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CHCCN303A: Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner

Maintain food safety while carrying out food handling activities

Contents

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Within scope of own work role, carry out food handling, preparation and storage according to organisation guidelines, legislation and licensing requirements for food safety 3

Handling food in accordance with food safety guidelines 3

Identify and remedy processes or practices which are not consistent with the guidelines according to local, state/territory legislation within scope of own work role 8

Address health conditions and/or illness that may impact on safe and healthy food handling 13

Wear clothing and footwear that is appropriate for the food handling task 15

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN303A: Reader LO 9204 © NSW DET 2010

Within scope of own work role, carry out food handling, preparation and storage according to organisation guidelines, legislation and licensing requirements for food safety

Handling food in accordance with food safety guidelines Food handling hygiene applies to everyone who prepares or handles food, whether in the home, in a school canteen or in a children’s service. There are certain rules of hygiene we have been taught by our parents or other adults which we have been strongly encouraged to follow since we were children. These common sense rules include:

• Do not pick your nose.• Wash your hands after going to the toilet.• Do not let pets share your plate of food.• Do not sneeze on food.• Bathe and change into clean clothes daily.

Simple rules such as these are known to all of us and are recommended to protect our health and wellbeing.

Food safety guidelinesAll persons involved in the handling of food have a responsibility to ensure that food is handled in accordance with the legal requirements of Food Acts, Regulations and safe food standards or codes. It is absolutely essential that all food handlers comply with the following guidelines:

• Practise the rules of good personal hygiene.• Store, transport and serve food at safe temperatures.• Practise and implement safe food handling procedures.

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCHILD401A: Reader LO 9204© NSW DET 2010

• Purchase food from reliable food suppliers.• Maintain clean premises, work areas, storage facilities and equipment.• Prevent food contamination caused by pests through the development

and maintenance of effective pest control programs.• Work in accordance with safe workplace systems.

These provide an overview of the main areas to be considered on a daily basis. By following these simple ‘rules’ at all times, the risk of causing food poisoning is greatly reduced, thus adding to the quality of care offered by your childcare services.

Activity 1

Food safety legislation Federal, State and local authorities have developed food hygiene legislation with which all food premises must comply. These laws were developed and passed to ensure that food is handled, stored, transported, offered for sale or provided for human consumption in the best possible condition. As mentioned previously, failure to comply with these laws may result in children suffering from varying degrees of illness, unnecessary food spoilage and waste, and also penalties and monetary fines.

Food Act 2003 (NSW)The NSW Food Act covers all aspects related to the handling of food and the maintenance of hygienic food premises. This Act also stipulates the role and responsibilities of the health officers appointed to enforce the requirements of the Act. Further, it outlines standard procedures to be followed, and the details pertaining to specific regulations included under the Act. Officers of government departments, as well as local government officers, enforce this Act.

The Act allows for the inspection of food premises. Inspectors are authorised health officers who may enter any food premises for the purposes of inspecting food, associated records and equipment, and taking samples, photographs or notes. You must not prevent them from entering the childcare centre’s premises or obstruct them when they are conducting authorised inspections or other duties.

The associated regulation is the NSW Food Regulation 2004, which states specific requirements for food safety. These food safety requirements are based upon the national standards for food safety, which are found in Chapter 3 of the Food Standards Code.

More recently, a new standard was developed and added to the Food Standards Code which particularly relates to Children’s Services. The standard, titled Food


Safety Programs for Vulnerable Persons, is aimed at recognising the vulnerability of children, aged persons and invalids in receiving foods for sale.

A regulatory authority called the NSW Food Authority was established in 2004 to combine the roles of Dept of Health and SafeFood NSW. The Food Authority aims to ensure food safety in all areas of food development through to the sale. They provide information for both people and organisations working in the Food Industry, as well as work towards keeping the public informed and aware.

As with all laws and regulations, there can occasionally be changes made to the requirements. It is important for staff working in food industries to keep up to date. Professional training opportunities related to food handling as well as accessing official websites and updated literature, will ensure staff follow the most current requirements and standards.

Implementing guidelines and legislationAs a food handler you should always ensure strict workplace food safety and hygiene practices are implemented, monitored and regularly evaluated. These actions will help prevent contamination, kill bacteria and prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria.

