SITXFSA002 PARTICIPATE IN SAFE FOOD HANDLING PRACTICES – Short answer

ASSESSMENT B – SHORT ANSWER

INSTRUCTIONS
 You are to answer all questions.
 Read each question carefully. Ensure you have provided all required information.
 On completion, submit your assessment to your assessor.

SECTION 1: FOLLOW FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM

Q1: Briefly define the word ‘contaminant’.

a polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure.

Q2: In food safety terminology, what does ‘contamination’ mean?

Food contamination refers to the presence of harmful chemicals and microorganisms in food,
which can cause consumer illness. This article addresses the chemical contamination of foods, as
opposed to microbiological contamination, which can be found under foodborne illness.

Q3: Briefly define the term ‘potentially (high-risk) hazardous foods’.

Potentially Hazardous Food is a term used by food safety organizations to classify foods that
require time-temperature control to keep them safe for human consumption. A PHF is a food
that: Contains moisture - usually regarded as a water activity greater than 0.85. Contains protein.

Q4: What is the temperature range of the temperature danger zone?

Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in
number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone."
Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours.

Q5: What are the four main conditions microbiological contaminants, especially bacteria, need
to multiply?

Warm Temperature
Most disease-causing bacteria thrive in warm temperatures, especially those close to body
temperature. The human body, therefore, provides an ideal environment for many types of
bacteria to grow. Certain strains of bacteria, however, can grow at lower or higher temperatures.
Since ideal temperature is crucial for the growth of any given species of bacteria, food must be
handled appropriately to avoid food poisoning. In most cases -- but not all -- refrigerating or

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freezing food is sufficient to suppress the growth disease-causing bacteria, such as

Staphylococcus. Thoroughly cooking meats and poultry to the correct internal temperature is
also important to kill harmful bacteria that may be present in the food, such as Salmonella and E.
coli.

Moisture
Bacteria need water to grow and die without a water source. Moist areas are particularly prone to
bacterial growth, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Water content in food also provides an
excellent environment for many types of bacteria to grow. Certain foods can be dehydrated or
freeze-dried, which removes most of the water and can allow for longer storage without bacterial
growth. Moist tissues in the body, such as the mouth and nose, provide an excellent source of
moisture for bacteria and are particularly prone to bacterial growth.

Environmental pH
The pH of an environment -- a measure of its acidity or alkalinity -- is important for bacterial
growth. Most strains of disease-causing bacteria prefer to grow in conditions with a near neutral
pH, similar to the pH of the human body. Some strains of bacteria, however, can live in more
acidic or more alkaline conditions. Cleaning solutions are typically highly acidic or basic, which
kills bacteria, because they cannot survive at these extremes of pH.

The acidity of food is also an important factor affecting bacterial growth. More acidic foods can
typically be stored longer without spoiling. Preserving agents that increase the acidity of food,
such as citric acid, are commonly added to help prevent bacterial growth and allow for longer
storage. Vinegar and lemon juice have a similar effect.

Environmental Oxygen
The presence of oxygen can greatly affect the growth of bacteria. Many types of disease-causing
bacteria grow best in an oxygen-rich environment or require oxygen to grow. This is why many
commercial foods are vacuum-sealed. Vacuum sealing -- also known as reduced oxygen
packaging -- inhibits the growth of many types of bacteria and fungi that cause food spoilage.
Once the vacuum seal is broken, exposure to the environment and oxygen limits the shelf life.
Keeping food properly sealed while during storage is a good preventive measure against
bacterial growth because it restricts the amount of oxygen. Proper sealing is also important when
doing home canning for similar reasons.

Q6: Some customer groups are more susceptible to food poisoning than others. List four groups
who are defined as high-risk or vulnerable persons.

The elderly
Children under 5 years of age
Sick people
Immune compromised people

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Q7: What are three basic principles of the Food Standards Code?

Exposure assessment seeks to provide an estimate of the magnitude, frequency and duration of
exposure to risk factors found in the environment. Dietary exposure assessments draw on food
chemical concentration data and food consumption data from a range of sources, which are
described in this document. Information is provided on the specific practices required for dietary
exposure assessments for different types of food chemicals. In this document ‘food chemical’
refers to food additives, contaminants, agricultural and veterinary chemicals, nutrients, novel
ingredients, processing aids, packaging migrants and other food chemicals (e.g. caffeine).

