What is Food Safety and Why is It Important? (15 min)

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15 thoughts on “What is Food Safety and Why is It Important? (15 min)”

  1. Hi
    I have 2 questions on the video it says food should be refrigirated within 2 hours of cooking, does that mean I should always put it in the fridge before cooking.
    I would also like to know what is the difference between food processing and food manufacturing
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi Xoliswa,

      Please note temperature control is discussed in more detail in Module 3, Lesson 10 and Module 6 (temperature control). It means once you cooked the food it must be refrigerated within 2 hours if not consumed.

      Food manufacturing is the process of turning raw ingredients into finished food products, while food processing is a broader term that includes everything from farming and harvesting to packaging and distribution.

      Here is a link to an article for a better explanation: Difference between food manufacturing and food processing

      ASC Consultants

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    • Hi Darren,

      Yes, there is various legislation in South Africa applicable and one should also consider the legislation applicable in the country of intended sale.

      ASC Consultants

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  2. Firstly I am new here and all I can say is I’m glad I enrolled with ASC. Your learning material is so user friendly.

    Coming to my question:

    Is there any laws that govern importers from bringing unsafe foods into the country? I have noticed that there are so many doggy products coming into our country. It seems as if the law is not tight enough or law enforcers are not doing all in their power to prevent unidentified products coming through our borders.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Tholakele,

      Thank you for the compliments! Yes, there are laws in place depending on the type of product being imported. Examples are; the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No 35 of 1984), the Meat Safety Act, 2000 (Act No 40 of 2000), The Compulsory Specification for frozen fish, frozen marine molluscs and frozen products, The Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Seeds and Remedies Act 36 of 1947 intends: to provide for the registration of fertilizers, farm feeds, sterilizing plants. and certain remedies; to regulate the importation. To only mention a few.

      ASC Consultants

      Reply
    • Hi Tholakele,

      Thank you for the compliments! Yes, there are laws in place depending on the type of product being imported. Examples are; the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No 35 of 1984), the Meat Safety Act, of 2000 (Act No 40 of 2000), The Compulsory Specification for frozen fish, frozen marine molluscs and frozen products, The Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Seeds and Remedies Act 36 of 1947 intends: to provide for the registration of fertilizers, farm feeds, sterilizing plants. and certain remedies; to regulate the importation. To only mention a few.

      ASC Consultants

      Reply
  3. Food that is prepared and is still hot may take more than 2 hrs to cool down before placing in a fridge. It does also depend in what season we are? If its still hot we should place it in a fridge til cooled down?

    Reply
    • Hi Paul,

      It is vital to cool the food down to at least 21 degrees Celsius before putting it in the fridge. Hot food in a refrigerator can affect the temperature inside the refrigerator and put other food items at risk.

      Food must be cooled down to at least 21 degrees Celsius within 2 hours. If this is not achieved, the food must be reheated and cooled down again, but this should be avoided where possible.

      Possible ways to cool food down quickly is:

      1. Food can be divided into smaller portions.
      2. Where possible stir it frequently to speed up the cooling process.
      3. Keep in mind stainless steel containers can help cool down food faster than plastic containers.
      4. Some businesses use ice paddles to help cool down soups and stews.
      5. The easiest is to put the containers with food in an ice bath.

      I hope this is helpful.

      Kind regards,

      ASC Support

      Reply
    • Hi Andre,

      With reference to our telephonic support, it seems you have a weak internet connection problem in your area at the moment and cannot open any YouTube videos in this course, as well as anywhere else.
      We hope your internet connectivity issues get resolved soon. Please keep us informed if the problem persists.

      Thanks
      ASC Consultants.

      Reply

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