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Food Safety Glossary

  • Acceptable level - The level of a safety hazard considered to present a risk the consumer would accept. The acceptable level of the hazard in the end product, sometimes referred to as the "target level", should be stated in the product description and set at or below statutory/regulatory limits.
  • Acid - A chemical that forms hydrogen ions, replaceable by a metal to form salts. As bacteria find it difficult to grow in acidic conditions, to can be used to preserve food.
  • Acute reference dose - The estimated amount of a substance in food or drinking-water, expressed on a body weight basis, that can be ingested over 24 hours or less, without appreciable health risk to the consumer on the basis of all the known facts at the time of the evaluation.
  • Additives - Food Grade Additives Approved by Codex-Alimentarius.
  • Adulteration - The adding of cheaper, inferior or less desirable materials to a food.
  • Aerobic - Requires oxygen.
  • Ambient Temperature - Ordinary room temperature.
  • Anaerobic - Does not require oxygen.
  • Anaphylaxis - Allergic reaction to certain food types.
  • Antibacterial - Working against or prohibiting the action of bacteria.
  • Antioxidant - Antioxidants prevent the oxidation of foods that results rancidity or discoloration. They are used in baked foods, cereals, fats, oils and salad dressings.
  • Aseptic - Aseptic means sterile or free of bacterial contamination. Aseptic is commonly used to describe food processing and packaging techniques for non-refrigerated storage or long-life products.
  • Bacteria - Simple life forms with one cell.
  • Binary Fission - Asexual reproduction, used by bacteria, where nucleus divides into two daughter nuclei, and subsequent division of cell body to form two cells.
  • Blake Training - Our main areas of expertise are arboriculture and the food industry. However as a training provider we can offer a vast range of other courses relating to these areas. The training can be offered at our centre or at a site chosen by the client.
  • Calibration - Comparison of a measurement standard or instrument of known accuracy with another standard or instrument to detect, correlate, report, or eliminate by adjustment any variation in the accuracy of the item being compared.
  • Carrier (also healthy carrier) - A person who harbours, and may transmit, pathogenic organisms without showing any symptoms.
  • CCP Decision Tree - A sequence of questions to assist in determining whether a control point is a CCP.
  • Chemicals - Chemical food borne illnesses are among the most deadly. Chemicals and other “natural” toxins formed in food include agents such as scombrotoxin and ciguatoxin. Store cleaning supplies in a different area away from stored food.
  • Cleaning - Removing soil, food residue, dirt, grease and other objectionable matter.
  • Contamination - Any objectionable matter found in food or a food environment.
  • Control Measures - Precautions that are taken to reduce the chance of a hazard occurring (to an acceptable level of risk).
  • Control point - Any step at which biological, chemical, or physical factors can be controlled.
  • Corrective Action - Procedures followed when a deviation occurs.
  • Critical control point (CCP) - A step in a process where a hazard can be controlled and the control measures in place at that step are essential to protect food safety.
  • Critical limit - A criterion which separates acceptability from unacceptability.
  • Cross-contamination - A common term for the way in which harmful bacteria (pathogens) are passed from unsafe to safe foods.
  • Danger Zone - Temperature range that allows the greatest multiplication of pathogenic bacteria. Between 5° and 63°.
  • Detergent - Made up of soap or synthetic substitute, facilitates removal of grease and food particles from food contact surfaces, making them accessible to the action of disinfectants.
  • Deviation - Failure to meet a critical limit.
  • Diarrhoea - Frequent and watery bowel movements (can be a symptom of infection or food poisoning).
  • Disinfectant - Chemical used for disinfection.
  • Disinfection - Reduces micro-organisms to a level that will not allow harmful contamination or food spoilage. Chemicals and methods must be food safe.
  • Due Diligence - A legal defence.
  • Employee - Any person working in or for a food service establishment who engages in food preparation or service, who transports food or Food containers, or who comes in contact with any food utensils or equipment.
  • Equipment - All stoves, ranges, hoods, meat blocks, tables, counters, Refrigerators, freezers, sinks, dish-washing machines, steam tables and similar items, other than utensils, used in the operation of a food service establishments.
  • FIFO - Stock control method - First in, First out.
  • Fixed food establishment - A food service establishment which operates at a specific location and is connected to electric utilities, water, and a sewage disposal system.
  • Food borne Illness - A general term often used to describe any disease or illness caused by eating contaminated food or drink.
  • Food borne infections - These occur when “enough” of the live bacterial cells that have reproduced in the food, small intestine or both are consumed. The severity of the infection depends on the virulence of the bacteria, resistance of the victim and the number of cells that survive digestion.