Q8: What is the role of local council and Environmental Health Officers (EHO) in relation to
food safety legislation and regulations?
 Local council

A Food Safety Supervisor has an array of duties which relate to maintaining and
improving a business' food safety. To responsibly manage a business' food safety, a Food
Safety Supervisor must: Demonstrate the authority to act as a Food Safety Supervisor with
a Statement of Attainment from a nationally registered RTO.

 Environmental Health Officers

An authorised Environmental Health Officer is tasked with ensuring that all food businesses
meet their legislative obligations and that all food products sold and consumed are correctly
labelled and safe to eat.

To perform these duties, officers will visit food businesses to:

 Investigate allegations of foodborne illness (otherwise known as food poisoning)

 Inspect or audit a food business' food safety practices
 Investigate complaints about labelling and product misinformation
 Educate and provide businesses with advice on correctly following food safety law and
food standards
 Give advice on how to develop and improve food safety systems in compliance with food
production and labelling requirements
 Monitor compliance with or investigate breaches of food safety legislation
 Commence enforcement action through improvement notices, prohibition orders, penalty
notices or prosecutions

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Q9: What are three consequences to you or your workplace if you do not comply with the
requirements of food safety legislation?

Following are the three consequences to you or your workplace if you do not comply with the
requirements of food safety legislation

 Corporation: up to $3 million
 Individual as a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) or an officer: up to
$600,000/5 years jail
 Individual (e.g. a worker): up to $300,000/5 years jail

Q10: What are four key components of a food safety program?

Management Systems (FSMSs), four key components enable them to meet demands with
minimal business disruption, for a manageable cost. This paper outlines the key components of
an effective FSMS: HACCP plans, manufacturing operations management (MOM), instant
traceability and recall management, and single-source ERP.

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Q11: Where can you access information on your workplace’s food safety program and policies
and procedures?

The information on your workplace’s food safety program and policies and procedures can be
obtained from organization SOP.

Q12: What are four examples of types of food safety policies and procedures you must follow in
your workplace?

All staff are in receipt of relevant, regular and accurate food safety and health and safety
training. Records of training undertaken must be kept.
• All staff practise and demonstrate a high standard of personal safety and hygiene. For example,
this includes regular and appropriate hand washing, for instance, between dealing with raw and
cooked foods and after going to the toilet, and using oven gloves when picking up hot pans.
• Staff must comply with legislation and regulations governing the organisation.
• Staff must follow and comply with organisational policies written in accordance with such
legislation.

Q13: What are three sources of contamination?

 Microbiological contamination of food.

Biological contamination is when bacteria or toxins contaminate food and is a common cause of
food poisoning and food spoilage.

Food poisoning can happen when harmful bacteria, also called pathogens, spread to food, and are
consumed. Bacteria are small microorganisms that split and multiply very quickly. In conditions
ideal for bacterial growth, one single-cell bacteria can split so many times that in just seven
hours, it has multiplied into two million.

Some bacteria such as salmonella, staphylococcus and listeria are extremely toxic by themselves.
And, sometimes it’s not the bacteria that are toxic to humans, but the process of the bacteria
multiplying and producing waste. However, not all bacteria are harmful to humans; many are
quite beneficial, such as those found in yoghurt.

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As a food handler, it’s your job to control the spread of harmful bacteria by maintaining food
safety. Bacteria can be found everywhere and are impossible to see with the naked eye. Some of
the most common places for bacteria to grow are:

 The human body

 Dust
 Raw meat
 Pets and pests
 The air
 Kitchen cloths
 Food handler's clothing

 Chemical contamination

Chemical contaminants are chemicals toxic to plants and animals in waterways. The phrase
'chemical contamination' is used to indicate situations where chemicals are either present
where they shouldn't be, or are at higher concentrations than they would naturally have occurred.

 Physical contamination

A physical contaminant is anything that can be visibly seen and is not part of the food
originally. It is unclear how widespread this problem is because most incidents do not cause
major injuries and go unreported. However, it is more common than expected, and many
customers are lost due to this.

