Food is any kind of substances or material which can be consumed to provide nutritional support for the body or for pleasure. These food usually from the source of plant or animal and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals or fats. Some of the food can be eaten raw and some of it only can be eaten after having some form of preparation for the reason of safety. Therefore, the food safety is very important things in consuming foods. Food safety can be defined as scientific disciplines which describing handling, preparation, and storage of the food in the way that prevent from the food poisoning. Besides, food can transfer disease from a person to another person as well as act as a growth for the bacteria that can cause food poisoning if not handle carefully. The food poisoning is a sickness that happened by consuming contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, rather than chemical or natural toxins. Food can be contaminated in three ways, biologically, chemically and physically.
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O which its molecule consists if one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water can be divided in three states, liquid, solid such as ice and invisible which is water vapor in the air. Besides, water covers around 70% of the earth's surface therefore it is an important thing needed by all the living things in the earth especially the aquatic life. Other than that, water can be used by human in many ways such as agriculture, for drinking, washing, chemical uses, heat exchange recreation, fire extinction and water industry which provides clean drinking water and waste water service to households and industry. All the infection can be controlled if we can understand the basic facts about biology, chemistry and physics of the pathogens.
Answer for Question 1(A)
The microbiological food safety is mainly depending on the range of the interactions which based on the ecology and physiology of the microorganism. Improper preparation for the food will create an infection, food poisoning which usually happened during eating and drinking. Therefore, the safety of the food must be controlled and avoided very well. Moreover, food can be contaminated which means that the food is impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substances. Besides that, food can be contaminated by three facts which are the biologically, chemically, and physically.
Biologically Contamination
Biological can be defined as the living organisms such as bacteria, enzymes, fungi, viruses or their product that can causes harm to animal or human health if inhaled, swallowed, or otherwise absorbed into body. Besides, the main objective of the biological organisms is to infect large amount of individuals or destruction of the sources of food for both animal and plant. Other than that, there are some ways that must be carried out to protect the food from being contaminated by the biological agents. Then, by having good practice on hygienic will be the best defense in facing the biological warfare. The good examination on the cleanliness of the dirty or untidy stuffs and the strict adherence to the suitable instructions will improve a lot in the biological defense. There are four ways to avoid or prevent this biological.
All food must be cook properly to get a minimum of 75% temperature to kill the microorganisms by the denaturation of their enzymes and other proteins.
All cooked food must be kept in order to prevent from getting contaminated and should be eaten as soon as possible after cooking it.
The cooking and cooling time and temperature must be realistic and ensure that it won't distort the process.
Large equipment should be washed, rinsed, and decontaminated in the same manner as prescribed for interior surface of messes while the small equipment should be washed, rinsed, and sanitized in the dishwashing machine or by hand dishwashing.
Therefore, killing the microorganisms can help to prevent them from maintain the state either by disrupting the structures that give order to chemical reactions or the chemical reactions that sustain it.
Physically Contamination
Physical in this chapter can be defined as something that related to things which perceived through the senses as opposed to the mind either tangible or concrete. Physically contaminated food can be defined as the food has some raw or something which is not suppose to be in the food. Besides that, those raw materials will be brought into the food premises during the storage, preparation, service or display. Moreover, there are six source which is the reason of physical contamination happened.
Firstly, contamination from people which includes items from clothing such like buttons and items from pockets such as coins. Besides that, some material from our body such as hair and fingernails also is one of the sources of the contamination from people. Then, jewellery and plasters which using can be found at the human fingers is the easiest way to causes the happened of the contamination.
Secondly, the poor maintained or dirty premises can causes contaminate food through dirty and waste. Besides that, the flakes of the paint and brick during the renovation of the premises may also the reason of food contamination. Then, the broken glass or tiles and plaster will be the main reason of the food contamination of the premises.
The wasted or unwanted part of raw ingredients in the food after preparation of the food is the third source of the physical contamination. Those wasted or unwanted raw ingredients include egg shell, bones, pips, stalks, soil and grit.
Fourthly, the packaging materials are the easiest way to get contaminated because most of the foods are delivered in some kind of packaging or container. Therefore, if there is any damage on the packaging steps or not fully removed from the food, it may become a type of course of physical contamination. The packaging material which causes the contamination includes string, polythene, paper, cardboard, plastic, and glass.
Then the fifth of the six sources of physical contamination is food pests such as rats and other kind of insects. This kind of food pests not only spread diseases but causes physical contamination of food. The most popular is from the dead insect bodies, larvae or egg, droppings and fur or feathers.
Finally, the last source of the physical contamination is the equipment or machinery that used during the production of the food. Damaged equipment or machinery can causes physical contamination of food with the pieces of glass, metal, wood, plastic, screws, nuts and bolts.
Chemically Contamination
Chemical can be defined as a compound or substance that has been purified or prepared especially artificially. There are five methods which allow food to be contaminated by the dangerous chemicals. The diagram below is the four methods of the chemically food contamination.
