UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS OF FOOD ALLERGENS

Specific proteins present in some meals and capable of inducing an allergic reaction in certain individuals are known as food allergens. Upon consumption of these proteins, an individual with a food allergy experiences symptoms ranging from moderate to severe, potentially fatal illnesses, as their immune system misinterprets them and releases antibodies in response.

It impacts 4% of adults and 8% of children under five years. The worst aspect is that there is no known solution, so for some kids, the issue gets worse as they get older. Allergens and food allergies are distinct conditions, despite their common confusion. Allergies arise from a person’s reaction to environmental elements that are often harmless. These materials, referred to as allergens, are present in dust mites, pollen, insects, food, and certain prescription drugs.

In certain parts of the world, the prevalence of food allergies is rising, impacting millions of individuals, both adults and children. This rise focuses on the necessity of better preventative methods in all three domains: prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Dietary options can be significantly restricted by food allergies, which can also impact social relationships and necessitate ongoing caution to prevent potentially fatal reactions.

Understanding food allergies is important for effectively addressing the challenges associated with them and supporting individuals in managing their condition.

Types of Food Allergens

Common Food Allergens  

When the immune system of the body reacts forcefully to a specific allergenic protein or irritant, several allergic responses can happen. The main compounds that are frequently linked to food allergies and allergic reactions have been identified by Health Canada, the CFIA, several allergy societies, and the medical community.

These substances are commonly known as priority food allergens.

  • Peanuts

Peanut allergy is among the most prevalent. These are not the ones that often grow on trees. Instead, it grows underneath that belongs to the legume family, which also includes soybeans, beans, peas, and lentils. If you are allergic to one of those varieties, it does not mean you will also be allergic to another type of bean.

  • Tree Nuts

Tree nuts are another prevalent allergen that is frequently observed in both adults and children. These consist of Brazil nuts and walnuts, but the list does not end here. Furthermore, peanuts and tree nuts are not identical. They differ greatly from one another and even include various kinds of nuts.

  • Milk

Among infants and early children, milk allergy is the most frequent food allergy. It is caused by cow’s milk. This allergy affects about 2.5% of children under three years, and most get it in their first year of life.  

  • Eggs

One of the most prevalent food allergies in children is egg allergy, yet most allergic youngsters outgrow their energy gradually. Egg allergy sufferers should stay away from both egg whites and egg yolks, even though the majority of allergenic egg proteins are found in egg whites.

  • Soy

Soybean is a major cause of food allergies, particularly in infants and young children. It belongs to the legume family. This family also includes peanuts, lentils, beans, and peas. As with peanuts, having an allergy to one kind of Soy does not guarantee that you will also have an allergy to another class or type.

  • Wheat

Wheat allergy typically manifests itself before adulthood and is most common in youngsters. By the age of twelve, two-thirds of children with wheat allergy outgrow it.

  • Fish

Fish allergies typically last a lifetime. Fish allergies are most common in people to salmon, tuna, and halibut. Adults allergic to fish account for about 40% of cases of allergic reactions.

  • Shellfish

There are two groups of Shellfish: crustacea and mollusks. Out of them, crustacea causes most allergic reactions and these tend to be severe. 

Less Common Allergens

  • Sesame

A flowering plant with edible seeds is sesame. It is a common ingredient in cuisines worldwide from baked goods to sushi. Many data indicate that throughout the past 20 years, there has been a notable global increase in cases of this allergy.

  • Mustard

Common in sauces and condiments, mustard allergies can be challenging to manage.

  • Lupin

A legume used in flour and baked goods, lupin can cause allergic reactions similar to peanuts.

Cross Contamination Risks

What exactly is Cross Contact?

The term “cross-contact” describes the transfer of allergen proteins from an allergic food to a non-allergic one. Allowing cross-contact to happen carries dangerous risks. There are situations when its detrimental effects could endanger life or have grave repercussions. For individuals sensitive to allergens, a modest quantity of food allergens is sufficient to cause an allergic reaction. There is potential for cross-contamination throughout the food supply chain.

With this knowledge available, the operation becomes extremely important due to the importance of correct handling to avoid cross-contact. Unlike other food-infected varieties, cooking guarantees that allergens are removed from food, particularly when it takes only a few nibbles to cause a reaction.

What differentiates Cross Contact from Contamination?

If you’re familiar with the term “cross-contamination,” you may be wondering if “cross-contact” and “cross-contamination” are similar. Don’t be misled, though; cross-contact is a very specialized risk. Cross-contact generally solely refers to the spread of food allergies. Cross Contamination, on the other hand, includes hazards that are biological, physical, and chemical.  

Furthermore, there are differences in the effects of these two terms. While cross-contact causes allergic reactions, cross-contamination can lead to food allergy or poisoning.

How does cross-contact happen?

Cross-contamination can occasionally happen when cooking at home. It occurs when a food allergen is shared by utensils, surfaces, or equipment and comes into touch with food or an item not meant to contain that allergy. Bacteria can spread via hands as well. You can transfer bacteria to other items you touch if you don’t properly wash your hands after handling raw food.

Cross-contact happens through two methods. One is-

Direct Cross Contact

It refers to the accidental transfer of allergenic proteins from one food item to another during the making, preparing, or serving processes. It can happen when meals containing allergens come into close contact with products free of allergens, contaminating the latter. For individuals with food allergens, even a trace amount of it can trigger an immune reaction due to which severe allergic reactions can happen. It highlights the necessity of putting rigorous procedures in line to stop direct cross-contact, such as using different tools, carefully cleaning surfaces, and labeling allergenic components.

Indirect Cross Contact

It is the area of food allergies that happens when there is a transfer of allergenic proteins to allergen-free foods through shared equipment, utensils, or surfaces during the food production or preparation process. On the other hand, indirect cross-contact refers to the transfer of allergens without any direct physical contact. In this instance as well, people can experience severe allergic reactions from even minute amounts of allergens. As a result, strict precautions should be in place, such as complete cleaning, equipment separation, and other measures to reduce dangers.

What are the risks associated with cross-contact?

Cross-contact poses a significant risk for individuals with food allergens, as it involves the unintentional transfer of allergens from one surface or food item to another. It can contaminate foods free of allergens at any point throughout the food preparation, processing, or handling process. For sensitive individuals, even minute amounts of allergens can cause life-threatening allergic reactions.

The causes behind cross-contact of foods can be shared equipment, utensils, cutting boards, and utensils. Additionally, inadequate clearing practices and a lack of awareness about specific allergens can contribute to the heightened risk of cross-contact.

What are the ways by which you can stop cross-contact from happening?

Stopping cross-contact is not an impossible task. Many precautions can become vital parts of your system to manage food safety. However, knowledge and preparation are essential to achieving assurance that the food you are having is safe.

The practices you can follow when handling food can be as simple as hand washing to separating utensils, dishes, and surfaces when making and serving different food types. Not only that, though.

 

Cross Contamination caused by food-to-food

It happens when an allergen-containing food comes in contact with a non-allergen-containing food. The best way to prevent this cross-contact is to keep allergen-free food separate from others during food preparation.

Cross Contamination from food equipment

It happens when you use unsanitized equipment or other food contact surfaces to prepare allergen-free food. When utensils, cutting boards, and other surfaces that come into touch with food become contaminated, always wash and sanitise them. 

Cross Contamination by people

People can also be the reason behind the cross-contamination of food. Among the examples include handling raw meat, handling veggies, and handling other items that are ready to eat all at once without stopping to wash your hands in between. Food-wrapped apron or towel for wiping your hands after handling various meals.  

Mechanism of Allergic Reactions

  • Immune System Response

Food allergies are typically IgE-mediated reactions. The immune system creates IgE antibodies that are particular to an allergen when it comes into contact with it. These antibodies bind to mast cells and basophils, releasing histamines and other chemicals during subsequent exposures. This release causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

  • Symptoms of Allergic Reactions
  • Mild Symptoms:

Include localized reactions such as rashes, itching, and swelling. These symptoms can be bothersome but are usually manageable with antihistamines.

  • Moderate Symptoms:

These may involve gastrointestinal distress, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and skin reactions like hives.

  • Severe Symptoms:

Anaphylaxis is a severe, rapid-onset reaction that can include symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, and a drop in blood pressure. Immediate use of epinephrine and emergency medical attention are crucial for survival.

Diagnosis and Testing

  • Identifying Food Allergies
  • Medical History and Physical Examination:

A detailed history of symptoms and potential triggers, combined with a physical examination, is the first step in diagnosing food allergies.

Allergy Testing Methods

  • Skin Prick Tests:

Small amounts of allergens are introduced into the skin to observe for reactions.

  • Blood Tests:

Measure the levels of specific IgE antibodies to allergens in the blood.

  • Oral Food Challenges:

Conducted under medical supervision, this test involves ingesting the suspected allergen to confirm a diagnosis.

  • Importance of Accurate Diagnosis

Correctly diagnosing food allergies is essential to avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions and to differentiate between food allergies and intolerances, which have different management strategies. Accurate diagnosis ensures appropriate treatment and improves quality of life.

Management and Treatment

  • Avoidance Strategies
  • Reading Labels:

Always check food labels for allergen information and look for potential cross-contamination warnings.

  • Communicating with Restaurants:

Inform restaurant staff about food allergies to ensure safe meal preparation and avoid cross-contact.

  • Safe Food Preparation Practices:

Use separate utensils, cookware, and surfaces for allergen-free cooking to prevent cross-contamination.

  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Use of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors:

Carry and know how to use epinephrine auto-injectors to treat severe allergic reactions promptly.

  • Creating an Action Plan:

Develop and communicate an emergency action plan with family, friends, and caregivers, detailing steps to take during an allergic reaction.

  • Long-Term Management

Regular follow-ups with healthcare providers are essential for monitoring allergies, updating treatment plans, and managing accidental exposures. Educating oneself about allergens and keeping up with new research is a way to manage long-term health.

Impact on Lifestyle and Society

  • Psychological and Social Effects

Food allergies can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life, causing anxiety about potential reactions and limiting social interactions due to dietary restrictions. The constant vigilance required can lead to stress and social isolation.

  • Economic Costs

Managing food allergies involves medical expenses, including diagnostic tests and emergency treatments. The cost of specialized allergen-free foods can be high, and there may be additional economic impacts on productivity due to missed work or school.

  • Awareness and Advocacy

Advocacy groups play a role in increasing awareness about food allergies and influencing regulations related to food labeling. Educational efforts aim to increase public understanding and promote allergen-safe practices in various settings.

