Microbial control in catering and at home

Overview

The 4 Cs, colour-coded boards, cooking and cooling temperatures, personal hygiene, stock rotation, fridge storage, pest control, cleaning and safe defrosting and leftovers at home.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What are the 4 Cs of food hygiene?

   Model answer

   The 4 Cs are cleaning, cooking, chilling and cross-contamination.

2. 2

   How do colour-coded chopping boards reduce cross-contamination in a kitchen?

   Model answer

   Each colour is kept for one food group, such as red for raw meat and yellow for cooked meat. Raw and ready-to-eat foods never share a board.

3. 3

   What core temperature should cooked food reach in a commercial kitchen, and how is it checked?

   Model answer

   Cooked food should reach a core temperature of at least 75 °C. A clean probe thermometer placed in the thickest part gives the reading.

4. 4

   How should a kitchen cool cooked food that will be stored?

   Model answer

   Cooked food should be cooled to fridge temperature within 90 minutes, for example by dividing it into shallow trays. Slow cooling leaves food in the danger zone.

5. 5

   How does the personal hygiene of food handlers reduce microbial risk?

   Model answer

   Food handlers must wash hands after the toilet, after handling raw food and after touching bins. Clean protective clothing, covered cuts and tied-back hair also prevent contamination.

6. 6

   Why is stock rotation important in a catering kitchen?

   Model answer

   First in, first out stock rotation makes sure older food is used before newer deliveries. Food is then used within its use-by date.

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