Some of the foods naturally already contain chemicals that can be dangerous if the food is not prepared correctly and this is call natural toxins. Besides that, they will only be dangerous if they are consumed in a huge quantity, appear in the food at the higher levels than normal and not prepared properly so the toxin haven't been completely removed or destroyed.
Secondly is the food allergen which only happens on some of the people because not all people are allergic to certain chemicals that contains in some types of foods. The most common foods that can cause the reactions of the allergy are shellfish, eggs, seeds, peanuts, tomatoes and cow's milk. Besides that, there are also allergens that causes by food additives, colours and preservative. This allergen is called artificial allergens which are harmless to most people.
Then, the chemical contamination before the food delivery is the food absorbed chemicals and heavy metals during the growing stage. The chemicals can growth to a more dangerous level as the time pass. Mostly of the chemicals are come from the variety of sources such as agricultural chemicals, veterinary residues and pollution.
Finally, the chemical contamination after the food delivery is the food received chemicals during the catering establishment. The contamination happens during the careless usage of the chemical product such as cleaning materials, pest control substances, and machinery or equipment.
Answer for Question 1 (B)
Portable water is water that is free from pollution, dangerous organisms, and impurities and safe for drinking. Obviously, the portable water is mainly for human and animal consumption to enable the body to function properly. Other than that, the portable water also known as purified water can use to in cooking food. The usage of the portable in cooking can ensure the food is free from contamination. Besides that, portable water also can be use in water therapy which is an alternative medicine which is various systems of healing or treating diseases that are not included in the traditional medical curriculum.
Furthermore, the portable purifier water is an useful travel accessory whether want a clear water for mixing the baby formula or hiking in the wild side. Besides that, portable bottle labels must list the kind of water such as mineral, spring and drinking water. Most of the bottled water from the public water system might not added purification but it must state on the label that it's from the municipal water supply. A limits of fluoride are allow to be add in to the bottled water based on the standard quality of the bottled.
Conclusion
The biological, physical and chemical contamination of the food had the potential to cause a health problem to the person who consumed the contaminated food. Besides, the food hazard such as viruses, bacteria and other raw material also can cause health problem to the consumer. On the other hand, not all the microorganisms are dangerous until it reaches a certain level, therefore understanding significance of these level are very important. The consumer should have the skills to control the food hazards so they can managed it correctly when there is changes occur.
Water is a very important material or substance to the living things in the earth especially human. In the world, many people getting sick and admited to hospital because drinking contaminated water. According to the Newsweek magazine article, approximately 6000 people dies each day due to water borne diseases, and estimated that around 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. Hence, drinking water play an important role in getting good health so must drink adequate amount of water daily in order to maintain a healthy life.
Question 2
What should the manager do about an employee who reports to work with the following symptoms: fever, coughing, and a sore throat?
Why is hand washing so important?
Introduction for Question 2
Many people have to take leave during working time because of illness although this is what they wanted to do so. Besides, good and responsible employees, he or she will understand the negative impact to other colleague as well as to the company. Therefore, they are trying to prevent from being absent from work as little as possible. On the other hand, hardworking and poor employees will force themselves to get to work although they felt themselves were not in a good condition. So they must taking good care of themselves in order to get to work.
Everybody is encouraged to take care of their own hygiene therefore it is important to know the basic and easy method to get yourself free from viruses. Besides that, they also must noticed that the important of self hygiene and the dangerous viruses. In companies, the manager must ensure the steps on how hand washing are taught to all the staff in the company. Understanding the hygiene training and food handlers, the viruses' prevention must be done as soon as the employee is sick. This prevention can help to block the viruses from spreading all over the company. Therefore, the most easy and effective way is to encourage and remind the staff to wash their hand more often.
Answer for Question 2 (A)
As a manager, he or she must be always be alert and calm condition in handling any situation. Besides that, manager must know how to handle the employee who report to work with the three major symptoms.
Sore Throat or throat pain is mostly caused by throat inflammation or can called it as acute pharyngitis. Besides that, sore throat can be defined as pain anywhere in the oropharynx. The sore throat also can be happened in other situation such as post trauma and in diphtheria. Besides, sore throat can cause mild to extreme pain.
Fever or also as known as pyrexia or controlled hyperthermia is common medical sign as the increased temperature of body temperature from normal range of 36.5-37.5 °C. This abnormal increased of the body temperature usually comes along with shivering, headache, and in severe instances, delirium.
Cough is an expel air from the lungs with a sudden sharp sound. Besides that, it also a type of force that cause something such as blood out of the lungs or throat by coughing. Coughing can be happened voluntarily as well as involuntarily.
The first thing needed to do is to create a chart on who is taking sick days, how often, the reason of it, and how often they fall on 'unsociable' shifts. This can avoid from giving sick leave to those who just try to avoid shifts that they don't want to do. After confirming the employee sickness such as fever, coughing or a sore throat, the manager should give few days of sick leave to the employee immediately. Then, find another employee to replace the shift or duties of the employee who is having the sick leave. Besides that, the employee can return to work with a written medical documentation from a health practitioner but if possible the employee should not be working in the department which has direct physical connection with the customer or any food.
