NUTRITION AND

DIETETICS
UNIT 2

FOOD HYGIENE AND FOOD

CONSUMPTION
 Factors that influence food consumption
 Food availability (supply or access)
 Food habits
• Geographical location
• Technological development
• Economic status
• Food preservation
• Food preparation
• Political influences
• Social environment
• prestige & social status
• Education
• Religious beliefs
• Age and maturity level
• Local availability
 Food choices
• Vegetarian diets
o Vegan (avoid animals or animal products)
o Lacto-vegetarian ( excludes meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs but they eat foods such as
yogurt, cheese, and milk).
o Ovo-vegetarian (diet excludes all animal-based foods except for eggs)
o Lacto-Ovo vegetarian (diet involves milk and eggs except for meat)
o Semi vegetarian (eat mostly plant foods but sometimes meat products)
o Pesco vegetarian (eat sea foods and shell fish)
o Macrobiotic vegetarian (eats fresh fish and seafoods)
 Food preservation or storage
• Food spoilage
• Causes of food spoilage
o Growth and activity of microorganisms
o Inappropriate temperature for a given food
o gain or loss of moisture
o Reaction with oxygen and light
o Pest
o Non enzymatic reactions in food
 Food preservation-It is the science that deals with the process of prevention of decay
or spoilage of food. Hence increasing shelf-life of food
• Principles of food preservation
o Prevention or delay of microbial decomposition
o Prevention or delay of self –decomposition of food
o Prevention of damage caused by insects, animals and mechanical causes
o Preservation also aims to retain the most of the qualities of the fresh food
• Reasons for preserving foods
• Methods of food preservation
o Drying or dehydration
o Freezing
o Salting
o Smoking
o Heating
 Food storage – is keeping food at appropriate temperatures or conditions and places
to prolong shelf- life.
• Shelf-life is the length of time a product may be stored without becoming unsuitable for use
or consumption
 • Effects of processing on food
o Cooking
o Milling
o Drying
• How to reduce nutrient loss while cooking
o Use little water
o Consume the liquid left in the pan after cooking vegetables
o Add back juices from meat
o Cook food with peels
o Cut food after cooking
o Cook vegetables for only a few minutes
o Animal source foods should be cooked within the shortest cooking time needed for safe consumption.
o Avoid the use of baking soda when cooking vegetables vitamin C will be lost
 Food poisoning -This is an acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the
stomach and intestines caused by eating food contaminated with toxic substances or
with microorganisms that generate toxins. Eg. Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella etc
• Symptoms of food poisoning – Fatigue, chills, mild fever, dizziness, headaches, upset stomach,
diarrhea and severe cramps.
• Practices to prevent food poisoning
o People known to be harboring infections should not be allowed to handle foodstuffs in the critical stages of preparation
and distribution.
o Cook foods for a sufficient length of time and at temperatures high enough to destroy the bacteria.
o Do not keep foods exposed, especially after cooking (cool and refrigerate)
o Food that has been refrigerated for a long time, should be reheated before consumption
o Keep storage, cooking and service areas clean and free from insects and rodents
o Keep perishable foods under deep-freeze or refrigerate immediately after purchase to prevent multiplication of bacteria
already present
o All bye-laws on food hygiene should be enforced
o Research to eliminate poisonous plants such as food stools which are mistaken for mushrooms
o Clean water should be used in watering plants especially those eaten raw and cooking
o Potable water must be used in food preparation
o Clean utensils must be used in food preparation
o Wholesome ingredients must be used in food preparation
o Vegetables that are eaten raw must be washed in salt solution or vinegar
o Food must be sold and bought in clean environment
o Cooks must use protective clothing such as aprons and head gears
o Wholesome foods must be bought from reliable sources
o When baying food select frozen and perishable foods last e.g fish meat
o Refrain from buying food from damaged containers that leak, bulge or severely dented
o Purchase only the amount of food needed for a week etc
o Food vendors and cooks must be screen regularly to detect for infectious disease such as tuberculosis, hepatitis and
typhoid fever
• Ways by which food contamination could be prevented
o Farm and transportation
o Market/ Purchasing of food
o Storage of food at home/industries
o Preparing of food in home/industries, restaurants and food vendors
 Personal hygiene and environmental sanitation
o Characteristics of unsafe food
 Expiring date have passed
 Color change
 Mold formation
 Bloated canned food
 Leakage on can foods
 Fish with dull eyes, loose scales, soft flesh, pale gills
 Meat that is soft and has bad spell