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Q14: Give one example of a method you can use to control food hazards at critical control points
at each of the eight stages of production. Consider the methods of control used in your
workplace or training environment, or those you have observed in other food businesses.
Individual responses based on workplace or training environment hazards and control
procedures. Response could include the following.
 Receiving

Receiving will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Storing

storing will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Preparing

preparing will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Processing

processing will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Displaying and/or serving

Displaying and or serving will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the
health and safety regulation

 Packaging

Packaging will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Transporting

Transporting will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

 Disposing

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Disposing will involve properly covering the item in a standard define in the health and safety
regulation

Q15: What observation evaluation techniques can you use to monitor food hazards? List three
techniques.
Conduct a hazardous analysis.
The purpose of a hazardous analysis is to develop a list of hazards which are likely to cause
injury or illness if they are not controlled. Points to be considered in this analysis can include:
skill level of employees; transport of food; serving elderly, sick, very young children, immune-
compromised; volume cooling; thawing of potentially hazardous foods; high degree of food
handling and contact; adequacy of preparation and holding equipment available; storage, and
method of preparation. The next step is to determine if the factors may influence the likely
occurrence and severity of the hazard being controlled. Finally, the hazards associated with each
step in the flow of food should be listed along with the measures necessary to control the hazard.
Determine Critical Control Points (CCP’s)
A critical control point is any step in which hazards can be prevented, eliminated or reduced to
acceptable levels. CCP’s are usually practices/procedures which, when not done correctly, are
the leading causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Examples of critical control points include:
cooking, cooling, re-heating, holding. To determine CCP’s ask the following questions:
 At this step in preparation can food become contaminated and/or can contamination
increase?
 Can this hazard be prevented through corrective action(s)?
 Can this hazard be prevented, eliminated or reduced by steps taken later in the preparation
process?
 Can you monitor the CCP?
 How will you measure the CCP?
 Can you document the CCP
Establish Critical Limits
A critical limit ensures that a biological, chemical or physical hazard is controlled by a CCP.
Each CCP should have at least one critical limit. Critical limits must be something that can be
monitored by measurement or observation. They must be scientifically and/or regulatory based.
Examples include: temperature, time, pH, water activity or available chlorine.

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Q16: List the three basic steps followed to take a temperature reading using a probe
thermometer.

Insert the stem of a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the food, or in the centre of the
food if the food is even in thickness. If the food is liquid (e.g., stew or soup) stir it to make sure
the heat has been evenly distributed before inserting thethermometer in order to get an
accurate temperature reading.

Q17: Name three documents which are used to record the results of monitoring processes.

 It is essential to food safety management in that it facilitates tracking of the operation. If

monitoring indicates that there is a trend towards loss of control, then action can be taken to
bring the process back into control before a deviation from a critical limit occurs.
 It is used to determine when there is a loss of control and a deviation occurs at a CCP. When a
deviation occurs, an appropriate corrective action must be taken.
 It provides written documentation for use in verification. Ideally, monitoring should be
continuous, which is possible with many types of physical and chemical methods (i.e.
temperature or pH levels). Most monitoring procedures need to be rapid because they relate to
on-line "real time" processes and there will be no time for lengthy analytical testing.

Q18: What should you do if you see a colleague not conforming to your workplace’s food safety
procedures or using unhygienic practices?

if you see a colleague not conforming to your workplace’s food safety procedures or using
unhygienic practices you should first tell him the consequences and asked him to research about
it if does not want to comply with

Q19: Briefly describe the appropriate corrective actions you should take if you believe food has
become contaminated and is no longer fit for consumption.

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Customers rely on food staff to provide food that is safe to eat and in a clean environment.
Following workplace hygiene rules will ensure:
1. You are clean; and
2. The environment is clean and safe.
When you follow workplace hygiene rules, you will be complying with food laws. These laws
place a great responsibility on anyone who is handling food in a food business. They are there to
ensure that food remains ‘safe and suitable’ for your customers to eat.

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SECTION 2: STORE FOOD SAFELY

Q20: Temperature control is an important method of controlling food hazards when storing food.
Why is controlling the temperature of perishable foods important?

Temperature control. Controlling the temperature of food is extremely importantin

ensuring that food is safe to eat, and you must ensure that food is always cooked, cooled, chilled
or reheated properly to minimise the risk of harmful levels of bacteria in the food that you sell.

Q21: What is the correct storage location and temperature range for each type of food?
 Dairy foods

Dairy products must be stored in the refrigerator at temperatures of 2°C to 4°C (36° to 39°F).
Follow these guidelines: The fat in dairy products has a tendency to absorb strong odours from
the storage surroundings.

 Frozen vegetables

Frozen food must be kept at –18°C or lower to maintain its quality. Keep these factors in mind
when storing frozen foods: Fruit and vegetables that are received frozen will keep for months if
they are properly wrapped.

