Question
There are critical stages in the preparation and sale of food where contamination can occur. What are the stages of food flow where controls are needed? Storage Service Delivery Cooking/reheating Preparation
Answer
4.2
(378 Votes)
Isidore
Expert · Tutor for 3 years
Answer
StorageServiceDeliveryCooking/ReheatingPreparation
Explanation
Food contamination can happen at any stage of food flow and it is the major reason that leads to foodborne illnesses, which can be serious or potentially fatal. Therefore, controls are truly critical and needed in all these stages. Let's explain each stage in a short sentence:- Storage: Food might be impacted by improper storage, including the wrong temperature and moisture level.- Service: Improper handling or storing of food during service can contribute to contamination.- Delivery: Both raw food and prepared food can get contaminate during delivery due to exposure to environmental bacteria, viruses and chemicals.- Cooking/Reheating: Not reaching the desired minimal temperature can still leave some harmful bacteria or microbes in the food and reheating won't kill these microbes but actually make them proliferate.- Preparation: At this phase, food materials could be exposed to bacteria if dirty utensils, hands, or environmental surfaces are used. It's crucial to apply good personal hygiene and safe practices at every chain of food preparation and service, thus we can minimize the likelihood of food poisoning.