Absorbent Has the capacity to soak up a liquid or other substance.
Acid A clear liquid that has a pH lower than 5. An example of an acidic liquid is lemon juice.
Aerobe Any organism that requires oxygen to produce energy.
Anaerobe A bacterium that does not require oxygen to produce energy. Some species are able to switch their systems between aerobic and anaerobic respiration to survive in difficult conditions.
Aquifer A geological unit that stores and transmits significant quantities of ground water under normal hydraulic conditions.
Bacillus Cereus A pathogenic micro-organism, which produces a toxin in food. If contaminated food is eaten, the onset of food poisoning is quick and generally causes vomiting.
Bacteria Single celled micro-organisms found in the environment that multiply quickly under the right conditions. Some bacteria can cause disease while other 'friendly' bacteria can help protect the body.
Bacterial Spores Small round bodies with thick walls that can survive under adverse conditions over long periods of time
Beard Snood A small net, similar to a hair net, worn to cover a beard and prevent hair from falling into food.
Best Before date A date assigned to foods with a shelf-life of two years or less. It may be safe to eat foods after the 'best before' date, but they will have lost peak flavour and nutritional qualities and attributes.
Binary fission A process of cell division by which a parent cell asexually reproduces to form two daughter cells.
Campylobacter A bacterium found in the intestines of many types of animals and the most common bacterial cause of diarrhoeal illness.
Carrier A person or animal who harbours, and may pass on, harmful bacteria, even though that person may show no signs of illness.
Chemical contamination The contamination of food by chemicals.
Cleaning The removal of dirt
Clostridium perfringens A spore-forming bacterium found in our intestines and the natural environment that may cause food poisoning if cooked food is cooled too slowly, thus allowing the germination of spores.
Contamination The unintended presence of harmful substances or bacteria in food
Control Measure Any action or activity that can be used to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
Cook To prepare food for eating by applying heat, for example boiling, baking, frying, microwaving etc.
Core temperature The temperature of the middle or thickest part of food.
Corrective Action The means by which hazards are prevented from occurring. Any action to be taken when the results of monitoring has deviated from critical Control Point.
Critical Control Point A step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. It is a step which is critical to food safety, where control can be applied and where there is an identifiable limit which separates acceptability from unacceptability
Critical Limit A criterion which separates acceptability from unacceptability
Cross Contamination The direct or indirect transfer of biological, chemical or other contaminants from raw food to other food that may cause the food to be unsafe for human consumption
Danger zone The range of temperatures between 5°C and 63°C at which most bacteria multiply rapidly.
Date marking All pre-packaged foods come with a date indication on the label. These are either 'use by' or 'best before' dates.
Detergents A purifying or cleansing substance made from chemical compounds with oil-dissolving effects, which removes grease and dirt but does not kill bacteria.
Diarrhoea Three or usually more frequent discharges of excessively fluid stools within a 24-hour period, generally caused by bacteria, parasites or viral infections such as gastroenteritis.
Direct cross-contamination Where contamination occurs when there is direct contact between the source of bacteria and the food.
Disinfectants Chemicals that reduce pathogenic microbes to safe levels but do not remove grease and dirt. Less effective in the presence of organic matter.
Dormant The stage when an organism is not developing or growing but waiting until the environment becomes suitable for growth and multiplication.
Due diligence In the example of a food business, the process by which it must be able to demonstrate that it has done everything within its power to safeguard consumer health.
Durable Long lasting, enduring.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) 0157 A pathogenic foodborne bacteria that causes gastrointestinal illness that occurs within five days of eating contaminated food.
FBO Food Business Operator
FIFO (First In First Out) A simple way of remembering how to apply good stock rotation.
Food allergy An intolerance to certain types of foods, causing the consumer to become ill after eating.
Food Any substance, usually of plant or animal origin, that can be consumed and metabolised by an organism to produce energy and stimulate growth.
Food Borne Disease A disease which is caused by consuming water or food which is infected with a micro-organism which causes illness in humans
Food Business Any undertaking, whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any or all of the following: preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transportation, distribution, handling or offering for sale or supply of foodstuffs
Food handler A proprietor, employee or any other person who works in or in connection with, a food business where food is processed, prepared, stored, distributed or exposed for sale.
Food Hygiene All measures necessary to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of foodstuffs. The measures shall include all stages after primary production (including, for example, harvesting, slaughtering and milking) during preparation processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transportation, distribution, handling and offering for sale or supply to the consumer
Food pest Any creature that lives on, or in, human food, causing damage or contamination (or both) to that food. Pests are a source of food contamination.
Food Poisoning An unpleasant illness that usually occurs within one to seventy two hours of eating contaminated or poisonous food.
Food Safety The steps taken to avoid risks to public health arising from food intended for human consumption.
Food Safety Management System A method of demonstrating the ability to control food safety hazards.
Food Safety Policy A document, which defines an organisation's commitment to food safety and which briefly outlines how food safely is managed.
Food spoilage An undesirable change in colour, flavour, odour or texture of food due to the gradual process of microbial growth, usually as a result of improper temperature controls.
Freeze The process of preserving foods by subjecting them to extreme cold, as in a freezer. This process does not kill bacteria, but slows or stops their multiplication.
Freezer burn A toughening of food (and often a change in colour) which occurs when food has been exposed in the deep freeze. Usually occurs on protein foods such as fish, meat or poultry.
Fungi Any parasitic plant that reproduces by spores and lacks chlorophyll, leaves, true stems and roots. Examples include mould, mushrooms and yeast.