Preventing contaminationThis can be achieved through good personal hygiene, safe food handling and work practices that eliminate or at least reduce the risks of cross contamination occurring from one surface to another. Some examples of this would include correct and thorough methods of cleaning and sanitising, as well as effective pest control.

Killing bacteriaUsing calibrated thermometers to monitor and control cooking and storage temperatures can achieve this. It can also be achieved by eliminating optimum conditions that enable them to survive.

Preventing growth of food poisoning bacteriaThis can be done by ensuring consumables are kept out of the danger zone temperature range (between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius). Where this cannot be avoided, ensure that food is not kept in this range for more than two hours. The cooling of hot food must be achieved very quickly. Use accurate thermometers to check the temperature when reheating food, holding hot food, thawing food and storing cold food. When reheating food, ensure a temperature above 75 degrees


Celsius is reached, and for holding hot food, that the temperature is above 60 degrees Celsius.

Activity 2

Preparing food suitable for children’s needsThe following checklists relating to thoughtful shopping, food storage and preparation can be used for all food preparation situations whether at home or for the children at the centre. These points identify factors that could impair the nutritional value, or the quality and shelf-life of fresh food commodities in particular.

Thoughtful shopping checklist• It is important to avoid bruised and wilted food. These are often indicative

of deterioration, spoilage and loss of nutritional value.• Always check the use-by dates and do not purchase out-of-date products.• Physically inspect chilled items to ensure they are at the recommended

temperature of below 4°C. Check that frozen items are in fact frozen solid and ensure there is no evidence that items may have been thawed and then refrozen. If evidence of pink ice crystals is observed, these items should be rejected.

• Try to always use fresh produce rather than pre-prepared or highly processed convenience products.

• Try to plan menus around fresh foods in season, because when fresh produce is out of season it may be very expensive and poorer quality.

• Check food labels carefully as it is important to know exactly what you are buying —check for ingredients, amounts of additives and preservatives in processed products, and how and where they were manufactured.

Appropriate food storage checklist• In general, most fruit and vegetables should be removed from the original

packaging and stored in clean containers in refrigerated conditions, separately from uncooked foods. All other highly perishable food items should also be stored in refrigeration or freezer storage as soon as possible.

• Always store foods in the temperature range and conditions recommended for maximum shelf-life and nutritive value.

• Use food within the recommended use-by dates.• Dry goods should be stored at 10 to15 degrees Celsius in a separate, well-

ventilated area with good air circulation and no humidity, away from direct sunlight, and be regularly inspected for insect and vermin


infestation. Always store opened packets of dry produce in airtight containers.

Appropriate preparation, cooking and presentation checklist

• Overcooking food destroys many of the important nutrients. Foods that are steamed for only a short period of time retain their natural crisp texture, water-soluble vitamins and flavour—this omits the need for other flavourings, such as additional salt.

• Try to serve raw fruit and vegetables as often as possible. Make sure they are washed thoroughly before eating.

• Wash produce prior to trimming and again afterwards before cooking, but do not soak it as water-soluble vitamins will be lost.

• Cut fruit and vegetables as close to serving time as possible. If they have to be prepared ahead of time, store them in a sealed, airtight container under refrigerated temperature and conditions.

• The best way to cook vegetables is to microwave or steam them. These methods take the shortest amount of time and the food comes into contact with the least amount of water. If boiling vegetables, the remaining cooking liquid should be retained for preparing sauces or soups, thereby utilising the nutrients.

Modifying recipesIt is important that the food prepared for children is not too high in fat and is low in sugar and salt. One way to ensure this is to make modifications to the recipes we are following. This does not have to make the food any less appetising or tasty. Keep in mind, however, that cooking is a ‘science’ and that not all recipes can be modified successfully without impairing the appearance, flavour or desired texture of the finished product. There may be occasions when it would be better to substitute only one or two of these main ingredients with the alternatives which are now available in supermarkets and through commercial catering distributors. In other circumstances you may need to select an alternative preparation and/or cooking technique to produce a quality finished product.

Activity 3


Identify and remedy processes or practices which are not consistent with the guidelines according to local, state/territory legislation within scope of own work role

Identifying food spoilageFood has spoiled when it is no longer acceptable to eat. Before food reaches this point, it may be acceptable but of poorer quality than is desirable. The food has deteriorated.