Future Directions and Research

  • Advances in Allergy Research

Current research is exploring various treatments and approaches for managing food allergies, including allergen immunotherapy and new medications. Studies on allergen desensitization aim to reduce the severity of allergic reactions over time.

  • Policy and Regulation

Legislation about food labeling is being changed to ensure more precise and lucid allergen information. Enhancing safety for people with dietary allergies through legislation is a crucial area of attention. Examples of these regulations include those that improve safety in public spaces.

IMPACT ON FOOD IN SPRING (GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR PATHOGENS TO GROW)

While spring brings the blooming of flowers and the greenery of trees, it also introduces conditions, such as an increase in temperature and humidity levels, which create a favorable environment for pathogens to thrive. Understanding how these conditions impact food safety is crucial to preventing food-related illnesses and maintaining health during this vibrant season. This article explores how food can become contaminated in spring, methods to prevent pathogen growth, and the importance of thoroughly washing vegetables. 

Environmental Conditions in Spring

Springtime is the time of year when flowers bloom and animals reproduce. During this time, the wind is cool and refreshing, and the skies are clear, resulting in a peaceful atmosphere everywhere.

Temperature Changes:

It is a period when days start to lengthen, the temperature starts rising, and nature bursts back into life. The Earth tilts closer to the sun, leading to warmer weather in the spring season. This inconsistency can challenge food storage practices, particularly in non-air-conditioned environments.

Increased Humidity:

Most of us rejoice as spring brings warmer weather. However, it also brings in a period of high humidity, which can lead to moisture accumulation on food surfaces. Food deterioration and food-related infections may arise when exposed to moisture due to the development of mold and bacteria. What is more? Certain foods may lose some of their shelf life if the temperature is not properly controlled.

Seasonal Changes in Wildlife and Plants:

The arrival of new plants and the activity of animals like insects can introduce new sources of contamination. For example, insects can carry pathogens from soil to food, while new plant growth might attract pests that can impact food safety.

Impact of Spring Conditions on Food Safety

Microbial Growth:

Microbial growth requires suitable environmental conditions, an energy source, and nourishment. The warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels in spring provide an ideal environment for bacteria. If you do not handle the food properly, pathogens can thrive in these conditions and contaminate it.

Food Storage Challenges:

Maintaining consistent temperatures is crucial for food safety. Fluctuating temperatures in spring can make it challenging to keep fresh foods at safe temperatures, increasing the risk of bacterial growth.

Food Handling Practices:

With the arrival of spring, people often spend more time outdoors, which can lead to changes in food handling practices, such as increased picnicking. It can result in higher risks of food-related illness if you do not store food at the correct temperature or do not maintain proper hygiene.

How to Prevent the Growth of Pathogens

Preventing pathogen growth during spring involves addressing the environmental factors that contribute to contamination:

Washing Veggies Thoroughly:

Washing vegetables thoroughly helps reduce the risk of contamination and supports food safety:

Rinse Under Running Water: Always rinse vegetables under cold, running water to remove dirt, bacteria, and potential pesticides. When washing leafy greens, it is best to separate and rinse each leaf one at a time.

Use a Brush for Farm Produce:

Scrub the surface of vegetables with firm skins, such as potatoes and carrots, using a vegetable brush. It removes soil and potentially trapped microbes in cracks.

Soak and rinse:

To remove any remaining dirt or bacteria, gently mix leafy greens and herbs in a water bowl while they soak. After soaking, rinse under running water for added safety.

Dry with a Clean Cloth:

After washing, pat vegetables dry with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove excess moisture, which can help prevent mold and bacterial growth.

Proper Food Storage

Store perishable foods at appropriate temperatures and ensure your refrigerator is set to 4 degree celsius or lower to maintain food safety.

Maintain Cleanliness:

Regularly clean and sanitize kitchen surfaces, utensils, and hands, especially after handling raw foods. Ensure that cutting boards and knives used for raw meats are thoroughly cleaned before being used for other food items.

Control Moisture:

Keep food dry and store it in well-sealed containers to prevent moisture from contributing to bacterial growth. Avoid washing fruits and vegetables until ready to use them to lower moisture exposure.

Monitor Environmental Conditions:

Be mindful of outdoor conditions when cooking or storing food. Use covered containers to protect food from pollen and other environmental contaminants.

Safe Handling Practices:

Use separate utensils and cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables to prevent cross-contamination. Before handling any food, always give your hands a good wash.

Spring Food Trends and Risks

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They contribute to a balanced diet and overall health. It is important to remember that postharvest rot might occur in them at different stages.

Asparagus:

High in vitamins and a great source of fiber. Risks include potential contamination with bacteria if not properly cooked or stored.

Strawberries:

Delicious and nutritious but prone to pesticide residue. Always wash thoroughly before eating.

Spinach and Leafy Greens:

You can often find them in salads and smoothies. However, they can also contain diseases like Salmonella and E. Coli. So, it is essential to clean them thoroughly and store them properly.

Radishes and Spring Onions:

Often enjoyed raw in salads. It is a must to clean them properly to remove soil and potential contaminants.

Specific Risks:

  • Leafy Greens:

These are particularly susceptible to contamination due to their large surface area. They often serve as a breeding ground for microscopic insects and are exposed to diseases related to soil and water.

  • Pesticide Residue:

Many spring fruits and vegetables contain pesticides to treat them, so thorough washing is necessary to minimize risk.

Shelf Life

Determining Freshness:

  • Perishable Foods:

Generally last a few days to a week. Check for signs of spoilage, such as off-smells or changes in texture.

  • Non-Perishables:

Include canned and dry goods. Check expiration dates and look for signs of damage or spoilage.

Storage Tips:

  • Refrigeration:

Keep perishable foods at 4 degree celsius or below. Use airtight containers to prevent spoilage.

  • Freezing:

For longer storage, freeze foods. Proper packaging helps prevent freezer burn and maintains quality.

Safe Cooking Techniques Using thermometers

How to use a food thermometer

Types of Thermometers:

Dial Read thermometer, Infrared Thermometer, Digital Instant Read Thermometer, and Pop Up Thermometer.

Correct Thermometer Use:

Insert the stem of the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the food. If the food is liquid, stir it to distribute the heat evenly before inserting the thermometer for 15-20 seconds to get an accurate temperature reading. This way, you don’t risk being sick with food-borne illness. Note- After using, wash the thermometer with soap and water and sanitize it.

Safe Temperatures:

Cook food to an internal temperature of 75 degree celsius to ensure it is safe to eat. Also, it is essential to keep or hold temperature for time frames. Some foods change color while cooking. You can check this too. Food should be cooled from 60 degree celsius to 20 degree celsius within 2 hours and from 20 degree celsius to 4 degree celsius within 4 hours. Do reheating above the original temperature for 15 seconds. If you use a freezer, whether a chest or walk-in freezer, you are keeping to minus 18 degree celsius. If you go a little lower, like minus 20 degree celsius, you can ensure that all the bacteria are killed or prevent them from contaminating the food.

Cooking Tips

Visual and Textural Cues:

  • Color Changes:

You should cook meat until they are no longer pink inside. For example, chicken should be white, and juices should run clear.

  • Texture:

Use a fork or knife to check if the meat is tender and cooked through. When it’s a fish, it should peel off easily with a fork.

Practical Advice:

  • Avoiding Under-Cooking:

Always check the internal temperature of meats and ensure they reach safe levels.

  • Resting Time:

Allow meats to rest after cooking to let juices redistribute and reach the final safe temperature.

Food Safety Myths and Facts

Debunking Myths

Food appearance and smell alone are not reliable indicators of safety; harmful bacteria may not be detectable by sight or smell. But it is false. Spoilage microorganisms can change the look, texture, flavor, or food smell. So it is easy to tell if the food has gone bad. Pathogens, on the other hand, generally don’t cause food spoilage. They are odorless and tasteless. So, you can’t tell when they contaminate the food.

Before cooking, you should wash the raw chicken

Bacteria cannot be eliminated by washing raw chicken before cooking. The chance of contracting food poisoning will rise. Using tap water to rinse raw chicken can disperse bacteria onto hands, surfaces used for food preparation, cooking appliances, and utensils. 

Fact-Based Information for Proper Cooking and Storage

  • Proper Cooking and Storage:

Focus on proper food handling, cooking, and storage, as these are essential to prevent food-related illnesses. You can’t see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that can cause sickness. So, in every stage of food preparation, you have to make sure that you are washing your hands and surfaces often, don’t let the food cross-contaminate, cook food to proper temperatures, and make sure to check it with the help of a food thermometer and when you finish having food, refrigerate the leftovers immediately. 

  • Cleaning Practices:

Regular cleaning of all items that come into contact with food, including hands, surfaces, utensils, and containers, helps prevent contamination. It will help you remove bacteria and stop the risk of food-related illnesses. 

Personal Hygiene Tips

Numerous people suffer from food-related ailments each year. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach discomfort, and fever are among the symptoms. People often heal fast and experience no long-term issues. However, fatalities and other severe consequences do occur occasionally. On the other side, understanding basic personal hygiene practices in food handling and preparation can help reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Among them is cleaning your hands.  

Importance of Hand Washing:

It’s always important to wash your hands before, during, and after preparing or touching food products, be it poultry, raw meat, seafood, or eggs. Your hands can spread germs around the kitchen and to other foods. Washing your hands can help prevent cross-contamination. 

Proper technique to wash your hands while handling food

  • Firstly, you should wet your hands with clean, running water, either warm or cold, then turn off the tap and apply soap.
  • Foam your hands by rubbing them together with soap, from the back of your hands to between your fingers and under your nails.
  • After that, scrub your hands for no less than 20 seconds.
  • Then wash your hands under running clean water.
  • Lastly, dry your hands with the help of a clean towel or let them air dry.

ENSURING FOOD SAFETY THROUGH RECEIVING AND STORING

Everyone wants to transform his/her food business into a brand. It is a tiresome, time-consuming, and lengthy process. Many things have to be done for it. Proper food storage and receiving for food safety are one of those things. All food business owners, brand managers, and servers should consider it their responsibility.

It is because you have the responsibility of safeguarding your customers’ health. Put your wealth of resources to use to receive all food items safely. What is more important is the proper food storage you receive.

Only then will your career in this industry reach the next level. This is the easiest thing you can do to transform your food business startup into a brand. Do you need help on this front? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back! We are going to tell you things you will learn in some reputed food handler certification course in Canada.