Furthermore, the employees must immediately stop their work or duties when they are not feeling well. Then, report to the management level so they can allow the employee to return home and get back to work after the fever, coughing and sore throat symptoms had passed at least 24 hours. If those symptoms still with the employee, he or she must inform the manager by telephone and do not back to work until the symptoms are totally ended.
Other than that, the manager should provide a method or having a talk regarding on how to prevent the sick effectively. These can action can reduce the potential for those employees who always have health problem. Besides, it also can help the managers in solving the employees' sick leave problem.
Answer for Question 2 (B)
Hand washing is an important thing to do in order to ensure the hand hygiene. Besides that, hand washing is an action of cleaning the hands by using and non-using water, liquid, or soap to remove the soil, dirty or microorganisms on the hand. Before we can wash our hand effectively, we have to understand the physiology of the skin. Our skin consists of three layers which are stated in the diagram below.
The epidermis is skin scales which are made up of millions of microscopic cells. Moreover, the epidermis contains lots of cracks and crevices that provide harbourage for resident and transient microorganisms. The structures components of the epidermis are cellular components, layers and cellular kinetics. Dermis is the layer of skin which is in between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues. Besides that, it is composed of two layers, the papillary and reticular dermis. The structures components of the dermis are collagen, elastic fibers, and extrafibrillar matrix. Finally the subcutaneous tissue also can call the hypodermis, hypoderm or superficial fascia is the lowest layer of the integumentary system in the vertebrates.
The important of hand wash is to prevent from getting infected by lots of dangerous ailments. Most of the parents always remind their children to wash their hand frequently especially before and after having meals and using the toilet. Those who don't brother their hand washing will have the higher risk of picking up germs from other sources and then get infected. The risk is during the time you touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. In facts, the most easy and common ways for people catching colds is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after the cold virus has gotten on their hand. Therefore, the hand is the main point of getting sick so the hand must be taken care carefully. Besides that, if people does not wash their hand frequently especially to those who are sick, they will spread the germs directly to other people or onto surfaces that other touch in a short period of time. If action does not take seriously on hand washing, everyone around you will get sick. Moreover, the things we touched daily might carry germs. The germs on the hand finally will end up in the mouth. There are many situations which we need to wash our hand. The situations are state below:
After using the washroom at home or at any public place.
After visiting a patient at the hospital.
Before as well as after eating food.
Before and after one starts cooking food, especially meat, fish and poultry.
After changing a baby's diaper.
After touching pets or cleaning their feces.
Before touching young infants and children.
Before and after touching injured areas and changing the dressing of a wounded person.
After collecting and throwing out garbage.
After sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose.
Then, the procedure of hand washing also very important in order can prevent germs. The improper hand washing procedures are useless and can't prevent the germs. There are steps on how to wash hand effectively in order to reduce the risk of catching and spreading illnesses. The steps are very easy and it only takes around 30 seconds to finish the whole steps. Below are the effective steps:
Turn on water, if possible warm water with the comfortable temperature.
Use roughly a dime sized squirt of liquid hand soap or following the instructions written in at the bottle of the soap.
Lather and rub hands together for at least 20 seconds. It will be more easy way to count the 20 seconds by singing the "Happy Birthday" song twice.
Make sure to wash well between fingers and under nails, although using a nail brush is not necessary.
Wash all soap away from hands.
Using two paper towels, dry hands completely.
Turn off faucet with paper towels and then throw the towels into the garbage can.handwashing.gif
Besides the effective steps, there are also five tips which can make the hand washing more convenience and easy. Firstly, the hot water is not really necessary for the hand washing process instead it just depends on the individual's comfort. Secondly, hand washing is most effective at washing away germs, not necessarily killing them. Thirdly, antibacterial soaps have not been proven to be more effective than regular soap, therefore select the most suitable or affordable for you. Then, getting hands completely dry is the basic things to know in the hand washing process. Finally, ensure the use the towels to turn off the faucet and always remember that, the faucet just turned on with dirty hands! Conclusion is that, the basic requirements for the hand washing process are water, soap, and paper towels.
Conclusion
Sick leave is a must take leave for the employees as well as manager because none of the human will not be getting sick. Therefore, the employees have the right to take their sick leave during their sick period. As a manager, they just want to see the employee to get recovered in a short period of time and get back to work. During the period of lacking staff, the manager should arrange the employees properly to cover the insufficient employee on work. Finally, always get in touch with the employee that on leave and do the best for those who are involved.
On the hygiene part, the manager should provide a good example to the employee on how to be free from viruses. Besides that, provide a hygienic working environment with qualified resources such as toilet paper, paper towels, adequate and sufficient protective clothing, constant replenishment of liquid soap, and cleaning material or equipment. Finally, use soap to wash hand in order to an effective hand washing to get rid of the many kind of illness.