 Raw meat

Fresh poultry should be packed in ice and stored in the refrigerator. Fresh seafood should be
packed in ice, stored at –1°C to 2°C (30°C to 34°F) and used as soon as possible. Store raw
products on the lower shelves of the refrigerator, below cooked products.

 Dried pasta and rice

The storeroom for dry foods should be located near the receiving area and close to the main ...
The ideal temperature range is 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F).

Q22: How can you protect food against contamination while in storage? Describe two methods.

1. Do not smoke while preparing food.

2. When sneezing or coughing always cover the face with a tissue or the hands and turn away from
the food

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Q23: How can you ensure frozen foods remain frozen while being stored?

Keep labels on top and readily visible. For convenience, use a labeler to produce name and date
labels for your freezer food. Keep frozen foods used often such as ice cream, treats, some
vegetables and fruits in the handiest spot, either in your refrigerator freezer or in a top section or
basket.

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SECTION 3: PREPARE FOOD SAFELY

Q24: Briefly describe how the two-hour/four-hour rule helps keep food safe.

The 2 Hour/ 4 Hour Rule tells you how long freshly potentially hazardous foods*,foods like
cooked meat and foods containing meat, dairy products, prepared fruits and vegetables, cooked
rice and pasta, and cooked or processed foods containing eggs, can be safely held at
temperatures in the danger zone.

Q25: What are three techniques you can use to cool food quickly?

1. Cool your food quickly before storing it in the fridge or freezer

2. Keep thick foods, such as refried beans and stews, in loosely-covered, shallow
pans or pots
3. Try an ice bath for soups

Q26: What device can you use to monitor the temperature of cooling food?

You will need a thermometer that can be inserted into food. This means it MUST have a probe.
The thermometer must be accurate to +/- 1ºC. This means that when the thermometer shows food
is at a temperature of 4ºC, the actual temperature of the food will be between 3ºC and 5ºC.

Q27: What is the maximum amount of time you can take to reheat food?

If you reheat previously cooked and cooled potentially hazardous food, you must reheat it
rapidly to 60°C or hotter. Ideally, you should aim to reheat food to 60°C within a maximum of
two hours to minimise the amount of time that food is at temperatures that favour the growth of
bacteria or formation of toxins.

Q28: What are two safe methods of reheating food?

Foods that have been cooked and cooled should be reheated to at least 165 °F (73.8°C) . Heat
cooked, commercially vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat foods, such as hams and roasts, to 140 °F
(60°C). Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 °F(73.8°C). Reheat sauces, soups, and
gravies to a boil.

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Q29: What are four techniques you can use to keep food safe while it is being held in a hot or
cold display?
Cold holding - 41 F or less
Cold foods must be maintained at 41 F or less.

Cooking temperatures
The following MUST be cooked to listed internal temperatures and times:

145 F or above for 15 seconds

Eggs for immediate service.
Fish (except as otherwise required).
Meat (except as otherwise required).
Commercially raised game animals (except as otherwise required).
155 F or above for 15 seconds, or
150 F or above for one minute, or
145 F or above for three minutes
Chopped or ground meat.
Chopped or ground fish.
Chopped or ground commercially raised game animals.
Pork.
Injected meats.
Eggs cooked for hot holding.
165 F or above for 15 seconds
Poultry.
Stuffed food products.
Stuffing containing fish, meat, poultry or wild game animals.

Q30: What is the purpose of napkin and straw dispensers, protective barriers and individually
wrapped or pre-packaged food?

Napkin

A napkin, serviette or face towelette is a rectangle of cloth used at the table for wiping the mouth
and fingers while eating. It is usually small and folded, sometimes in intricate designs and
shapes.

SECTION 4: PROVIDE SAFE SINGLE USE ITEMS

Q31: How can you protect single use items from contamination during storage or display?
Briefly describe three procedures.

Some of these items are used by customers to eat from or with. Other items, such as sugars and
jams are actually eaten. These items need to be kept in a safe environment which protects from
damage and contamination. They need to be checked on delivery for damage or contamination,
stored in the appropriate place to maintain this condition and managed when placed out for
customer use.

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When placing out for customer use, small quantities need to be placed out at a time. Staff need to
be allocated the task of checking single-use supply items are kept in the public area in an
appropriate area in an appropriate manner.