We can usually tell when food has deteriorated or spoiled by our senses:

• smell—meat smells ‘off’ and becomes putrid• feel—banana or tomato becomes too mushy and soft, mushrooms are

slimy• taste—milk tastes sour• sight—apples may be bruised, broccoli is yellow when old, insects or hair

can be seen in a dish, spots of mould can be seen on bread or slime may be visible on meat.

If you know what causes deterioration, you can prevent it happening or at least slow down the process.

Causes of food spoilageCauses of food spoilage include:

• micro-organisms—bacteria, yeast or mould growing on food • chemical changes—oxidative rancidity (the breaking down of oil used for

deep frying) and self-destruction by enzymes (browning of chips once the potatoes have been peeled and cut)

• physical changes—damage from dropping a cream cake, mouse faeces in flour.

Identifying food poisoningFood poisoning may occur where food is contaminated by:

• chemicals—rat poison, insecticides, pesticides and cleaning agents• biological agents—moulds, viruses, bacteria, green potatoes, rhubarb

leaves and some mushrooms.


The main cause of food poisoning is bacteria. Bacteria need to multiply and/or produce toxins to make us sick. To do this they need the right conditions to survive, grow and increase in number. Conditions for bacterial growth include:

• nutrients—most of our food has the nutrients bacteria need to live• moisture—a relatively generous amount of moisture is required as water

is essential for bacteria to live and reproduce• time—a period of time is needed for bacteria to multiply in number to at

least 1 million cells• oxygen—most (but not all) bacteria require air to survive and grow and

are therefore aerobic• pH—bacteria grow and multiply rapidly in neutral environments

(measuring 7 on pH scale), and therefore prefer red meat, milk, white meat and fish food sources as they cannot survive in alkaline and acidic environments

• temperature—between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius (which is also referred to as the danger zone) is ideal for rapid growth.

Temperature control is the easiest and most useful method you will use to slow or stop microbes growing. Temperature is so important that the food law says highly perishable food for sale should be stored and served below 5 degrees Celsius or above 60 degrees Celsius for safety. The term ‘highly perishable food’ describes food that deteriorates or spoils easily, including fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy commodities. All food commodities are considered perishables, but fresh foods perish much faster than dry goods such as flours, cereals, spices and preserved or ‘longer-life’ foods.

Remedying spoilage and contamination

The 2–4 hour ruleHazardous food that is more susceptible to spoilage and/or contamination should be only kept in the danger zone for a minimum time. Some guidelines are:

• If food is kept in the danger zone for less that two hours, use immediately or return to the refrigerator and use promptly.

• If food is kept in the danger zone for between two to four hours, use immediately, cook thoroughly or discard straightaway.

• If food is kept in the danger zone for more than four hours, it must be discarded without delay.

The cooling of hot food should be done as rapidly as possible:

• two hours maximum to reduce internal temperature from 60 to 21 degrees Celsius


• four hours maximum to reduce internal temperature from 21 to 5 degrees Celsius.

Controlling bacterial growthControlling one or more of the ideal conditions or environment will slow or stop microbes growing. Two other techniques that can be used are:

• keeping the time for them to grow short by preparing food close to the time it is going to be served

• reducing contamination by minimising handling of food—if there are fewer micro-organisms introduced in the first place due to minimum food handling then there are not so many able to grow.

Thawing or defrosting foodWhen thawing food, ensure that the outside of the food is not in the danger zone while the food is still thawing. Thawing under refrigeration avoids this, so it is therefore recommended. Rapid thawing (such as microwaving or using running cold water) is also satisfactory.

The thawed food must be used immediately and should not be then placed in the refrigerator for later use. Frozen food that has been thawed should be used or cooked straightaway. This food should not be frozen again.

Planning for food safety There are different systems that could be considered when trying to achieve food safety. One of the most effective is to identify and list the critical steps in the food production process. By critical, we mean that if a particular step was not undertaken, food may be deemed unfit for consumption—that is, it becomes a health hazard.

Using the HACCP programThe HACCP program refers to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and it helps to identify and control likely hazards. It is important to note that HACCP can never replace hygienic and safe food handling practices.

