RECIPE FOR SUCCESS INGREDIENT CARDS
Ingredient 1: Be Food Safe
Question:
What are the main reasons for food poisoning?
Answer:
We as humans need certain things to live and survive. Food, water and shelter are some of the first things that come to mind. Microorganisms also need certain conditions to survive, grow and reproduce. The following is a list of the six conditions that most microorganisms need to survive and reproduce:
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- food
- water
- temperature
- time
- oxygen
- pH levels
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Food
All micro-organisms need nutrients to be able to survive. Some foods are especially good sources of nutrients. Potentially Hazardous Foods to harbour food poisoning bacteria are:
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- milk products/cream/soft cheeses
- egg products
- meats (pork, veal, beef, lamb, game)
- poultry
- fish and shellfish
- cooked rice and pasta products
- cream or custard-filled pastries
- sauces and soups
Moisture
All living things need moisture to grow. Bacteria generally need more water than yeasts and moulds. The moisture content of foods, or the water activity, is decreased in the following foods:
Dry foods
These are foods like flour and dried vegetables which do not require refrigeration because there is not enough water for bacteria to grow. However, once these foods get wet the bacteria which have been lying dormant in them will immediately start to grow and multiply.
Frozen foods
These do not support bacterial growth because water is in its solid form. Bacteria needs water in its liquid form in order to survive.
Foods high in salt or sugar
These foods are not good bacteria food because water is chemically bound up by these ingredients.
Temperature
Bacteria like warm conditions, especially “body temperature”. The temperature “danger zone” is a range of temperatures that is suitable for the growth and reproduction of food poisoning bacteria and all other micro-organisms. Micro-organisms grow rapidly between the temperatures of 5 to 60 degrees Celsius.
Time
Bacteria grow and reproduce very rapidly. Given the right conditions for growth (eg food, moisture, warmth, etc.) they double in numbers every twenty minutes.
Oxygen
The oxygen requirements of micro-organisms vary considerably. Those micro-organisms that require oxygen to grow are called aerobes. They are usually found growing on exposed surfaces of liquids and foods.
pH levels
Just as we use a tape measure to find out exactly how tall someone is, or scales to find out how heavy something is, we use a pH meter to find out if something is acidic or alkaline. Between the range of 4.6 to 10 is considered the ‘danger zone’ for the growth and reproduction of food poisoning bacteria.
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