Do not reuse items intended for single use

Single use items are designed to be used ONCE. After use they need to be disposed of. Some
people get tempted to return sugar sachets from a customer's tray if they have not been used.
This is incorrect. Once a single use item has been handled by a customer, it is considered used.
Something may have been spilt on it, but is not visible therefore you cannot be sure of the safety
of the item.
Dispose of:
opened sugar and jam condiment sachets.
Straws or spoons which have plastic or paper containers that are opened or torn
the item has split food or drink

Maintain a clean environment

This extends to commercial kitchen areas, bar areas, tea & coffee stations, customer waiting
rooms, and lounge rooms. All areas where food and beverage items are prepared stored or served
must be carefully maintained. All food prep surfaces equipment & utensils used must be
regularly cleaned and sanitized during foo-handling processes. Maintenance of a clean
environment may include the removal of:

Food waste: all food scraps need to be disposed of quickly and efficiently, in the appropriate
disposal bin
Grease: hot water, detergents and sanitiser for general cleaning of surfaces, a de-greaser may be
required to remove difficult grease
Dirt: all surfaces, from bench tops to walls, floors, ceilings fans and heaters must be continually
wiped and/or dusted to remove dirt
Animal or pest waste: prevent this as must as possible; however if it does occur, all waste must
be cleaned away using protective items such as disposable gloves. The affected are must then be
sanitised and pest control must be checked.

Q32: What are two procedures or instructions you should follow when using single use items to
package food for display?

Some of these items are used by customers to eat from or with. Other items, such as sugars and
jams are actually eaten. These items need to be kept in a safe environment which protects from
damage and contamination. They need to be checked on delivery for damage or contamination,

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stored in the appropriate place to maintain this condition and managed when placed out for
customer use.

When placing out for customer use, small quantities need to be placed out at a time. Staff need to
be allocated the task of checking single-use supply items are kept in the public area in an
appropriate area in an appropriate manner.

Do not reuse items intended for single use

Single use items are designed to be used ONCE. After use they need to be disposed of. Some
people get tempted to return sugar sachets from a customer's tray if they have not been used.
This is incorrect. Once a single use item has been handled by a customer, it is considered used.
Something may have been spilt on it, but is not visible therefore you cannot be sure of the safety
of the item.
Dispose of:
opened sugar and jam condiment sachets.
Straws or spoons which have plastic or paper containers that are opened or torn
the item has split food or drink

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SECTION 5: MAINTAIN A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

Q33: List ten things you clean on a regular basis in a food production or service area as part of
your job role.

 Pre-clean: scrape/ wipe/ sweep away food scraps and any other physical matter and rinse with
water.
 Wash: use hot water and detergent to take off any grease and dirt
 Rinse: rinse off any loose dirt or detergent foam.
 Sanitise: use a sanitiser to kill any remaining bacteria.

 Remove loose dirt and food particles.

 Rinse with warm, potable water.

 All items must be stored off the floor. Allowing clearance from the floor gives plenty of room
for cleaning beneath shelving and equipment.
 Undertake regular maintenance, for example filling holes and replacing damaged tiles.
 Keep only what you need at the food business premises.
 Implement and display a cleaning schedule so all staff know their cleaning responsibilities.
 Keep wood out of the kitchen. Wood absorbs moisture, provides a breeding ground for food-
borne disease pathogens and cannot be easily cleaned and sanitised.
 Wipe down utensils and surfaces with paper towels. Dish cloths (tea towels) can spread bacteria.
 If hosing down equipment and surfaces, use a high-volume, low pressure hose. High pressure
hoses can splash and spray dirt onto surfaces and create aerosols that may contain and spread
pathogens.

Q34: What food production or service items are sanitised in your workplace or training
environment? List five examples

1. Lock out machine (unplug) and remove attachments and bowl. Send through dishwasher.
2. Wash down all surfaces with a clean cloth immersed in clean warm water and detergent.

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3. Wipe down all surfaces with a second clean cloth immersed in santizing solution (100 ppm
chlorine or 28 mL bleach per 4.5 L water).
4. Allow to air dry prior to reassembly and next use.
5. Carefully wipe down all surfaces with a second clean cloth immersed in santizing
solution (100 ppm chlorine or 28 mL bleach per 4.5 L water).

Q35: How can you prevent the accumulation of garbage and recycled materials in your work
area?

Reduce Food Waste

Food is another item that we often just carelessly toss away without thinking twice about it. Each
year, a very large percentage of our purchased food is left uneaten. Instead of simply throwing
away food, make good use out of it. Even if we kept just a small percentage of our uneaten food
and donated it, millions of needy people would be fed.