We suggest you read the complete post. It is the guide you need to achieve this incredible feat constantly and consistently. You will learn the following:

  • The basics.
  • Range of strategies and insights.
  • Resilient and affordable food safety and management procedures.

As a result, the quality of your proper food storage and receiving practices will improve significantly. The most important thing is that you will see improvement in your career or business.

The Basics of Receiving And Storing Food With Safety:

The correct understanding of basics is extremely important. You will realise it once you understand the following:

  • What is food receiving?
  • Why is food receiving important?
  • Food receiving methods.
  • Food storage practices.
  • Personal Hygiene.
  • Time and Temperature Controls.
  • Proper Use of a Thermometer.
  • Allergies and Allergens.
  • Cooking and Cooling Foods.
  • Housekeeping and Sanitation.
  • Microbiology, growth of microorganisms, and related food health concerns.
  • HACCP.

What is Food Receiving:

This administrative function involves checking of the following:

  • Food quality.
  • Food quantity.
  • The quality and capacity of the storage area.
  • Scheduling of time to receive safe, sustainable, and contamination-free food.
  • The availability of staff to ensure safe food handling and receiving.
  • The quality of food packaging.
  • Price tag check.
  • Invoice receiving procedure.
  • Inspection against the purchase order and invoice.
  • Order acceptance and rejection.
  • Completion of receiving records.
  • Remove old stock to ensure storage for new food stock.
  • Submission of daily food receiving report.
  • Cleanliness and security in the receiving location.

In simple words, food receiving is a set of activities performed to ensure that the items received from the suppliers are those that you or your food manager ordered. Regular and flawless fulfilment of the responsibilities mentioned above signifies the value of safe food handling and receiving for food brands, managers, and servers. 

It Is Important For Various Reasons:

Take a look at the list of reasons below:

  • Constant, consistent, and efficient management of inventory.
  • Sustainable food safety.
  • Operational efficiency.
  • Smart stock rotation ensures efficient inventory management.
  • Expiration date check and strategic stock purchase.
  • Waste reduction is another big reason.
  • Elevation in the standards of proper food storage, safety, and receiving.
  • Operational streamlining.
  • Increase in customers’ confidence in your products and business practices.

Every food handler certification course focuses on it.

Food Receiving Methods:

A failure to implement proper food storage, safety, and receiving protocol leads to several consequences. Take a look at the consequences below:

  • Premature food spoilage.
  • Increased risk of food-borne health hazards caused by harmful pathogens.
  • More risk of environmental issues due to harmful viruses, germs, and bacteria.
  • Increased disposal cost.
  • Reduced shelf life of food items.
  • Dent to the bottom line of your food business.

A food handler certification course can teach you about these things in detail. These are the risks your business may have to face due to the following faulty food-receiving methods:

  • Failure to fulfil specifications.
  • If products shipped by weight are watered or iced.
  • Weighing in bulk.
  • Overcharging the invoice.
  • Overcounting or overweighting the shipping.
  • Storing goods straight into food storage areas.
  • Failure to deliver food items of proper quantity and quality.
  • Invoicing food items of high quality for food items of low quality you received.
  • Delivery of food items even when normal working hours have ended.

All these things are an important part of safe food handling practices for every food business, manager, and server. We suggest you implement the following list of food receiving methods: 

  • Your delivery area must be clean, dry, and perfectly lit.
  • Your food delivery/storage area must be pest-free.
  • Don’t accept the delivery if the delivery vehicle is unhygienic and unclean.
  • See if there is any sign of pests in the food items received.
  • Try to identify if the food items ever touched each other during the transit process.
  • Use a calibrated thermometer to verify time and temperature controls for foods compliance.
  • Invoicing food items of high quality for food items of low quality you received.
  • Refrigerated food items must be delivered at
  • Deliver frozen food items must be delivered at 0°F or below.
  • See if you can find any signs of deterioration.
  • Proper food storage and packaging matter packing must be intact and functional without any tears or leakage.
  • Every food item must be labelled according to the federal and provincial government standards in Canada.
  • Double-check the expiry date of every food item.
  • Maintain security in the food receiving area.
  • Food item receivers should not be responsible for purchasing food items.
  • Schedule timings (hours) for proper food storage and food receiving.
  • Ensure the availability of adequate equipment and facilities to ensure safe food handling by your team in the receiving area.
  • Ensure the availability of advanced and safe equipment and facilities to help your team check the quality and quantity of food items received from suppliers.
  • Products marked as received should be moved from receiving to storage.
  • All delivery and sales team members should be kept out of the proper food storage area of your business.

Your food brand must follow all standard food receiving practices determined by the federal and provincial governments in Canada. 

There is something that you cannot underestimate. It is the value of your proper food storage practices. Value to practices relevant to the storage of food items before and after receiving makes the world of difference. You need to understand it as soon as possible.

What is Food Storage?

It is the process of keeping raw and finished products safe systematically in containers for some time under regulated conditions. Food business owners and brands save their foods and products in dry, refrigerated, and frozen conditions. It is important for many reasons. 

The Value of Food Storage For Safe Food Handling:

The process of food storage comes after the process of receiving food from the supplier. It plays an important role in food safety. For example: 

  • Value to this aspect is essential to preserve the quality of nutritional value of food items received/purchased.
  • The chances of food spillage prevention burst the roof.
  • It is one of the best ways to prevent food-borne illnesses and harmful bacteria.
  • The chances of cross-contamination of food items are reduced.
  • Safe food handling practices implemented to ensure food storage helps maintain the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of food items.
  • You get a chance to save a lot of money that goes into buying food items. It is because you know the art of storing food safely for a long period.

Safe Food Storage Practices:

Apply these practices to ensure effective food storage. You need to follow some food storage practices. The implementation of these storage practices will grow your business to the next level. Your career as a food handler will also climb the success ladder. Take a look below:

  • Value the application of time and temperature controls for food to keep food items fresh for a long period.
  • Take special care of high-risk food items like raw & cooked meat, dairy products, eggs, small goods, seafood, cooked rice, pasta, prepared salads, prepared fruit salads, ready-to-eat foods.
  • Store hot and cold foods separate.
  • Keep frozen foods cold using insulated cooler bags or ice-packs.
  • Freeze chilled foods immediately in a refrigerator.
  • Never refrigerate hot foods immediately. Wait for the steam from hot foods to stop.
  • Store raw foods separately from cooked foods.
  • Don’t refreeze thawed food.
  • Choose tightly lid, non-toxic, clean and air tight containers for proper food storage.
  • Keep your food storage location, pantry and refrigerator clean and organised.
  • Learn the time to throw food items.
  • Label and date all your food items.
  • Implement the FIFO (FIrst In, First Out) rule.
  • Store foods properly in shelves, refrigerators and bags.

Personal Hygiene:

Personal hygiene is of the utmost importance to ensure food safety. The implementation of relevant practices ensures several things. The list includes but is not limited to the following:

Cleanliness of the entire staff of food manufacturing, production, packaging units, kitchens, hotels, eateries, schools, daycares, and motels. 

Their health remains good. As a result, the food they touch, cook, store, handle or serve to customers is free of germs, viruses, pathogens, chemicals, harmful bacteria and contaminants. 

The food they  touch, cook, store, handle or serve to customers is safe for consumption. 

There is no health hazard associated with the food. 

The business of food brands, hotels, eateries, and motels boards the growth flight. 

The career of a food handler climbs the success ladder. 

Improvement in your reputation among your customers and target audience. 

The prevention of food-borne illnesses among employees and customers becomes a cakewalk. 

Legal compliance with relevant federal and provincial regulations gets easy. 

The morale of your entire staff reaches the next level as they work in a safe and healthy environment. 

Business growth, contribution to the wellness of communities, cost savings and customer satisfaction are some more reasons for food brands, food business owners and industry professionals to value personal hygiene so much.

  • Time and Temperature Controls
  • Proper Use of a Thermometer
  • Allergies and Allergens
  • Cooking and Cooling Foods
  • Housekeeping and Sanitation
  • Microbiology, growth of microorganisms, and related food health concerns
  • HACCP

The implementation of these food storage practices will help you ensure food safety for your customers. It will add value to the reputation of your business. Your business will be in the good books of your customers.

Food managers and servers can use safe food handling practices to climb the growth ladder in their careers.

FOOD ALLERGENS RISKS

Food allergies and allergens impact millions of Canadians every year. According to the statistics and reports, more than 3 million Canadians have at least one food allergy. Additionally, almost six hundred thousand children below 18 years of age in Canada have food-related allergies. The Food Allergy Canada Report confirms that every second Canadian family reports a case of food allergy.

Food allergies and allergens are two different concepts. These two concepts represent several serious and prove the importance of safe food handling. Understanding the difference between the two concepts is important to ensure safety. 

What is Food Allergy?

Food Allergy is a medical condition. The body refuses to accept certain foods. It is a harmful immune response that a body triggers from exposure to certain foods. The body’s immunity system attacks harmless proteins available in the foods. The proteins attacked by the body’s immunity trigger allergens. 

What Is Food Allergen?

Food allergen is a substance known for triggering abnormal immune responses. As a result, the immune system mistakenly attacks harmless food proteins. For that reason, the immune system considers those proteins a threat to the body. Therefore, your body produces various chemicals like histamine to safeguard your body.         

More than 170 foods have been included in the category of food allergens. Health Canada (HC), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and other medical agencies have put eggs, milk, mustard, peanuts, crustaceans and mollusks, fish, sesame seeds, soy, sulfites, tree nuts, wheat, and triticale in the list of priority food allergens.

Let’s Talk About Eggs First:

Eggs are home to allergens. Allergens are easily found in egg white and egg yolk. Egg Allergy is considered IgE-mediated. Most individuals develop antigen-specific IgE after exposure to eggs. Genetic spread can also be a reason for this problem. Therefore, children below five years of age suffer egg allergies.

Some children outgrow this problem as they age. For those who don’t, egg allergies become a lifelong condition.

  • How To Know About Eggs In Some Products?

Eggs are an essential part of almost every food or recipe in the world. Therefore, read food labels carefully and deeply every time you buy food from the market. Don’t spend your money to buy a product that doesn’t have an ingredient list. Avoid purchasing products displaying a precautionary statement like “May contain Eggs/Contains Eggs’. It could be possible when you know some other names of eggs. Pay attention to safe food handling practices of workers at the manufacturing unit, shared production & packaging unit, retails, domestic cooks, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.

