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Foodborne illness

HACCP director Martin Stone identifies the Top 5s of foodborne illness.

Top 5 foodborne bacteria

1. Salmonella species

2. Listeria monocytogenes

3. Campylobacter jejuni

4. Escherichia coli

5. Norovirus

Top 5 causes of foodborne illness

1. Incomplete cooking (kill-step)

2. Poor refrigeration

Failure to store food at the correct temperature throughout the supply chain.

3. Food cooling rate

Some food is left warm for too long.

4. Cross contamination

5. Poor hygiene

Workers who have a foodborne illness or touch their face and hair can contaminate product.

Top 5 measures for preventing foodborne illness

1. Appropriate controls

Companies should implement a HACCP program and follow it.

2. Put appropriate controls in place for key processes including cooking and cooling

HACCP will ensure this but if a company does not have a HACCP program, these measures still need to be implemented.

3. Personal hygiene

Ensure workers maintain high standards

4. Suppliers’ practises

Suppliers should comply with food-safe standards. Once the manufacture has an effective and safe system in place, the biggest risk to the business is from suppliers.

Avoid buying from those without food safety credentials.

5. Cleaning and sanitising processing areas and equipment.

This is of the utmost importance.

martin@haccp.com.au

www.haccp.com.au

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