
surfaces where the trailer body is exposed to the sun.
3. Infiltration heat from warm outside air through small holes, cracks, and door seals. It increases
refrigeration requirements.
4. Excess heat in the commodity above the desired transit temperature.
5. Heat of respiration generated by all fresh fruits and vegetables. Some products, such as
asparagus, corn, and strawberries, respire at higher rate than other products, such as apples,
oranges, and potatoes. The rate at which respiration heat is generated also varies with the
 temperature of the product. It is considerably less at temperature near freezing than at normal
harvest temperature.

QUESTION 2: Storing frozen food products in the primary cold storage is the prime step in maintaining
the quality of frozen food product. As a Food Quality Executive, you are given the task to develop
pertinent measures to ensure that the food stored in the primary cold storage maintains its quality
before being transported to the warehouse outlet.

1. Cold Storage Facility Equipment maintaining a reasonably steady air temperature of 0F (-18C) or
colder.
2. Each storage area should be equipped with two or more accurate and calibrated temperature
measuring devices and at least one continuous recording device, installed to reflect the correct
average air temperature. Temperatures of each area should be recorded in a file of such
temperatures should be maintained for a period of at least two years. A member of management
should review the continuous recording record
3. It is recommended that refrigeration equipment installations include an audible or visual alarm
system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. Telephone, email, text messaging or
other appropriate communication systems should be used to immediately notify responsible parties
if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours. The operator should
retain lot arrival temperature records for a period of at least one year.
4. Visual inspection of food are recommended where we can know the product condition before
transporting processes such as break product package, leakage, and spillage.
5. Microbial test also need to be done to check whether the product safe to consume or not.
6. Variety of systems are used for storing goods, from pallets to static racking. The method of storage
depends on the shape and fragility of the article. Long thin articles are generally stored in some form
of horizontal racking and box-shaped articles or loose materials in sacks built into a stack, with
suitable bonding to ensure stability.
7. Cylindrical articles can be stored on their sides or on end. When such articles are stored on their
sides, the floor-level tier should be properly secured to prevent movement. Subsequent tiers can
rest on the preceding one or be laid on battens and wedged.
8. Storage areas should be specifically designated and clearly marked. The layout of the storage and
handling areas should be carefully considered to avoid tight corners, awkwardly placed doors,
pillars, uneven surfaces and changes of gradient. Consider the use of guard rails to protect
pedestrian routes.
9. Cooked and ready-to-eat food should not be stored in the same refrigerator as raw foods, unless the
cooked and ready-to-eat foods are properly covered and segregated to prevent cross-
contamination. Store raw food below cooked/ready-to-eat food.
10. During a power failure the freezer should not be opened and in catering establishments if the
freezer breaks down there should be an agreed procedure to prevent the waste and contamination
of food.
11. Keep refrigerators in good working order. Maintain a regular servicing contract with a local
refrigerator repair company.
12. Most breakdowns are beyond the ability of kitchen staff to repair, but if the refrigerator does stop
running, first check that the power supply cord hasnt simply been pulled out or the breaker has
flipped off.
13. Develop and follow a FIFO system for refrigerated food.
14. Never put hot foods in the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary. (Unfortunately, one persons
understanding of necessary may not be the same as another persons, so consider developing
guidelines.)
15. Never leave the refrigerator door open longer than needed.
16. Rotating stock is extremely important with frozen foods. Such rotation is difficult in standard chest
freezers as it often means that old stock must be removed before new stock is added. The
temptation with frozen foods is to develop the unacceptable habit of using the last item bought
first, instead of FIFO (first in, first out).