  • What Are Some Other Names of Eggs:

Some brands use words like albumin, albumen, conalbumin, globulin, livetin, lysozyme, ovo, ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovotransferrin, silici-albuminate, and vitellin on their product labels or ingredients list. No brand or food business is allowed to use these names without the use of the word “Egg” on their product labels. Always pay attention to cross-contamination of foods. Such a problem occurs in shared food manufacturing, production, and packaging units. Retails through shared equipment also display signs of cross-contamination of foods through bins of baked foods and baking mixes. Kitchens at home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries are also not untouched by this problem. 

  • What Foods Contain Eggs?

Eggs are an essential part of many food recipes. The list includes but is not limited to surimi/Kamaboko, sausage (Béarnaise, hollandaise, Newburg, tartar), salad dressings, quiche dressings, souffle, all types of pasta, egg noodles, nougats, marzipan candies, meat products that contain fillers (meatballs and meatloaf), mayonnaise, imitation meats, lecithin, fat replacers (Simplesse), egg and fat substitute, creamy desserts (Custards, meringues, and puddings), battered and fried foods/products and baked goods, bread and baking mixes. 

  • The List of Egg Foods:

Many foods and beverages like Alcoholic cocktails, drinks (eggnog and whiskey sours), Fish mixtures (surimi is commonly used in imitation crab and lobster), foam and milk toppings used on coffee, Homemade root beer mixes, malt-drink mixes, icing, glazes, Meat products with fillers (pre-prepared hamburger patties, hotdogs, meatballs, meatloaf, and cold cuts) broths and bouillons, and soups are a rich source of egg and chicken protein. Even Craft materials, Hair-care products, Medications, and some vaccines containing eggs are non-food sources of eggs.

Why Is Milk a Priority Allergen In Canada?

Milk food allergies and allergens can be life-threatening. This is the reason milk is a priority food allergen in Canada. The abnormal reaction of your immune system to milk products is the reason for it.

Many people are lactose intolerant. Their body struggles to digest a particular milk component. The inability of your body to produce a specific that breaks down lactose. Those who are lactose intolerant display symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea after milk ingestion. It is not considered an allergy. It is not life-threatening. However, you must see an allergist if you are unsure whether you have a milk allergy or lactose intolerance. His/her wealth of experience and knowledge will help you get well soon.

The source of milk may or may not make any difference. It depends on your allergy type and level. The type of proteins found in cow’s milk resemble proteins found in the milk of buffalo, deer, goats, and sheep. Therefore, we suggest you see an experienced allergist before you consume products manufactured using goat/sheep/buffalo and deer milk.

The product size hardly matters! But the brand name matters! This is because all brands manufacture their milk products using different formulations.

Therefore, the quality and nature of ingredients included in it also matter a lot. You must understand this to avoid food allergies and allergens from milk products. 

It could be possible when you know the following:

  • Some more names of milk.
  • Sources of milk (Common, other, and non-milk sources).
  • Food and products manufactured using milk.
  • Ingredients without milk protein.

Some More Names of Milk:

This natural food is known by many other names like Beta-lactoglobulin, Casein, rennet casein, Caseinate (ammonium caseinate, calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate, and sodium caseinate), Delactosed or demineralized whey, Hydrolyzed casein, Lactalbumin and lactalbumin phosphate, Lactoferrin, lactoglobulin, and Whey and whey protein concentrate.

Sources Of Milk (Common, Other, And Non-Milk Sources):

Things like butter, buttermilk, cheese, curds, cream, ice cream, ghee and butter fat, kefir (milk drink), kumiss (fermented milk drink), sour cream, and yogurt are some common sources of milk.  

Things like Canned tuna (Seasoned or mixed with other ingredients for flavor), candy, fruit, and granola bars (That contain caramel or chocolate), flavored coffee, coffee whitener, non-dairy creamer, french fries (Made using mashed potatoes or a mixture of potatoes), hot dogs, deli, processed meats, nougats, seasoned chips (Sour cream and onion), waxes applied on fresh fruits and vegetables), are other sources of milk. 

Cosmetic products, medications, and pet foods are non-food sources of milk.

Calcium/sodium lactate, calcium/sodium stearoyl lactylate, cocoa butter, tartar cream, and oleoresin are some ingredients that don’t contain milk. 

Food And Products Manufactured Using Milk:

Milk is used to manufacture many foods and products like Infant baby cereals, infant formula, follow-up formula, nutrition supplements for toddlers and children, artificial butter, butter flavor or butter oil, dark chocolate, baked goods (including some types of bread), and baking mixes, battered and fried foods, broth and bouillons, caramel coloring, caramel flavoring, casseroles, frozen prepared foods, cereals, cookies, crackers, chocolate bars, desserts (Custards, frozen yogurts, ice creams, and puddings), dips, salad dressings, egg and fat substitutes, fat replacers (Opta™ and Simplesse®), glazes, gravies, sauces, high-protein flour, malt-drink mixes, margarine, pâtés, pizza, potatoes (Mashed, scalloped and instant potatoes), seasonings, soups, soup mixes, cream soups, and soy cheese.

How to Identify The Presence of Milk In Products You Buy?

There are certain ways for it. You can use these methods to identify the presence of milk in the products you want to buy or eat. For example: 

  • Value information printed on labels before buying any product.
  • Stay away from food products without an ingredient list.
  • Don’t buy anything that shows warning statements like “May contain Milk/Contain Milk”.
  • Check the quality of safe food handling practices of workers at the milk product manufacturing unit, shared production & packaging unit, retail stores, family members, cooks, chefs, and handlers at daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.
  • Pay special attention to cross-contamination of milk products. It commonly happens at milk product manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.

How Can We Keep Mustard Out Of The List?

The government of Canada has included mustard in its list of food allergens. Mustard hails from the Brassicaceae family. Canola is also a part of the same family.

Canadian oil, low (erucic) acid (Canola), refers to the quality of seed oils. The production of this oil is possible with Canola seeds and Canola-quality mustard seeds. Canola is a highly refined oil. There is hardly any presence of high proteins in this oil.

Refined canola oil is not life-threatening for people with mustard-oil allergies. On the other hand, cold-pressed Canola oil can be life-threatening for people with mustard allergy. This is because cold-pressed canola oil is not highly refined. What is more important is that it contains residual protein.

There are multiple varieties of Brassica napus and Brassica rapa. All types of edible oils obtained from their seeds are sold as rapeseed oil in some countries.  Highly refined rapeseed oils are not life-threatening for those who are allergic to mustard.

Buy cold-pressed rapeseed oils that are not highly processed and contain high amounts of residual protein. For this reason, it can be life-threatening if you are allergic to mustard.

Plant-based foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, turnip, and canola should also be avoided if you are allergic to mustard. Their seeds contain a very high amount of residual protein and are not refined. Therefore, avoid seeds and sprouted seeds of plants that belong to this Brassicaceae family.

The size of the products doesn’t matter. What matters the most is the list of ingredients and safe food handling practices used to manufacture the product.

  • Read labels before buying any product.
  • Stay away from food products without an ingredient list.
  • Don’t buy anything that shows warning statements like “May or may not contain Mustard oil/Cold-pressed Canola, Brassicaceae family plant seeds/sprouted seeds”.
  • Check the quality of safe food handling practices of workers at the mustard product manufacturing unit, shared production & packaging unit, retail stores, family members, cooks, chefs, and handlers at daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.
  • Pay special attention to cross-contamination of mustard products. It commonly happens at mustard product manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.

It will be possible once you know the following:

  • The list of mustard-rich foods and products.
  • Sources of mustard.
  • The List Of Mustard-Rich Foods And Products:

Foods or products like condiments, salad dressings (vinaigrettes and crudités), spices, flavouring or seasoning, sauces (Barbecue, curry, Cumberland, ketchup, tomato sauces, béarnaises, mayonnaises, pesto, vinaigrettes, gravies, marinades), curries, chutneys, pickles, pickled products, vegetables using vinegar, dehydrated soups, processed meat (Sausages, salami etc.), hamburgers/steakettes, many fast food products, and potato salad are mustard-rich foods and products.  

  • Sources Of Mustard:

Some appetizers, dehydrated mashed potatoes, baby/toddler prepackaged food, and sprouted seeds are some rich sources of mustard.

What Makes Peanuts A Priority Allergen in Canada?

Many people love to eat peanuts. Many food brands in Canada include peanuts in their product formulation. The government of Canada has put peanuts on its list of top-priority food allergies and allergens for several reasons.

  • Some peanut allergies can be lifelong.
  • Peanuts are a complex plant food.
  • Peanuts are protein-rich. More than thirty different types of proteins are found in peanuts.
  • The list of proteins that trigger allergic reactions is still not known.
  • Breathing in particles of protein found in peanuts may cause allergic reactions.
  • The lack of early childhood exposure to peanuts is increasing the cases of peanut allergy.
  • Even a small amount of peanuts is enough to trigger health issues.
  • High amounts of proteins in cold-pressed peanut oils can trigger mild or severe allergic reactions.
  • Cold-pressed oils used to cook peanuts also cause an allergic reaction.
  • Proteins in peanut oils and products cannot be removed through heating.

Highly refined peanut oils don’t trigger allergic reactions. This is because the refining process reduces the amount of protein in the oils. In some cases, the refining process removes the presence of proteins from the oils. 

Knowledge about the process of identifying the presence of peanuts in products or foods can help you purchase appropriate peanut oil or products. It could be easy if you have appropriate knowledge about the following:

  • Some more names of peanuts.
  • Products or foods that contain peanuts.
  • Food sources of peanuts.
  • Non-food sources of peanuts.
  • How to identify the presence of peanuts in food products.
  • Is there any connection between Lupin and Peanut allergy?

Some More Names Of Peanuts:

Arachis oil, beer nuts, goober nuts, goober peas, ground nuts, kernels, mandalas, Nu-Nuts™, nut meats, and valencias are some more names of peanuts. Some food brands use these names for their products. 

The use of the word peanut is mandatory for them on their label. The mention of a complete list of ingredients, food allergens, gluten sources, and added sulfites on their product labeling is also mandatory for all food brands in Canada.

Products Or Foods That Contain Peanuts:

Many Asian, Thai,  Indonesian, Vietnamese, Indian, and Chinese foods and products contain peanuts. Foods like satay, curries,   crushed peanuts as a topping, spring rolls, Szechuan sauce, and egg rolls contain peanuts. 

Food Sources Of Peanuts:

Food brands commonly include peanuts in almond & hazelnut paste, marzipan, nougat, baked goods, chilli, cereals, desserts, Dried salad dressings, soup mixes, icing, glazes, snack foods, trail mixes, and vegetarian meat substitutes. These are some food sources of peanuts. 

