FSA Practical 1 NEA Grading of Food Stall - Rebecca Gay

3.1 Provide 2-3 pictures that illustrate the hygienic aspects (both positive and negative) of the food stall. Mark out the identified aspects on the pictures and add captions or descriptions.

Descriptions:

1) Green chilli container is left

2) Stall owner uses gloves to handle ready-to-eat food

3) Stall owner wears a hair restraint

4) Cooking oil is placed next to washing detergents

3.2 State hygienic aspects of the stall. Explain why they are good / bad practices. Elaborate potential food safety problems related to the cleanliness issues or lack of hygiene standard; 

Good hygiene practices:

1) Stall owner uses gloves to handle ready-to-eat food

• Contamination can occur when food handlers do not practice food safety precautions after using the bathroom, smoking, coughing, sneezing, and in between preparing raw and cooked foods. By using disposable gloves to handle food, it prevents bare hand from being in contact with ready-to-eat foods. Therefore, it prevents the transfer of harmful disease-causing pathogens such as Staphylococcus Aureus and Shigella to the cooked food, thus minimizing the risk of contamination.
• In addition, ready-to-eat food does not undergo further heat treatment. As a result, contamination of food will result in the occurrence of foodborne illness. Therefore, the usage of gloves minimizes the risk of food contamination as it provides an additional barrier between potentially dangerous pathogens and the food the stall owner is handling. This is especially important when preparing foods that will not go through heat treatment before it reaches the customer.

2) Stall owner wears a hair restraint

• The purpose of wearing hats is to prevent food contamination. Bacteria cling to the hair and scalp, living off dandruff, dust and perspiration collected in the hair. Given time, any harmful bacteria present can thrive to numbers sufficient to cause food poisoning.
• Hats prevent food handlers from directly touching their hair and scalp with fingers and passing bacteria from the hair onto ready-to-eat foods. It also prevents hair from falling into food, preventing potential physical hazard.
• In addition, hats protect food handlers’ hair from flames, smells, grease and steam. It also promotes a positive image to customers that food handlers care about food safety and take pride in their profession.

Poor hygiene practices:

1) Green chilli container was left opened

• This will attract houseflies or insects from the surroundings. Flies feed freely on filthy matter and transfer disease-causing organisms to human food. Transmission and contamination takes place when flies come into contact with humans and their foods.
• This encourages the growth of the pathogen, Shigella. Customers who consume the green chilli may be at risk of Shigellosis. The lack of heat treatment for the green chilli will results in the failure to eliminate the pathogen, causing foodborne illness.

2) Cooking oil is stored next to washing detergents

• Storing chemicals close to food products will increase the risk of chemicals being in contact with the food products. This will result in chemicals becoming part of the food without being intentionally added, thus posing a chemical hazard to consumers.
• Unintentionally added chemicals such as cleaning supplies and maintenance chemicals may cause chemical burns if present in food at high levels. Chemicals that are not approved for food use may be toxic to consumers. 

3.3 Grade the premise using the given checklist (A, B, C, D). Attach the graded checklist as a picture in your post; 

3.4 Recommend at least 2 improvements for a better grade;

• Should customers fail to close the chilli containers after use, stall owners should take the initiative to ensure that the risk of contamination is kept at a minimum. Foods that will not undergo further heat treatment should be covered with a lid or a cling wrap. This is to ensure that pests and insects do not come into contact with the food.
• Stall owners should store potential incidental contaminants such as cleaning supplies separately from food use products such as food packaging and ingredients. This is to prevent possible chemical contamination towards consumers.