Q36: What are three techniques you can use to control pests in a food business?

 Clean up after meals

 Put all rubbish into the bin.
 Wrap all food scraps tightly in paper before putting them in the bin.
 Keep all the benches, cupboards and floors clean and free of food scraps.
 Regularly clean behind stoves, refrigerators and other household appliances.
 Keep food in containers with tight-fitting lids.

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Q37: You are about to clean and sanitise a range of food preparation and service utensils and
serviceware. What are two methods you could use to clean and sanitise them? How does
this method sanitise the items?

 Step 1 – Preparation. Remove loose dirt and food particles

 Step 2 – Cleaning. Wash with hot water (60 °C) and detergent
 Step 3 – Sanitising (bacteria killing stage) Treat with very hot, clean, potable water (75 °C) for
at least 2 minutes
 Step 4 – Air drying.

Q38: How do you report if an item of equipment needs maintenance or has developed a fault?

Usually, a well-balanced mix of user, in-house, and outsourced maintenance and repair leads to
the best results - both technical and financial - in settings with limited resources. If it is not
feasible for an eye care unit to have an in-house equipment maintenance and repair team, you
may consider sharing such a service among several units. Depending on the equipment, you may
have a service contract with the vendor or manufacturer, who will be responsible for more
complex maintenance and repairs. These will be carried out by specialised maintenance and
repair personnel, either employed by the vendor or manufacturer, or working as independent
maintenance contractors. Whatever system your eye unit has in place, the maintenance and repair
of equipment should be centrally managed. The person responsible (the ‘equipment person’) will
assign tasks, keep maintenance and repair records, design maintenance schedules, and arrange
the necessary training of staff.

Q39: What should you do if you notice crockery or glassware is cracked or chipped?

Breakage and damage to crockery will happen from time to time. Dealing with breakages or
damage properly is very important to avoid potential contamination of food and to eliminate the
risk of harm to consumers.
Naturally you will need to clear up any breakages. This would usually mean throught the use of
dust pan and brushes, brooms, mops and maybe even cloths. The first thing to remember is that
any item used to clear up broken crockery or glass should not be used for any food preparation

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purposes or for the cleaning of tables, worksurfaces or equipment. Ideally you will have a
separate set of cleaning equipment to deal with breakages.
The broken items of crockery should be removed from the location and disposed of. The best
way to do this is to wrap the broken pieces into several sheets of paper (such as a newspaper) and
place them into a bin bag. The bin bag must then be places directly into your outside waste store.
This will help to avoid anyone accidentally injuring themseleves on the broken pieces.
The entire area should then be inspected to ensure no fragments still remain. Ideally the area will
be cleaned down thoroughly to remove any small fragments that may have been missed and also
to remove any food residues that may be present.
The presence of crockery in a food preparation area should be limited to those areas where
plating up occurs, this will limit the impact of any breakage. If breakage does occur in a food
preparation area, all food preparation should stop. The broken crockery must be collected and
disposed of but a thorough sweap of a wide area should be conducted to ensure no fragments
remain. If there is any doubt as to the safety of any food being prepared it must be disposed of.
If breakage has occurred in your clean up area, wash room or dishwasher you must isolate the
area, dispose of the broken item and conduct a thorough clean of the area. If the breakage
occured in the dishwasher, it must drained, cleaned and flushed through to remove any fragments
- you must make sure the filter in the base of a dishwasher is removed for this purpose and the
filter itself must be cleaned.

20 2016 Edition
 SITXFSA002 PARTICIPATE IN SAFE FOOD HANDLING PRACTICES – Short answer

SECTION 6: DISPOSE OF FOOD SAFELY

Q40: What should you do if you must store food marked for disposal near other safe, fresh food?

Refrigeration can substantially reduce the rate at which food will deteriorate. Low temperatures
slow down the growth of microorganisms and the rate of chemical (including enzymic) changes
in food. These are two of the main causes of food spoilage.

Different parts of your refrigerator will operate at different temperatures. In older style
refrigerators the upper shelves will often be slightly colder than the lower shelves.

Q41: How can you reduce the risk of cross-contamination when disposing of food?

1. Implement a personal hygiene program.

2. Remind employees to wash their hands.
3. Use separate equipment.
4. Clean and sanitize all work surfaces.
5. Purchase prepared food.

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