Non-Food Sources Of Peanuts:

Stuffing in toys, Mushroom growing medium, Craft materials, medications, vitamins, cosmetics, sunscreens, ant baits, bird feed, mouse traps, pet food, and bedding are some non-food sources of peanuts. 

How To Identify The Presence Of Peanuts In Food Products.

Look for alternative names for peanuts on the product labels. These alternative names have been mentioned earlier. 

You must read product labels deeply and carefully every time you go shopping. Remember, all brands must display warning signs or statements like “May Contain Peanuts or lupin/ Contains Peanuts or lupins” to help consumers make the right decision. 

Avoid spending your money on eating or buying foods or products that mention all the names of peanuts given above. 

Don’t buy or eat peanut products or foods that don’t have the list of ingredients on their label. 

Don’t ignore cross-contamination of peanut products and foods at shared food manufacturing, production, and packaging units. Retail stores, kitchens at home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries also face the problem of peanut food and product cross-contamination. 

The size of the peanut product does not matter at all. Even a small amount of peanuts in any product is enough to trigger allergic reactions. 

Is There Any Connection Between Lupin And Peanut Allergy?

Lupin and peanuts belong to the same plant family. Therefore, peanut-allergic individuals may react to lupin.

A high risk of clinical cross-reaction with lupin among peanut-allergic individuals is usually higher than other legumes. Most peanuts allergic individuals report lupin allergic reactions. 

Some Canadian foods and products contain lupin flour and other lupin ingredients. Their presence is mentioned in the ingredients list.  

Crustaceans And Mollusks Are Also A Food Allergen:

Crustaceans are aquatic creatures. They don’t have backbones. Jointed legs and hard shells are also their specialties. Crabs, crayfish, lobsters, prawns, and shrimps are crustaceans people love to eat in Canada.

Mollusks are freshwater and marine environment creatures with a hinged two-part shell. Clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, octopuses, snails, Abalone, clam, cockle, conch, limpets, periwinkle, quahaugs, shellfish, and squids are mollusks commonly eaten in Canada.

These seafoods are on the list of priority food allergens of Health Canada. These two types of seafood easily trigger allergies among adults. For this reason, more adults are allergic to crustaceans and mollusks than young children. 

You can keep the trouble at bay with attention to the following points:

Those who are allergic to one type of seafood may not be allergic to other seafood. For example, some people eat and digest fish without any trouble. But seafood like crabs and lobsters put their health in danger. Exceptional cases in the form of people allergic to both types of seafood are also present. 

You do not need to eat crustaceans and mollusks to experience allergic reactions. Even cooking vapors and dishes used to present crustaceans and mollusks can also trigger allergic reactions. These cooking vapors and dishes contain proteins that trigger allergic reactions. 

Tips To Know The Presence of Crustaceans and Mollusks In Foods And Products:

There are various methods to know about the presence of crustaceans and mollusks in your foods and products. For example:

  • Reading the product/food label carefully and deeply is always a good idea.
  • The products or foods you purchase must contain warning statements like “May Contain Crustaceans and Mollusks/ Contains Crustaceans and Mollusks ” to help you make the right decision.
  • Look for alternative names for peanuts on the product labels. These alternative names have been mentioned earlier.
  • You must read product labels deeply and carefully every time you go shopping. Remember, all brands must display warning signs or statements like “May Contain Peanuts or lupin/ Contains Peanuts or lupins” to help consumers make the right decision.
  • Avoid spending your money on eating or buying foods or products that mention all the names of peanuts given above.
  • Never buy products or foods that don’t have the list of ingredients on their label.
  • Pay attention to the cross-contamination of crustaceans and mollusks at the shared food manufacturing, production, and packaging units. Fish counters at retail stores where crustaceans and mollusks are displayed side-by-side also become reasons for cross-contamination.
  • Kitchens, schools, daycares, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries are also not untouched by this problem.
  • All workers at the shared food manufacturing, production, and packaging units, retail stores, Kitchens, schools, daycares, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries must have completed their food handler certification course.
  • As far as the food package or product size is concerned, it does not matter. Even a small amount of crustaceans and mollusks can trigger allergic reactions.

It will help you make the right decision once you know the sources of crustaceans and mollusks and foods and products that contain elements of these two seafoods. 

Foods And Products That Contain Crustaceans And Mollusks:

Many food combinations, garnishings, and products contain crustaceans and mollusks. The list includes but is not limited to the following:

  • Fried Rice, Paella, and Spring Rolls (Food combinations).
  • Antipasto, caponata (Garnishing).
  • Alle Vongole, Marinara, oyster Sauce, fried foods, and sushi (products).

Sources of Crustaceans And Mollusks:

Fried foods (from contaminated frying oils)., dips, and spreads are rich sources of Crustaceans And Mollusks.

Non-Food Sources Of Crustaceans And Mollusks:

Compost, fertilizers, lip balms, lip glosses, pet foods, and pet beddings are non-food sources of crustaceans and mollusks.

You must consult an experienced local allergist before eating crustaceans and mollusks.

Fish:

Fish is a dietary staple in several parts of the world. North American countries record many fish allergy cases every year. Such cases are common among Canadian adults and young children. For this reason, those who are allergic to this seafood need to understand a couple of things. For example: 

  • Fish is on the priority food allergens list of the Canadian government.
  • Fish oil supplements available in the market are highly refined. The refining process removes all the proteins from the fish that trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, you may not need to avoid fish oil supplements.
  • Those who are allergic to fish may or may not be allergic to crustaceans and mollusks. It depends from person to person.
  • Some people may be allergic to one type of fish. However, they may be able to eat other types of fish without experiencing any health hazards.
  • Exposure to fish proteins carried in cooking vapors and on dishes used to present fish foods can make you allergic to fish. You don’t need to eat fish for it. Many such cases have come to light recently.
  • The size of fish food or fish products does not matter at all. What matters the most is the formulation of your fish food or product. Every fish food or product has a different formulation.

The Difference Between Fish Allergy And Histamine Poisoning:

Allergy to fish protein makes an allergic person’s immune system react abnormally. It could be life-threatening. Fish allergies and histamine poisoning/scombroid poisoning are two different issues despite the similarity between their symptoms.

Histamine/scombroid poisoning happens when some species of fish (such as anchovies, mackerel, mahi-mahi, and tuna) are not handled with proper care and safety during the cooking, heating, storage, packaging, and processing. The fish gets decomposed as a result.  The consumption of histamine in high doses is toxic to everyone.

Types Of Fishes Commonly Eaten In Canada:

Fishes like anchovy, basa, bass, bluefish, bream, carp, catfish (channel cat, mudcat), char, chub, cisco, cod, eel, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake, halibut, herring, mackerel, mahi-mahi, marlin, monkfish (angler fish, lotte), orange roughy, perch, pickerel (dore, walleye), pike, plaice, pollock, pompano, porgy, rockfish, salmon, sardine, shark, smelt, snapper, sole, sturgeon, swordfish, tilapia (St. Peter’s fish), trout, tuna (albacore, bonito), turbot, white fish, and whiting are food for many Canadians. 

Some Fish Derivatives In Canada:

  • Caviar and Roe (Unfertilized fish eggs).
  • Kamaboko (Imitation crab and lobster meat prepared from fish).
  • Surimi (A fish used for making imitation crab and lobster meat).
  • Sushi and Tarama (Salted Carp Roe).

Foods and Products That Contain Fish:

Food combinations Fried rice, paella, and spring rolls from rolls or sauce, garnishings (Antipasto, caponata), gelatin, marshmallows, pizza toppings, Salad dressings, Sauces (Marinara/Puttanesca, Nuoc Mâm, and Worcestershire), spreads (Taramasalata), Surimi/Kamaboko and Sushi are some common foods and products in Canada that contain fish.

Even deli meats, hot dogs (from gelatin), dips, spreads, and fried foods (from contaminated frying oil) contain fish.

Non-Food Sources Of Fish:

Compost, fertilizers, Fish foods, Lip balms, lip glosses, Pet food, and pet beddings are some non-food sources of fish. 

Measures To Identify The Presence of Fish In Food And Products:

There are some ways to identify the presence of fish in your food or product. 

  • Read the food menu carefully every time you eat at a restaurant/hotel/motel or an eatery.
  • Read the food label carefully and deeply.
  • Never purchase fish foods or fish products without a list of ingredients.
  • Avoid purchasing fish or fish products that convey warning statements like “May contain fish/fish oil or Not for individuals with fish/histamine allergy’.
  • Pay attention to the quality of safe food handling practices of the staff at manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Implements.
  • Take cross-contamination of fish, fish foods, and fish products seriously. Such a problem is common in manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.
  • Take cross-contamination of fish, fish foods, and fish products seriously. Such a problem is common in manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.

Seeking professional advice from a local experienced allergist is always a good idea if you are allergic to fish and are thinking about eating fish, fish foods, or fish products. 

Sesame Seeds Are Also On Priority Food Allergen List

Benne, benne seed, benniseed, gingelly, gingelly oil, seeds, sesamol, sesamolina, sesamum indicum, sim, til, and tahini (sesame paste) are some more names of this priority food allergens list of Health Canada. 

Foods and products like Bread (Hamburger buns, multi-grains), bread crumbs and sticks, cereals, crackers, melba toast and muesli, dips and spreads (Hummus, and chutney), food combinations (Flavoured rice, noodles, shish kebabs, stews and stir-fries), sesame oil, sesame salt (gomasio), tahini, tempeh, vegetarian burgers, snack bars (protein bars, granola bars) are made using sesame seeds. 

Several baked goods, dressings, gravies, marinades, salads, sauces, soups, herbs, seasonings, flavourings, spices, vegetable pâtés, snack foods (Crackers, sesame snap bars, granola bars), and vegetable oil (may contain sesame oil) are some usual food sources of sesame seeds. 

On the other hand, adhesive bandages, cosmetics, hair care products, perfumes, soaps and sunscreens, drugs, fungicides, insecticides, lubricants, ointments and topical oils, pet foods, sesame meal (Poultry and livestock feed) are some non-food sources of sesame seeds.

