Online Courses FAQs

Technical HACCP

Being aware of the finer technical details around HACCP is crucial for compliance, take a look at our FAQs below.

• Can cold kill germs?

  Germs cannot be killed by freezing but will instead be put into a hibernation-like state. This temporarily stops germs or bacteria from being active, but once food is thawed, they will return to their previous activity levels.

• Do bacteria grow well in food that is highly acidic?

  Bacteria struggles to grow in acidic conditions, with acidity below pH 4.6 being especially difficult for typical bacteria strains to grow in. Any food with a low pH level, much as citrus fruits or mayonnaise, has an environment that would be hard for bacteria to grow in.

• Does cold kill fungus?

  Fungus cannot be killed by freezing but will instead be put into a hibernation-like state. The mold spores are put into a dormant state, but once food is thawed, they will return to their previous active state.

• Does freezing food kill bacteria?

  Bacteria cannot be killed by freezing but will instead be put into a hibernation-like state. This temporarily stops germs or bacteria from being active, but once food is thawed, they will return to their previous activity levels.

• What are the critical control points in food preparation?

  Critical Control Points (CCPs) for food safety are defined as a stage at which a control measure can be applied in order to prevent or reduce the risk of introducing of a food safety hazard or risk. These vary from business to business, so you will need to create a flowchart for your business’ specific production actions to understand where these CCPs will be. This can include steps such as preparing raw meat, cooking ingredients, and defrosting food.

• What is the 4 hour rule?

  The four hour rule is a rough guide for how long fresh, potentially hazardous foods can be kept out of chilled storage within the temperature danger zone (between 63C and 5C). This rule is that if you prepare something that uses a potentially hazardous ingredient, such as those containing meat, dairy, cooked rice or pasta, etc., then it can be kept out for around four hours un-refrigerated before it’s needed to be thrown away. Food that has been left out at ambient under the 4 hour rule must never be returned to the chiller.