  • Food borne intoxication - These result from a poison or toxin produced by reproductive bacterial cells in food or in the human body. Bacterial toxins have varying resistance to heat; some can even survive boiling. Other toxins can be a natural part of the food, for example, certain types of mushrooms.
  • Food borne Illness Outbreak - The Centers for Disease Control define an outbreak of food born illness as illness that involves two or more persons who eat a common food, with the food confirmed as the source of the illness by a laboratory analysis. The only exception is that a single case of botulism qualifies as an outbreak.
  • Food contact surfaces - Surfaces of equipment and utensils with which normally comes in contact, and those surfaces from which food may drain, drip, or splash back onto surfaces normally in contact with Food.
  • Food Handler - Anyone who comes into contact with food or drink (whether packaged or not) as part of their work.
  • Food Handling - Any operation in the production, preparation, processing, packaging, storage, transport distribution and sale of food.
  • Food Hygiene Courses and Training - Blake Training offer a vast range of courses relating to the Food Hygiene, Nutrition, Health and Safety and Training the trainer.
  • Food poisoning - An illness of sudden onset caused by the recent consumption of contaminated or poisonous food.
  • Food Preparation - The manipulation of foods intended for human consumption by such means as washing, slicing, peeling, chipping, shucking, scooping and/or portioning.
  • Food Service Establishment - Any facility, where food is prepared and intended for individual portion service, and includes the site at Which individual portions are provided.
  • FSA - Food Standards Agency.
  • HACCP- Hazard analysis and critical control points. A structured, documented and monitored system to ensure cost-effective food safety. Usually based on specialist advice.
  • Hazard - Anything with the potential to cause harm (can be biological, physical, chemical or allergenic).
  • Hazard analysis - Identifies hazards and the stages at which they occur, and introduces measures to control them.
  • Healthy Carrier - See carrier.
  • High-risk food - Ready to eat foods which, under favorable conditions, support the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria and are intended for consumption without treatment which would destroy such organisms.
  • Hygiene - refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. Blake Training offers a comprehensive range of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health courses.
  • Infestation - The presence of any food pest in sufficient numbers to pose an immediate or potential risk of contamination, loss or damage to food. The term usually refers to a breeding pair but may denote the presence of individuals.
  • Irradiation - A food preservation method using special radiation.
  • Kitchenware - All multi-use utensils, other than tableware (such as pots, pans).
  • Limited Food Service Establishment - Any establishment with a food operation, so limited by the type and quantity of foods prepared and the equipment utilized, that poses a lesser degree of risk to the public's health, and, for the purpose of fees, requires less time to monitor.
  • Micro-organisms - Small life forms such as bacteria and viruses.
  • Monitor - The act of conducting a planned sequence of observations or measurements of control parameters to assess whether a CCP is under control.
  • Mould - Microscopic plants (fungi) appears as woolly patches of food.
  • Onset Time - Time between infection and first signs of illness.
  • Parasites - These tiny organisms can cause severe illness. Parasites need nutrients from their host to complete their life cycle. They are always associated with raw or under-cooked meat and fish, including pork, bear meat and others.
  • Pathogen - Disease producing organism.
  • Pest - Any living creature capable of directly or indirectly contaminating food.
  • Pesticide - Chemicals used to kill pest
  • Risk - Measures the likelihood that a hazard will actually cause harm together with how serious the problem could be.
  • Safe food - Food that is not harmful or injurious when consumed; food that does not cause medical illness or pose a health hazard to the consumer.
  • Safe Temperatures - As applies to potentially hazardous foods.
  • Sanitizer - Chemical agent used for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment.
  • Segregation - Removal of product to an area of storage that spatially (physically) isolates it from other foods.
  • Severity - The seriousness of the effect(s) of a hazard.
  • Spores - A resistant resting phase of bacteria enabling them to withstand adverse conditions.
  • Step - A point, procedure, operation or stage in the food chain including raw materials, from primary production to final consumption.
  • Tableware - Multi-use eating and drinking items, including flatware, knives, forks, spoons, glasses, cups, etc.
  • Temperature - a critical measurement for ensuring the safety and quality of many food products.
  • Toxin - A poison produced by some bacteria and moulds.
  • Utensil - Implements such as pots, pans, ladles or food containers used in the preparation, storage, transportation or serving of food.
  • Viruses - Microscopic pathogens that multiply in living cells of their host.
  • Whitlow - Abscess or damaged skin around the fingernail.
  • Wholesome Food - Fit for human consumption.
  • Yeast - Unicellular fungus. Grows rapidly by budding on some foodstuffs, especially those containing sugar. (Used in fermentation).
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