There are seven HACCP principles to follow.


HACCP principles

Principle 1: Outline the process involved in the production of the food and conduct a hazard analysisThe first step is to list all the steps or operations from start to finish. In children’s services, the steps generally would be:

• prepare equipment and work area• assemble stored ingredients• thaw any product• cook any product• assemble the finished product• store or serve the product.


Principle 2: Identify the critical control points of the processOnce the hazard analysis has been completed, the Critical Control Points can be identified. A critical control point (CCP) is any step in the process that would result in an unacceptable health risk if it were not carried out correctly.

Principle 3: Establish the critical limits or standards for controlling each critical control pointSo far, the procedure has involved outlining the steps in the process, the likely hazards associated with the process and the point in the process that must be controlled to prevent a risk to the safety of the food. The next step is to specify or set the conditions or critical limits that are to be applied to each of the established CCPs.

Principle 4: Establish requirements for monitoring the CCPThe way to determine if the CCP is within the set limits is either by measuring or observing. Measurement includes the use of thermometer to measure if the temperature is at predetermined standards. Other measurements may be the pH level, or water activity. Observational monitoring, on the other hand, is by visual observation to see if the food meets specification and is not contaminated, mouldy, slimy or in any other way unacceptable, or you can smell or feel the food to see if it is still fit to use. All that remains is to establish the frequency of monitoring.

Principle 5: Establish correct actionOnce the CCPs, the control measures and the monitoring criteria have been established, the corrective action for out-of-limit food can be determined. This allows you to treat the food so it no longer poses a health hazard. In some cases there may be no alternative but to throw out the food. Other correct actions may simply involve recooking the food or adjusting the pH to make the food safe again.

Principle 6: Review and validate the effectiveness of the HACCP systemThe HACCP food safety table for any food has now been completed except for the maintenance of records to verify that the procedure has been followed.

Principle 7: Keep effective records that document the HACCP systemMaintenance of documentation is one of the most important aspects of the HACCP Food Safety Program. This should be carefully monitored, reviewed and evaluated by the supervisor of the food operation (ie an internal audit). A


qualified and authorised food safety auditor would then conduct an external audit of the centre’s food safety program to ensure that all procedures have been carried out correctly. Control forms that could be useful here to record data and valuable information include:

• delivery and use-by date monitoring• monitoring temperature, pH, Aw• cleaning schedule check sheets• training record sheets• visits by auditor.

While maintaining accurate and up-to-date records is often a time-consuming part of the HACCP system, it is essential. If accurate records are kept, then we can be confident that the food was processed correctly and that it is therefore safe to eat. Keeping records also ensures that the checks are actually performed and helps identify potential food safety risks and hazards.

Regular checks of the documents (internal audits) by the cook and/or supervisor of the food operation or centre manager should also be done. Problems that occur or reoccur will be noticed promptly. Any necessary changes required to eliminate the problem must be made immediately.

Activity 4

Activity 5

Activity 6

Address health conditions and/or illness that may impact on safe and healthy food handlingSafe handling of food can be compromised by a failure to wash hands properly, or by handling food during illness or with a cut which is not properly covered.

Hand washingOn quite a few previous occasions, we’ve mentioned many food-handling situations that indicate that our hands are the most common source of food


contamination. Therefore it is extremely important that when preparing food for others that we wash our hands when necessary, and do so properly!

This may sound common sense to most of us, but how often have you seen people come out of the toilets without washing their hands, let alone washing them properly?

As you would imagine, there are many situations and circumstances when you should wash your hands. Below are just a few general examples you’ll come across on a daily basis whether at home or in the workplace.

When should you wash your hands?

You need to wash your hands:

• before and after commencing work• after going to the toilet• after blowing or touching your nose• after handling raw flesh foods such as chicken, meat and fish• after touching any part of your body• after a break• after using chemicals• after handling rubbish• after cleaning• after smoking (which should not occur at a licensed children’s service).

How to wash your hands properly

• Wet hands with warm water.• Apply adequate amounts of soap.• Rub hands together in circular motion for 60 seconds (not under running

water).• Work up lather.• Be sure to get up to your wrists and between fingers.• Brush under your nails.• Rinse hands under warm running water.• Dry hands using disposable paper, hot air, or a fresh part of a roller towel.• Turn off tap with clean paper towel.