Steps To Identify Sesame Seeds In Your Foods And Products:

Everyone has full rights to lead a healthy life. Those who are allergic to sesame seeds also have the right to a healthy life. Even you have this right! You can exercise this right by implementing the following measures: 

  • Pay attention to the food menu of restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries while ordering food.
  • Never ignore the label of the food or product you want to purchase. Always read it! Read it carefully!
  • Stay away if you see a warning statement like “May Contain/Contains Sesame or Sesame Seeds” on the label of the food and food product you are purchasing.
  • Notice the quality of safe food handling practices of the workers of sesame seeds/foods/products manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Implements.
  • Cross-contamination of sesame seeds/foods and products is a common problem in manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Always take it extremely seriously to safeguard your health!
  • Stay away if their staff has not completed a food handler certification course.
  • The size of food products manufactured using sesame seeds does not matter. The only thing that matters is the formulation of the food or product you are purchasing. Another thing that matters is the quality and level of your immune system to prevent allergic reactions.

Health Canada Has Declared Soy A Priority Food Allergen:

Soy is one of the biggest reasons for food allergies among infants in Canada. Most children outgrow this allergy by 10 years of age. However, some have to live their entire life with soy allergy. 

Foods And Products That Contain Soy:

Soybean sprouts, bread crumbs, cereals and crackers, breaded foods, hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP) and hydrolyzed vegetable, protein (HVP), Imitation dairy food, infant formula, follow-up formula, nutrition supplements for toddlers and children, meal replacements, meat products with fillers (Burgers and prepared ground meat products), Mexican foods (Chili, taco fillings and tamales), miso, nutrition supplements, sauces (Soy, shoyu, tamari, teriyaki, Worcestershire), simulated fish and meat products (Surimi, imitation bacon bits, vegetarian burgers) stews, e.g., in gravies, tempeh, and vegetarian dishes are foods and products that are prepared using soy. 

Food Based Sources Of Soy:

Foods and products like baked goods, baking mixes, beverage mixes (Hot chocolate and lemonade), canned tuna and minced hams (Seasoned or mixed with other ingredients for flavor), chewing gum, cooking spray, margarine, vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, dressings, gravies marinade, frozen desserts, milled corn, meat products with fillers, for example, prepared hamburger patties, hotdogs, cold cuts, seafood-based products, fish, seasoning, spices, snack foods (Soy nuts), soups, broths, soup mixes, stocks, soy pasta, spreads, dips, mayonnaise, peanut butter, thickening agents, and mono-diglyceride are some usual food-based sources of soy. 

Non-Food Based Sources Of Soy:

Cosmetics, soaps, craft materials, glycerine, milk substitutes for young animals, pet foods, pet beddings, and vitamins are non-food-based sources of soy. 

Steps To Identify Sesame Seeds In Your Foods And Products:

The government of Canada wants everyone to enjoy a healthy life. Therefore, Health Canada suggests you visit your local certified and experienced allergist before consuming soy foods and products. 

At the same time, we suggest you implement the following measures also:

  • Take a good look at the food menu of restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries while ordering food.
  • Read the label of the food or product you want to purchase. Read it fully and carefully!
  • Stay away if there is a warning statement like “May Contain/Contains Soy” on the label of the food and food product you want to purchase.
  • Pay full attention to the quality of safe food handling practices of the staff of soy foods/products manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Implements.
  • Cross-contamination is another thing you must pay attention to. Never ignore it at any cost. It is a common problem in soy food and products manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, your home, daycares, schools, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Always report it to the concerned authorities immediately.
  • Don’t purchase if their staff has not completed a food handler certification course.
  • The size of food products manufactured using soy has no value. Only the food or product formulation matters.

Sulfites Are Also A Priority Allergens:

Sulfites are also on the list of priority food allergies and allergens in Canada. But why? You will understand it once you know the following: 

What Are Sulphites?

Sulfites, also known as Sulphites, are a substance. Sulfites occur in some plants and human bodies naturally. Sulfites are regulated food additives used for the following purposes:

  • To maintain food color.
  • To prolong the shelf-life of foods and products.
  • To prevent the growth of microorganisms.
  • To maintain the potency of certain medications.
  • To bleach food starches like potatoes.
  • To produce some food packaging materials like cellophane.

Can Sulphites Be Added To Foods In Canada?

Yes, sulphites can be added to foods in Canada. The types of sulphites that be added to foods in Canada are mentioned below:

  • Potassium bisulphite.
  • Potassium metabisulphite.
  • Sodium bisulphite.
  • Sodium dithionite.
  • Sodium metabisulphite.
  • Sodium sulphite.
  • Sulphur dioxide.
  • Sulphurous acid.

Alternatively, food brands or food business owners in Canada can declare the presence of Sulphites in their foods or products using sulfites, sulphites, sulfiting agents, or sulphiting agents.

Are Sulphites Safe For Consumption?

The consumption of sulfites is safe. However, some sulfites-allergic people may experience problematic symptoms like anaphylaxis and asthma. 

Some More Names of Sulphites:

Many food business owners and food brands have used alternative names for sulphites on the label of their products. Food business owners and food brands in Canada are not allowed to mention alternative names like sulfites, sulphites, sulfiting agents, or sulphiting agents and codes (E 220, E 221, E 222, E 223, E 224, E 225, E 226, E 227, E 228) without the use of word Sulphites/Sulfites. 

These codes are European names to refer to different types of sulphites.

Sulphite-Rich Foods and Products:

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer and cider, Bottled lemon and lime juices and concentrates, Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, cereal, cornmeal, cornstarch, crackers, muesli, condiments (Coleslaw, horseradish, ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish and sauerkraut), dehydrated, mashed, peeled and pre-cut potatoes, frozen French fries, dried fruits and vegetables (Apricots, coconut and raisins, mango, sweet potato), dried herbs, spices, teas, fresh grapes, fruit fillings and syrups, gelatin, jams, jellies, preserves, marmalade, molasses, pectin, fruit, and vegetable juices, glazed and confit (candied) fruits (Maraschino cherries), starches (Corn starch, and potato starch), sugar syrups (Glucose, glucose solids, syrup dextrose, corn syrup, table syrup), tomato pastes, pulps and purees, vinegar, wine vinegar, and wine are some foods and products that contain sulfites. 

Some Other Sources of Sulphites Products:

Deli meats, hot dogs, sausages, dressings, gravies, guacamole, sauces, soups, soup mixes, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, granola bars (Especially with dried fruit), noodle and rice mixes, snack foods (Raisins, and fruit salad), soy products, and baked goods that contain dried fruits are some other sources of Sulphites. 

Non-food Sources of Sulphites:

Bottle-sanitizing solutions for home brewing and cellophane are non-food sources of sulphites.

Measures To Identify The Presence Of Sulphites In Food And Products

Every Canadian deserves to enjoy a healthy life. Therefore, Health Canada firmly advises everyone to visit a local certified and experienced allergist before consuming sulfite-rich foods and products. 

You can implement the following tips to identify the presence of sulfites in your foods and products:

  • Go through the menu of restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries carefully before ordering food.
  • Always pay full attention to the label of the food or product you want to buy.
  • Don’t buy a product or food that contains a warning statement like “May Contain/Contains Sulphites ” on the label.
  • Value the quality of safe food handling practices of the staff of manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.
  • Cross-contamination is a serious problem. Do not ignore it under any circumstances. Such a problem commonly happens in food and product manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Always report it to the concerned authorities immediately.
  • Avoid purchasing your food or products from them if their staff has not completed a food handler certification course.
  • Only the product formulations matter. Product size does not matter.

Tree Nuts Are Also On The List:

That’s right! Health Canada has included several tree nuts in its list of priority food allergies and allergens. The list contains tree nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts (pignolias), pistachio nuts, and walnuts. Peanuts are also on the list. However, peanuts are from the legume family. Therefore, peanuts are not tree nuts.

Health Canada has taken this step because peanuts affect individuals allergic to tree nuts. Some people are allergic to multiple tree nuts. Therefore, a visit to a local certified and experienced allergist is firmly advised if you are also one of those.

Some people manage to outgrow their allergy to tree nuts with the help of an experienced and certified allergist. Here is another thing you must know about it.

The government of Canada does not include coconuts and nutmeg in the category of tree nuts for food allergies and allergens labeling in Canada. For this reason, coconuts and nutmeg are not restricted in the diet of Canadians allergic to tree nuts. However, some exceptional cases have been noticed. Some people allergic to tree nuts have reported allergic reactions after eating coconut and nutmegs or foods or products that contain coconut and nutmegs. 

Some More Names of Tree Nuts In Canada:

Food business owners and food brands used to write alternative names of coconut and nutmegs on the labels of their products. They will have to mention coconut and nutmeg words on the labels of their products and foods. It is because the government of Canada wants you to understand the presence of food allergens, gluten sources, and added sulfites in your foods and products. The government of Canada wants you to make the right decision for your health. Listed below are some more names of coconut and nutmeg food business owners and brands still used in Canada:

  • Anacardium nuts (A name for cashew nuts).
  • Filberts (A name for hazelnuts).
  • Nut meats (Refers to any nuts).
  • Pignons.
  • Queensland nuts (Macadamia nuts).

Foods That Contain Coconut And Nutmegs:

Baked goods, granola bars, Calisson, dishes (Almond chicken, pad thai, satay, chili, and trout amandine), gianduja and giandula (chocolate blended with hazel nuts), marzipan (An almond paste), tree nut oils (Unrefined or partially refined tree nut oils like cold-pressed oils), pralines, cocoa-based and/or nut-based spreads (Almond paste-based spreads, chocolate nut spreads), nougat (sugar paste made with nuts like Torrone), dairy-free imitation cheese products made from tree nuts, mortadella (A type of Italian sausage that may be flavored with pistachio nuts), and vegetarian dishes contain coconut and nutmegs. 

Food Based Sources of Coconut And Nutmegs:

Baking mixes, cereals, crackers, muesli, barbecue, pesto sauces, dressings, gravies, flavored coffees, frozen desserts, liqueurs (Amaretto and Frangelico), natural flavorings and extracts (Pure almond extract), Salads (Waldorf salad), and Snack foods like trail mix are some food-based sources of coconut and nutmegs. 

Non-food sources Of Coconut and Nutmegs:

Bean bags, kick sacks/hacky sacks, bird seeds, cosmetics, hair care products, sunscreens, massage oils, and pet foods are some non-food sources of Coconut and nutmeg.  

How To Identify The Presence of Coconut And Nutmegs In Your Foods And Products?

It could be easy if you implement the following tips:

  • Read the menu of restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries thoroughly every time you eat food outside with family, friends and colleagues.
  • Never forget to read the label of the food or product you want to buy.
  • Don’t buy a product or food that contains a warning statement like “May Contain/Contains Coconut and Nutmeg” on the label.
  • Pay full attention to the quality of safe food handling practices of the staff of manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.
  • Never ignore cross-contamination. It is a serious problem. It commonly happens in food and product manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Report it to the concerned authorities immediately.
  • Never purchase your food or products from them if their staff has not completed a food handler certification course.
  • Value food or product formulations over the size.

