COURSE OVERVIEW:
Welcome to the course High-Risk Food Handling Best Practices. This course is designed to provide you with the essential knowledge and skills required to safely handle high-risk foods in any food service or food production environment. Proper handling of high-risk foods is critical in preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring the safety of consumers. Throughout this course, you will learn about the characteristics of high-risk foods, the risks associated with improper handling, and the best practices for maintaining food safety standards.
We begin with an introduction to high-risk foods, where you will learn to define what constitutes a high-risk food and understand their characteristics. This section will cover common examples of high-risk foods, such as dairy products, raw meats, and seafood, and emphasise the importance of proper handling to prevent contamination and spoilage.
Next, we delve into foodborne illnesses and contamination risks. You will explore various foodborne pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, that pose significant risks when high-risk foods are mishandled. Additionally, this section will cover the sources and types of contamination, as well as the symptoms and consequences of foodborne illnesses, highlighting the importance of vigilance in food safety practices.
Personal hygiene in food handling is crucial in preventing contamination. This section will focus on the importance of handwashing, the proper use of protective clothing, and techniques to prevent cross-contamination. You will learn the role of personal hygiene in maintaining a safe food environment and protecting consumers from potential hazards.
Temperature control and food safety are vital in preventing the growth of harmful microorganisms. You will learn about safe temperature ranges for high-risk foods, how to monitor and record temperatures accurately, and the necessary corrective actions to take when temperature deviations occur.
Proper storage of high-risk foods is essential for maintaining their safety and quality. This section will cover the correct storage temperatures and conditions, the FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory method, and how to handle expired or spoiled foods to prevent contamination and waste.
Safe thawing and preparation techniques are critical in preventing bacterial growth and ensuring food safety. You will explore approved methods for thawing frozen foods, preventing bacterial growth during preparation, and safe practices for marinating high-risk foods.
Cooking high-risk foods safely requires knowledge of minimum internal cooking temperatures and methods to verify doneness. You will learn about cooking techniques that reduce risk, ensuring that foods are cooked thoroughly to eliminate harmful pathogens.
Cooling and reheating practices are essential for maintaining the safety of high-risk foods after cooking. This section will teach you safe cooling procedures, reheating guidelines, and how to avoid the danger zone (5°C to 60°C), where bacterial growth is most likely to occur.
Preventing cross-contamination is a key aspect of food safety. You will learn about the different types of cross-contamination, safe use of cutting boards and utensils, and how to segregate high-risk foods during preparation to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
Sanitation and cleaning protocols are fundamental in maintaining a safe food environment. This section will cover effective cleaning and sanitising techniques, the importance of cleaning schedules for high-risk areas, and the use of food-safe cleaning products to ensure a hygienic kitchen.
Allergen management is an important aspect of food safety, particularly for high-risk foods. You will learn to identify common food allergens, prevent allergen cross-contact, and communicate allergen information clearly to consumers to prevent allergic reactions.
Handling raw and ready-to-eat foods requires strict separation and careful procedures to prevent contamination. This section will cover safe practices for separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, preventing contamination during preparation, and ensuring safe packaging and serving methods.
Receiving and inspecting high-risk foods is a critical step in maintaining food safety standards. You will learn the criteria for accepting food deliveries, how to inspect packaging and product quality, and the importance of proper documentation and record-keeping in ensuring the safety of the food supply.
Food safety compliance and regulations are essential for meeting legal standards and protecting public health. This section will cover relevant food safety laws and standards in Australia, meeting HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) requirements, and the importance of reporting and addressing non-compliance issues.
Finally, emergency procedures for food safety incidents provide the knowledge needed to respond effectively to food safety emergencies. You will learn how to identify and respond to food safety incidents, manage recalls and remove contaminated foods, and document incidents to prevent future occurrences.
By the end of this course, you will have a thorough understanding of the best practices for handling high-risk foods safely and effectively, ensuring that your food service or production environment meets the highest standards of food safety and quality.
Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:
1. Introduction to High-Risk Foods
- Definition and Characteristics of High-Risk Foods
- Common Examples of High-Risk Foods
- Importance of Proper Handling
2. Foodborne Illnesses and Contamination Risks
- Overview of Foodborne Pathogens
- Contamination Sources and Types
- Symptoms and Consequences of Foodborne Illnesses
3. Personal Hygiene in Food Handling
- Importance of Handwashing and Hygiene
- Proper Use of Protective Clothing
- Preventing Cross-Contamination
4. Temperature Control and Food Safety
- Safe Temperature Ranges for High-Risk Foods
- Monitoring and Recording Temperatures
- Corrective Actions for Temperature Deviations
5. Storage of High-Risk Foods
- Proper Storage Temperatures and Conditions
- FIFO (First In, First Out) Inventory Method
- Handling Expired or Spoiled Foods
6. Safe Thawing and Preparation Techniques
- Approved Methods for Thawing Frozen Foods
- Preventing Bacterial Growth During Preparation
- Safe Marinating Practices
7. Cooking High-Risk Foods Safely
- Minimum Internal Cooking Temperatures
- Verifying Doneness and Safety
- Cooking Methods that Reduce Risk
8. Cooling and Reheating Practices
- Safe Cooling Procedures for High-Risk Foods
- Reheating Guidelines to Ensure Safety
- Avoiding the Danger Zone (5°C to 60°C)
9. Cross-Contamination Prevention
- Understanding Cross-Contamination
- Safe Use of Cutting Boards and Utensils
- Segregating High-Risk Foods During Preparation
10. Sanitation and Cleaning Protocols
- Effective Cleaning and Sanitising Techniques
- Cleaning Schedules for High-Risk Areas
- Use of Food-Safe Cleaning Products
11. Allergen Management
- Identifying Common Food Allergens
- Preventing Allergen Cross-Contact
- Communicating Allergen Information to Consumers
12. Handling Raw and Ready-to-Eat Foods
- Safe Separation of Raw and Ready-to-Eat Foods
- Preventing Contamination During Preparation
- Packaging and Serving Ready-to-Eat Foods
13. Receiving and Inspecting High-Risk Foods
- Criteria for Accepting Deliveries
- Inspecting Packaging and Quality
- Documentation and Record Keeping
14. Food Safety Compliance and Regulations
- Understanding Food Safety Laws and Standards in Australia
- Meeting HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) Requirements
- Reporting and Addressing Non-Compliance
15. Emergency Procedures for Food Safety Incidents
- Identifying and Responding to Food Safety Incidents
- Recalls and Removing Contaminated Foods
- Incident Reporting and Documentation
COURSE DURATION:
The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.
COURSE DELIVERY:
Purchase and download course content.
ASSESSMENT:
A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.
CERTIFICATION:
Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.