Other helpful tips to remember include:

• never taste food with your fingers or lick your finger tip to make it easier to pick up something

• do not wear nail varnish, because it can chip and flake into food and can hide dirt that must be removed before handling food.


IllnessIf you have any illness that can be transferred to others through the food that they eat then you must not prepare food for others. These illnesses include:

• diarrhoea, hepatitis A, sinus colds, vomiting, fever, or sore throat with fever

• food-borne infections such as typhoid, paratyphoid and dysentery• skin infection• eye or ear discharge• jaundice.

You must tell your employer if you have had, or are currently suffering from, a food-borne illness or any illness with similar symptoms. This is because:

• you may contaminate food• you may need medical attention• you may need a doctor’s approval before you can re-start work with food.

Cuts and broken skinCover cuts, scratches and spots with a waterproof plaster to prevent spreading bacteria to food, as well as to protect the spot or wound. Waterproof plasters should be brightly coloured so that they can be seen easily if they come off.

If you have a septic cut or weeping spot or boil, you must report this to your employer before you start work. (Remember that people are the main source of Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning bacteria.)

Wear clothing and footwear that is appropriate for the food handling taskWearing appropriate clothing and footwear when handling food can help prevent food contamination. In addition, personal hygiene is also important.

ClothesNever wear or carry outdoor clothes into a food area. They could contaminate food or surfaces, as they are likely to have been exposed to pollution, dust, airborne viruses, and possibly to animals and insects, etc. Put on a clean, freshly pressed set of protective clothing and safety footwear before entering a food area.


Protective clothing is designed to protect food from contamination and you from harm. It should be:

• suitable for the tasks you are required to undertake during the working day

• clean and in good condition• light coloured, so that dirt will show easily, prompting you to change into

clean replacement clothing• easy to clean and maintain• designed considering safety and practical purposes and comfort, and worn

appropriately to protect you (eg from hot liquids and naked flames etc).

Footwear should be comfortable, with firm, safe (preferably leather) uppers with non-slip soles and low heels.

What you need to wear will largely depend on the type of work. Typical examples include:

• overalls, jackets, aprons and trousers• hats, hair nets and neck scarves• safety shoes, boots and non-slip shoes• gloves.

Note: When working in a food preparation area, the wearing of shorts, dresses or skirts is not recommended, as these garments do not adequately protect your legs. Likewise, short sleeve tops/shirts are not recommended, as these will not protect your arms. Cotton or cotton blend fabrics are best for comfort, hygiene and laundering.

A hat or head covering must cover as much of your hair as possible. If your hair is long, it must be tied back or clipped back or even securely fastened under a hair net so it cannot hang loose outside the hat or head covering. Never brush or comb your hair in a food area.

JewelleryJewellery, including watches, should be kept to a bare minimum or removed altogether before you commence handling food. Bacteria can live on and under straps and rings. Also, gemstones and small parts can drop into food. The wearing of jewellery is also a safety issue as metals are good conductors of heat and can become quite hot and cause accidents and/or injuries in the kitchen environment. It is therefore strongly recommended that no jewellery of any kind be worn when preparing food. This also prevents loss or damage.


Personal hygieneIt is good practice to start work clean and tidy. This will play an essential part in helping to protect food from contamination. It is necessary to take a bath or shower every day for good personal hygiene. This will remove some of the bacteria that are naturally found on skin and hair, including those that live on stale perspiration and cause body odour.

Deodorants and antiperspirants can assist in preventing unpleasant body smells developing after you have washed. However, it is essential to avoid strongly scented deodorants, perfumes and other toiletries or cosmetics, as they can taint food and make the food preparation area an unpleasant environment for others to work in.

Keep fingernails short and well manicured without any nail polish. Nail polish could chip and fall into the food. At no time should nails be bitten! This usually indicates that people continually have their fingers in their mouth!

Maintain a good, nutritionally balanced diet and drink plenty of water. Also exercise regularly to ensure you are fit, healthy and have adequate energy to work in the often demanding food preparation operations. Maintain good grooming and keep your hair in a style and length that you can easily manage and work with.

Activity 7

Activity 8

Activity 9


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