Food hygiene

1. FOOD
HYGIENE

2. • FOOD HYGIENE
Food is a potential source of infection and is liable to contamination
by microorganisms, at any point during its journey from the
producer to the consumer. Food hygiene, in its widest sense,
implies hygiene in the production, handling, distribution and
serving of all types of food .
The primary aim of food hygiene is to prevent food poisoning and
other food-borne illnesses.
Types of food hygiene
• Milk hygiene
• Meat hygiene
• Fish
• Egg
• Fruits and vegetables

3. •MILK HYGIENE
Source of Infection
Milk is an efficient vehicle for a great variety of disease agents. The
sources of infection or contamination of milk may be
(1) the dairy animal
(2) human handler or
(3) the environment, e.g., contaminated vessels, polluted water,flies,
dust, etc.

4. (1) Infections of animals that can be transmitted to man:
Primary importance :
• Tuberculosis,Brucellosis,Streptococcal infections,Staphylococcal enterotoxin
poisoning,Salmonellosis
Q fever,(coxiella burnetti)
Lesser importance :
Cow-pox(virus-catpox/cowpox virus),Foot and mouth disease,
Anthrax,Leptospirosis,Tick-borne encephalitis.
(2) Infections primary to man that can be transmitted through milk :
• Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers,Shigellosis,Cholera,Enteropathogenic
Escherichiacoli (EEC),
Non-diarrhoeal diseases
(a) Streptococcal infections
(b) Staphylococcal food poisoning
(c) Diphtheria
(d) Tuberculosis
(e) Enteroviruses
(f) Viral hepatitis

19. Slaughter houses
Slaughter houses are the places where animals, whose flesh is intended for
human consumption, are killed. The hygiene of the slaughter house is of
paramount importance
to prevent the contamination of meat during the process of dressing. The
following minimum standards for slaughter houses have been suggested under
the Model Public HealthAct (1955) in India.
(1) Location : Preferably away from residential areas.
(2) Structure : Floors and walls upto 3 feet should be impervious and easy to
clean.
(3) Disposal of wastes : Blood, offal, etc. should not be discharged into public
sewers but should be collected separately.
(4) Water supply : should be independent, adequate and continuous.
(5) Examination of animals: Ante mortem and post mortem examination to be
arranged. Animals or meat found unfit for human consumption should be
destroyed or denatured.
(6) Storage of meat : Meat should be stored in fly-proof and rat-proof rooms;
for overnight storage, the temperature of the room shall be maintained
below 5 deg C.
(7) Transportation of meat : Meat shall be transported in fly-proof covered
vans.
(8) Miscellaneous : Animals other than those to be slaughtered should not be
allowed inside the shed.·

20. FISH
Fish deteriorates or loses its freshness because of autolysis which sets in
after death and because of the bacteria with which they become infected.
Stale fish should be condemned.
The signs of fresh fish are:
• (1) it is in a state of stiffness or rigor mortis,
• (2) the gills are bright red, and
• (3) the eyes are clear and prominent.
TINNED FISH : When called upon to inspect tinned fish(or meat or
any food), the following points should be noted
:the tin must be new and clean without leakages or rusting;
• there should be no evidence of having been tampered with such as
sealed openings;
• on opening the tin, the contents should not be blown out which
indicates decomposition.

25. Sanitation of eating places
Sanitation of eating establishments is a challenging problem in food
sanitation. The following minimum standards have been suggested
for Restaurants and Eating Houses in India under the Model Public
Health Act (1955).
(1) Location : Shall not be near any accumulation of filth or open
drain, stable, manure pit and other sources of nuisances.
(2) Floors : To be higher than the adjoining land, made with
impervious material and easy to keep clean.
(3) Rooms: (a) Rooms where meals are served shall not be less than
100 sq. feet and shall provide accommodation for a maximum of
10 persons. (b) Walls up to 3 feet should be smooth, corners to be
rounded; should be impervious and easily washable. (c) Lighting
and ventilation - ample natural lighting facilities aided by artificial
lighting with good circulation of air are necessary.

26. (4) Kitchen : (a) Floor space minimum 60 sq. ft. (b) Window opening to
be 25 per cent of floor area. (c) Floor to be impervious, smooth,
easy to keep clean and non-slippery. (d) Doors and windows to be
rat proof, fly-proof, and of the self-closing type. (e) Ventilators 2 per
cent of the floor area in addition to smoke pipes.
(5) Storage of cooked food: Separate room to be provided.For long
storage, control of temperature is necessary.
(6) Storage of uncooked foodstuffs : Perishable and non-perishable
articles to be kept separately, in rat-proof and vermin-proof space;
for storage of perishable articles temperature control should be
adopted.
(7) Furniture : Should be reasonably strong and easy to keep clean and
dry.
(8) Disposal of refuse : To be collected in covered,impervious bins and
disposed off twice a day.
(9) Water supply : To be an independent source, adequate,continuous
and safe.
(10)Washing facilities : To be provided. Cleaning of utensils and
crockery to be done in hot water and followed by disinfection.