Food contamination
- 38 Fruits and vegetables
- 39 Processed foods
- 40 Food allergies
- 41 Hand washing
- 42 Food contamination
- 43 Artificial ingredients
- 44 Nutritional information
- 45 Food advertising
- 46 Safe food preparation materials
- 47 Serving sizes
- 48 Special diets
- 49 Responsible food production
- 50 Food storage
- 51 Food production
- 52 Mindful eating
- P1 Food environment
- P7 Strategic Dining Design
42. Food contamination
Foods such as raw meat, fish and poultry pose an increased risk of becoming contaminated with bacteria. Microorganisms from such foods can be transmitted to other products via cutting boards and other equipment and surfaces, leading to gastrointestinal problems associated with food poisoning. To mitigate foodborne illnesses, foods must be prepared at sufficiently high temperatures and effective sanitation techniques need to be put in place to prevent or minimize the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and thus reduce the risk of contamination and transmission.
This feature requires the separation of raw foods from prepared foods in preparation and storage areas to reduce the risk of pathogen cross-contamination. Clear labeling is equally as important as it ensures healthy preparation habits.
If raw meat is prepared or stored on site, cold storage spaces contain the following:
If raw meat is prepared or stored on site, the following conditions are met:
All sinks in kitchens must:
Applicability Matrix
Core & Shell | New & Existing Buildings | New & Existing Interiors | |
---|---|---|---|
Part 1: Cold Storage | - | P | P |
Part 2: Food Preparation Separation | - | - | - |
Part 3: Residential Kitchen Sinks | - | - | - |
Commercial Kitchen | Education | Multifamily Residential | Restaurant | Retail | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 1: Cold Storage | P | - | O | - | - |
Part 2: Food Preparation Separation | P | - | - | - | - |
Part 3: Residential Kitchen Sinks | - | - | O | - | - |
Verification Methods Matrix
Letters of Assurance | Annotated Documents | On-Site Checks | |
---|---|---|---|
Part 1: Cold Storage | Architect | Spot Check | |
Part 2: Food Preparation Separation | Owner | Operations Schedule | Spot Check |
Part 3: Residential Kitchen Sinks | Visual Inspection |
42.2.b |
The Food Code requires a sink with at least 3 compartments shall be provided for manually washing, rinsing, and sanitizing equipment and utensils. |
42.2.a |
The FDA's Food Code recommends that food contact surfaces be smooth and easily cleanable. |
42.1.a |
The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland's A Survival Guide to Food recommends keeping raw meat in a separate storage space at the bottom of a refrigerator. |