Wheat And Triticale Are Also on the list:

Wheat and Triticale are on the list of Health Canada’s priority food allergens. Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis is linked to wheat. Other foods also trigger this life-threatening allergic reaction. Those who exercise after eating a specific food allergen experience anaphylaxis. Those who delay their exercise by several hours don’t face this condition. The development of celiac disease is another problem among those who are allergic to wheat. 

The DIfference Between Wheat Allergy and Celiac Disease:

Abnormal reactions to wheat proteins by a person’s immune system cause wheat allergies. Such a situation can be life-threatening for a person.

Celiac disease causes immune-mediated damage to the lining of the small intestine. The damage prevents the body from absorbing nutrients.  This situation leads to problems like anemia, chronic diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal cramping, bloating, and eventually malnutrition. 

Most infants outgrow wheat allergy within five years. On the other hand, adults have to live with it throughout their lives.

What is Triticale?

Triticale is a hybrid grain. It is a combination of wheat and rye. It is not available for sale. Those who are allergic to wheat must avoid triticale also. 

It can be possible once you know the following:

  • Some more names are used to refer to wheat.
  • The list of foods and products wheat is found or used in.
  • Possible food-based sources of wheat.
  • Non-food-based sources of wheat.

Some More Names Used To Refer To Wheat:

Food businesses and food brands have commonly used alternative terms to refer to wheat in the past. They are still allowed to do so in Canada with the use of the word Wheat on the label of their product. They cannot do so without using the word Wheat on their products or food labels. 

Atta, bulgur, couscous, durum, einkorn, emmer, farina, fu, graham, high-gluten and high-protein flour, kamut, semolina, spelled (Dinkel, farro), and seitan are some more names of wheat.

The List Of Foods And Products Wheat Is Found Or Used In:

Many types of bread and baked goods, baking mixes, powder, batter-fried foods, veer (due to the absence of ingredient list in standardized beer, the presence of wheat does not have to be labeled in beers), cereal-based coffee substitutes (chicory, ba, gluten, host (communion, altar bread and wafers), hydrolyzed plant protein, Imitation bacon, pie fillings and puddings, sauces, e.g., chutney, soy and tamari sauce, and seasonings are made using wheat. 

Possible Food Based Sources Of Wheat:

Deli meats, hot dogs, surimi, gelatinized starch, modified starch, food starch, ice cream, prepared ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, and snack foods (Crackers and cereal) are some food-based sources of wheat. 

Non-Food Based Sources Of Wheat:

Cosmetics, hair-care products, medications, vitamins, modelling compounds (PLAY-DOH), pet food, pet bedding, and wreath decorations are some non-food-based sources of wheat.

How To Identify The Presence of Wheat And Triticale In Your Foods And Products?

Wheat and Triticale are an ingredient of almost every food and product in Canada. Some tips below can help you identify the presence of Wheat and Triticale in your food and products. 

  • Pay attention to the menu of restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries you visit to enjoy food with your family, friends, and colleagues.
  • The label of food or product you purchase contains all the necessary information you need. Therefore, read it carefully.
  • The label of some products shows a warning statement like “May Contain/Contains Wheat and Triticale”. Never buy such products.
  • The quality of safe food handling practices matters. Pay attention to the implementation of this aspect. Never buy if the staff of manufacturing units, shared production & packaging units, retail stores, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries ignore this aspect.
  • Never ignore any case of cross-contamination in front of your eyes. This serious mistake commonly happens in food and product manufacturing, shared production & packaging units, retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries. Call concerned authorities immediately if you notice any incident of cross-contamination anywhere.
  • Avoid purchasing foods or products from them if their staff has not completed a food handler certification course.
  • You should value learning about food or product formulations over the size. The size does not affect your health. But food or product formulation affects your health for sure.
  • Health Problems Food Allergies And Allergens Cause

Those who are allergic to any food items face several health problems. The list includes skin issues (Hives, Itching, Swelling Of Body Parts), Gastrointestinal Problems (Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea and Abdominal Pain and Cramps), Respiratory Issues (Nasal Congestion, Runny Nose, Sneezing, Coughing, Wheezing, Shortness Of Breath, and Anaphylaxis), Cardiovascular Problems (Lightheadedness, Dizziness, Weak Pulse, Shock With Drop In Blood Pressure, and Anaphylaxis), Oral Allergy Syndrome (Itching and Swelling Of Mouth, Throat And Lips), Asthma, Sensitization, Urticaria, Idiopathic Reaction,  anxiety, Sense Impending Of Doom, Headache, Uterine Cramps, Metallic Taste, and Anaphylaxis ( A Life-Threatening and Systemic Allergic Reaction That Affects Multiple Organs). 

These are some food allergens risks every food industry professional and business owner should know about.

  • Is The Government of Canada Doing Anything About Priority Food Allergies And Allergens?

The government is firmly committed to dedicating its wealth of resources to safeguarding the health of all Canadians. The quality of the government’s efforts to provide Canadians with the authentic information they need to make safe and healthy decisions speaks volumes about it. 

Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are assisting the Canadian government on this front. CFIA is responsible for the following:

  • Enforcing Canadian labeling laws.
  • Working closely with associations, distributors, food manufacturers, and importers.

CFIA makes sure they follow all Canadian labeling laws fully and safely. The agency encourages all food business owners and brands to develop strong allergies and allergen controls. The purpose is to ensure the prevention of the following: 

  • The occurrence of undeclared allergens.
  • The occurrence of cross-contamination incidents.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has helped food business owners and brands develop strong food allergies and allergens controls. The agency establishes communication with Health Canada and situation assessment requests after learning about potential health hazards like food allergies and allergens associated with food.

The government recalls food from the market immediately if a serious health risk is identified. A public warning is also issued. The government has published several advisories for industries and consumers about food allergies and allergens through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Health Canada (HC) has worked closely with the following:

  • Medical community.
  • Consumer associations.
  • The food industry.

All the perseverance has been done to enhance labeling regulations for the following in pre-packaged food sold in Canada.

  • Food allergens.
  • Gluten sources.
  • Added sulphites.

What is more important is Health Canada (HC) has amended the following:

Food and drug regulations.

Health Canada has taken this initiative to ensure the mention of the most common or severe food allergic reactions on the labels of foods and products. The purpose is to help consumers recognize safe and healthy foods and products and make informed decisions.

  • Safe Food Handling Methods To Control Food Allergen Risks:

There is no treatment for allergies in the world. However, there are some ways to control this root cause of many health issues. Take a look below: 

The Development Of Allergen Management Program:

The development of such a program is an extremely effective method to avoid several issues. For example:

  • Unintentional spread of allergens.
  • Unintentional cross-contamination of foods.
  • Food recall prevention.
  • Protection of customers' health.

The size of the food preparation, storage, and packaging facility determines the quality of this program for your food business.

The process of effective food allergies and allergen management programs includes attention to several essential steps. Given below is their list:

  • Supplier information.
  • Production and plant scheduling.
  • Product flow evaluation.
  • Labelling.
  • Housekeeping and sanitation practices.
  • Value food shipping, receiving, safe food handling and storage methods.
  • Documentation is necessary.
  • Program evaluation matters.
  • Employee training through a food handler certification course matters.

A visit to an experienced allergist can help reduce the impact of food allergens and allergies. Allergen assessment should be made an essential part of a hazard analysis program. Provide food facilities with a list of all ingredients used in your food item. The list includes but is not limited only to the following:

  • Food additives.
  • Spices.
  • Flavors.
  • Colorings.
  • Allergens from known groups of allergens.
  • Anything that needs special attention or measures.

Supplier Information:

All food suppliers deserve to know everything that conveys them all the key information. For example: 

  • Ingredient specification sheets.
  • Certificates of analysis.
  • Complete list of ingredients.
  • Documentation of food allergies and allergens risk control program.
  • Letter that guarantees ingredients free of undeclared allergens in your materials.

Production And Plant Scheduling:

Food production and plant scheduling could be a great way to prevent or reduce food allergies and allergen risks in many ways. For example: 

  • Prefer the use of equipment dedicated to allergic products.
  • Use production lines specifically dedicated to allergic products.
  • Prefer to hire safe food handling certificate holders.
  • Plan production of products with allergens on specific days of the week.
  • Produce products with allergens as the last product on the line.
  • Prefer the production of foods without allergens as a priority.

Product Flow Evaluation:

Product flow evaluation is important throughout the production cycle. Check every product passing through the conveyor belt. Remove all products with allergens or cross-contaminated products. It will help ensure the safe product flow needed to reduce food allergies and allergens.

Labelling:

Labelling is an important part of food allergen management programs in Canada. CFIA and HC collectively make efforts to make accurate labelling of all food products necessary for all food business owners and food brands. Providing accurate information about the ingredients present in the food, including allergens, is mandatory. Food brands or businesses that don’t ensure accurate labelling of their products face severe consequences for their negligence. The Food And Drugs Regulations Act deserves credit for it.  

Housekeeping And Sanitation Practices:

Housekeeping and sanitation practices matter a lot. All the housekeeping (cleaning) and sanitation equipment must be inspected to detect the presence of allergens on all the food items, machines, and inside the storage facilities. Perform inspection before the production of new products begins.

Always describe the housekeeping (cleaning) and sanitation procedure if the equipment used for the production of allergen and allergy-risk-free food is shared. Pay full attention to the equipment that comes in contact with the food having allergens.

Value Food Shipping, Receiving, Safe Food Handling And Storage Methods:

The shipping, receiving, handling, and storage of food matter to avoid cross-contamination, contact with allergens, and many other issues. All food items must be shipped and stored in their dedicated spaces to prevent cross-contamination. All safe food handling practices must be performed while receiving food items. For this reason, specific packaging for specific food items matters a lot. 

Documentation Is Necessary:

Document everything your team does. Maintain a record of everything to prove that your food storage facility is taking care of everything to keep foods received allergen-free. It will also help you prove that you are doing everything to keep foods received free from cross-contamination. It will be extremely helpful during the audit process or food recall.

All food suppliers deserve to get everything that conveys them all the key information. For example:

  • Ingredient specification sheets.
  • Certificates of analysis.
  • Complete list of ingredients.
  • Documentation of food allergies and allergens risk control program.
  • Letter that guarantees ingredients free of undeclared allergens in your materials.