Gastroenteritis An illness that causes the lining of the gastrointestinal tract to become swollen, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. Gastroenteritis is contracted by coming into contact with contaminated foods and beverages or with another person who is infected. Regular handwashing helps significantly in preventing it.
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) A system which identifies, evaluates and controls hazards, which are significant for food safety
Hazard A biological chemical or physical agent in, or condition of food with the potential to cause an adverse health affect
Hazard analysis The process of collecting and evaluating information on hazards and conditions leading to their presence to decide which are significant for food safety and therefore should be addressed in the HACCP plan.
Healthy Carrier A person who harbours pathogenic bacteria in their body and displays no symptoms
High Risk Foods Foods which support the growth of harmful and potentially harmful micro-organisms and which will not be subjected to any further heat treatment or processing which would remove or destroy such micro-organisms, prior to consumption
Immune system The system in human bodies that combats disease. Our immune systems do not work so well when we are older or ill, when we are very young. This is why it is vital to know who we are serving so that we safely plan menus and identify hazards.
Impervious Not able to be penetrated, by water, light, heat etc.
Incubation Period The length of time between the consumption of contaminated food and the onset of illness
Indirect cross-contamination The process by which bacteria are transferred from the source to the food via a vehicle.
Infective Dose The number of bacteria per gram or the quantity of toxin per gram that is required to cause infection
Listeria The harmful bacteria found in contaminated foods such as cheese, meat, seafood, milk and vegetables. Listeria causes the human illness listeriosis.
Low risk foods Foods in which the risk of bacterial multiplication is low.
Microbes (or micro-organisms) Tiny living organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi which can be seen only with the aid of a microscope. Some microbes can cause infectious disease while certain microbes can grow on food and cause food spoilage.
Microbiology The study of very small living things called micro-organisms
Microwave A method of cooking food using microwaves where heat (not the microwaves) kills the bacteria and the food cooks from the outside inwards.
Moisture content The amount of water contained in food. Bacteria and fungi thrive in moist foods.
Mould A fine and usually furry growth of microscopic fungi found on food objects and surfaces exposed to moist air.
Pathogen Any micro-organism capable of producing disease, such as certain bacteria, parasites, viruses or fungi.
Pathogenic bacteria Strains of bacteria which cause illness in humans and can be difficult to detect.
Perishable foods Foods that are easily susceptible to spoilage unless properly stored.
Personal hygiene The process of keeping the body including the hair and especially the hands clean, avoiding habits such as nose picking and nail biting, wearing clean, protective outer clothing and appropriate headgear.
Pesticide A chemical used to kill unwanted organisms, such as insects, worms or rats. Pesticides are often hazardous to humans as well, causing conditions such as nerve damage.
pH scale A scale ranging from 0 to 14 that is used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of substances. A pH of less than 7 is acidic while a pH greater than 7 is alkaline, with 7 being neutral. The human stomach has a PH value of roughly 2.
Physical contamination The contamination of food by foreign objects (anything that is found in the food that should not be there).
Potable A term most commonly associated with water, meaning the water is free of harmful germs and therefore drinkable.
Pre-requisite Programme The general hygiene and other requirements that must be met to ensure food safety
Preservation The process of preventing organic matter from spoiling or decaying, usually by refrigeration, canning or salting.
Proprietor The person who carries on the food business and includes the person, for the time being, in charge
Ready-to-eat food All food that will not be cooked (or processed) to kill bacteria. It must never come into contact with bacteria such as those found on raw meat.
Record Evidence, in written or electronic form, which demonstrates that the food safety management system is being and has been complied with
Refrigeration To make or become cold.
Resistance The natural ability of an organism to defend itself against disease.
Rinse The removal of dirt and detergent from an object.
Risk The likelihood that a hazard will cause harm.
Salmonella The bacteria found in contaminated food such as poultry, meat and eggs that causes the human illness, salmonellosis.
Sanitise To make a surface or utensil free of harmful levels of disease-causing micro-organisms or harmful contaminants, usually by wiping, scrubbing or soaking the surface in a sanitising agent, such as bleach.
Sanitisers A combined detergent and disinfectant that both removes organic matter and reduces the microbial load to acceptable levels.
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
Spoilage bacteria Bacteria which cause food to rot or perish and signs of which can be readily detected.
Spores The tiny reproductive cells of lower organisms such as fungi, algae and certain bacteria. Spores have thick walls which means they are highly resistant to heat and dehydration and capable of surviving through cooking. When conditions are right spores are capable of growing into new organisms and because of this they increase the risk of food poisoning.
Staphylococcus aureus Bacteria commonly found in ham, poultry, eggs, potato salad, cream sauces and sandwich fillings. They are found on our skin and food handlers can contaminate food during preparation. Symptoms of eating contaminated food include severe nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhoea.
Sterilant Chemical agents which kill all bacteria including bacterial spores
Susceptible groups The term for vulnerable groups in society including the elderly, the very young i.e. babies and toddlers, pregnant women and individuals who are immunocompromised.
Temperature The intensity of heat or cold of a substance, room, country or environment. In the area of cooking, temperature is usually expressed in terms of units of degrees on a thermometer.
Toxins Poisonous substances, particularly those formed by pathogenic bacteria, which are capable of causing disease when brought into contact with other living organisms. Toxins may survive high and low temperatures, salty conditions and a vacuum (absence of air) and can lead to rapid food poisoning.
Use by date A visual mark indicating to consumers the last day that food will be at peak flavour and quality. Food that is past its 'use by' date can pose a health risk.
Virus Ultra microscopic parasites of animals, plants and bacteria. Most viruses cause disease.
Zoning The separation of the various operations in the food process into different areas.