Employee Training Through A Food Handler Certification Course:

Your staff needs proper training to keep customers safe from food allergen risks. A trained employee knows the value of Personal Hygiene, Time and Temperature Controls, Proper Use of a Thermometer, Food Allergies and Allergens, Proper Food Storage, Cooking and Cooling Foods, Housekeeping and Sanitation, Microbiology, growth of microorganisms, and related food health concerns, and HACCP in addition to everything explained in points above. 

Program Evaluation:

This is another thing you should value throughout the process. It ensures that your food allergen control program is working effectively. Conduct a routine audit of plant operations to ensure its effectiveness.

The staff should know the art of preparing allergen-free recipes. See if the recipes have changed, clear menu labelling, food recalls, allergen testing and knowledge about finding the presence of allergens in food items also matter throughout the process.

NAVIGATING FOOD SAFETY THROUGH THE SEASONS

Every season fills your life with its uniqueness. Everything changes in your life according to the season. Changes in safe food handling practices top the list of things that change every season. These changes determine the level and quality of your customers’ health.

All seasons bring different challenges that impact the health of food items. These challenges affect the health of almost 4 million consumers every year. Thousands of them visit medical care facilities as a result. Not everyone goes back home alive! That’s a bitter reality!

We think you must know these challenges. The level and quality of your knowledge about issues related to food safety help address food health concerns in many ways. You will realise it through this guide.

For this reason, we think you must know the food-handling challenges that come with every season. Continue reading this post to learn about these food safety challenges season-by-season.

The List of Seasons In Canada:

This is the first thing you need to know before we get to the point. Canadians experience four seasons every year. Spring, summer, fall, and winter are those seasons.

  • Spring Season Food Health Concerns In Canada:

Weather temperature fluctuates frequently during the spring season. This fluctuation results in inconsistent refrigeration, bacterial growth, fungal contamination, water contamination, pest infestation, chemical residue, food transportation delay, and dirty food storage facilities. All these food health concerns impact the quality of food items and consumers’ health. The list does not end here only. 

  • Spring Season Safe Food Handling Tips:

Many people face hell in the form of diarrhea, infections, food poisoning, and meningitis during the spring season. Harmful bacteria, pathogens, viruses, and germs deserve credit for spreading these food-borne illnesses.

We don’t want your customers to face these health problems. We want your customers to live their life to the fullest. 

We want you to climb the success and growth ladder as a safe food-handling expert in Canada. We wish to see your business getting in the good books for all the good reasons.

  • Use High-quality material in your kitchen.
  • Use high-quality materials to get your food storage space ready.
  • Spend time and money regularly for proper maintenance of the kitchen.
  • Value regular cleaning of food storage utensils and everything installed in the kitchen.
  • Ask all your employees to pay attention to their personal hygiene every day and throughout the day.
  • The use of a food thermometer is a great safe food handling practice.
  • Keep track of how long food has been sitting out.
  • Never store ready-to-eat foods and raw meats next to each other.
  • Keep track of how long food has been stored.

You can learn all these practices during your food safety certificate course in Canada. The implementation of these practices will help you keep food items safe during the Canadian spring season. 

  • Summer Season Proper Food Storage Tips:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) receives 2035 consumer food safety complaints every year. Most of these complaints are directly related to extraneous materials found in food items. Then comes the number of food allergies and allergens, chemicals, microbiologicals, and other issues.

Harmful bacteria, pathogens, viruses, and germs faster during the summer season. For this reason, the chances of health nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, fever, chill, fatigue, weakness, headache, muscle ache, and other food-borne illnesses to your customers multiply significantly.

Therefore, you and your staff should implement the following tips:

  • Earn your food safety certificate first.
  • Avoid keeping food at room temperature for more than an hour during summer days.
  • Perishable foods should be kept cold.
  • The temperature of your cooler with an ice pack should be below 4°C if you are storing food during your travel time.
  • Keep your cooler away from direct sunlight.
  • Don’t open your cooler often.
  • Marinate meat in a cooler filled with ice-pack.
  • Store your raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from other foods and beverages.
  • Value and personal hygiene practices.
  • Clean your kitchen, countertop, and utensils using soap.
  • Rinse utensils with water.
  • Sanitise the kitchen and everything in it.
  • Cook foods at the right temperature.
  • Wash hands regularly to value personal hygiene.
  • Always wearing clean aprons and clothes.
  • Taking showers every day.
  • Refrigerate leftover food items immediately.
  • Fall Season Proper Food Storage Tips:

Fall is a season of fun for everyone. Canadians love the fall season. They love to enjoy apple pies, pumpkin pies, hearty soups and golden skies during their picnic season. What makes their picnic special is the way you pack, store and handle food items prepared for them. You are advised to follow the following tips that help address food health concerns during the fall season to help make your picnics more fun:

  • Get your food safety certificate first.
  • Thaw frozen meats in refrigerators with safety.
  • Do you love marinating meats? First, store them in a refrigerator, and then transfer them into a cooler.
  • Wash everything properly with clean hands before your proceed to the refrigeration process.
  • Never pack raw meats with ready-to-eat foods.
  • Value the implementation of personal hygiene practices.
  • Try to maintain the temperature of hot food. Meaning, keep hot food items hot and cold food cold.
  • Never work if you or your employees are sick.

These tips will help your customers keep their food items safe for a long period. They will be able to enjoy their picnic. 

  • Winter Season Proper Food Storage Tips:

The Canadian winter season marks the beginning of the festive season throughout the nation. Every Canadian loves this season. They wait for the winter season eagerly to enjoy their food outings with their family, friends, and colleagues. It is the perfect time for you to put your food cooking, handling, temperature control, and storage practices to use in the best possible way. The value of safe food handling multiplies for several reasons in Canada during the winter season. For example: 

  • Bulk cooking in Canada is a custom during holiday feasts. The value of proper cooking, maintaining appropriate food temperature, and avoiding cross-contamination reach the next level during this season.
  • Proper food storage is important to deal with power outages. Frequent electricity breakdowns and storms make it difficult to store food safely.
  • Harmful pathogens grow fast in frozen foods during the winter season. You must learn the art of thawing frozen foods safely. Make sure you learn the following thawing arts:
  • Refrigerator thawing.
  • Cold water thawing.
  • Microwave thawing.
  • Value food type and time constraints at play for it.
  • Many Canadian baking recipes include ingredients like eggs. The mishandling of such ingredients raises salmonella risk. You must learn proper cooking and cooling food techniques to eliminate such a health hazard.
  • We suggest you enroll yourself in a food safety certificate course to master these tips. This course will help you grow your food business in Canada. Food industry professionals get a chance to master the following food safety arts. For example:
  • Proper food storage.
  • Thawing.
  • The art of preparing high-risk foods.
  • The best cooking and reheating practices.
  • Methods to deal with power outages.

Your career and food business will reach the next level for sure. The list of things you will learn through this certification course includes safe food handling practices, personal hygiene practices, tips related to time and temperature controls, proper use of a thermometer, allergies and allergens, proper food storage practices, the art of cooking and cooling foods, housekeeping and sanitation practices, microbiology, growth of microorganisms, and related food health concerns, and HACCP. 

Do you want to enroll in it? Fill out the quick application form. All it takes is a couple of minutes of your schedule. Do you have any questions about the course? Visit our website or Call us right away! We will answer all your questions instantly! 

Hurry! Not many seats are vacant now!

ROLE OF PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL LAWS IN FOOD SAFETY

Almost four million Canadians have to visit a doctor every year. Their count is increasing every year. Food contamination causes much of this increase. The government of Canada prioritizes the concept of food safety for this reason. 

All provincial and federal government authorities are committed to educating everyone involved in the world of food production, food selling, manufacturing, restaurants, hotels, motels, and eateries.

All food business owners and professionals need to understand the roles of provincial and federal laws in food safety. Recognizing the impact of their roles on food brands, professionals, and consumers is of the utmost importance.

This understanding could be achieved by knowing the list of provincial and federal agencies responsible for regulating the food industry in Canada. 

Provincial And Federal Agencies That Create Food Safety Laws In Canada

These agencies create laws to regulate the Canadian food industry. Their job is to introduce and implement rules to ensure the safe production, manufacturing, and selling of food items to protect consumers’ health. Listed below are those Canadian provincial and federal agencies: 

  • CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency).
  • PHAC (Public Health Agency of Canada).
  • HC (Health Canada).

Food safety supervisors, inspectors, professionals, and food business owners are involved in the development and implementation of food protection laws in Canada. A complete and accurate understanding of the laws that protect food items and consumers’ health is essential. 

Provincial And Federal Food Safety Acts In Canada:

Protecting food items’ health is a key responsibility. Provincial and federal agencies oversee the food safety process and advise food business owners to obtain a food safety certificate from an accredited institute. Take a look below to know these acts:

  • Food and Drugs Act.
  • Health Protection And Promotion Act.

Next sections will discuss the role of provincial and federal agencies in food safety and the importance of two acts listed above.

How Provincial And Federal Agencies In Canada Address Food Health Concerns?

All these agencies do different things for it. Their roles and responsibilities differ significantly. Their powers also differ. But one thing common among them is that they are committed to achieving the same goal. Following sections explain the way these provincial and federal agencies in Canada address food health concerns. 

CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

This science protects the well-being of Canadian nationals’ health. The body does everything necessary to safeguard the following:

  • The food supply of Canada.
  • Plants.
  • Animals.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) performs several functions to ensure the quality and safety of food items in Canada. The list includes: 

  • Administration of federal statutes and regulations that address food health concerns in Canada.
  • The implementation of federal statutes and regulations to ensure the safety of food in Canada.
  • Extending complete support needed to safeguard sustainable animal and plant resource base.
  • Working closely with partners to ensure the following:
  • Implementation of measures related to food health concerns in Canada.
  • Effective management of food, animals, plant risks, incidents, and emergencies.
  • Ensuring the development of food safety and disease control systems.
  • Ensuring agriculture, agri-food, and fisher products through the development of control systems that ensure the prevention of diseases through the safety of food items.
  • Verifying the compliance of domestic and international products.
  • The registration and inspection of establishments.
  • Performing activities that test the safety level of food items.
  • Performing activities that address food health concerns.
  • Providing approval to agricultural inputs.
  • Performing research and development needed to support food safety investigations and monitoring programs.
  • Effective assessment of compliance with Health Canada’s (HC) policies, regulations, standards and guidelines related to domestic and imported food.
  • Determining the level of risks posed to the health of Canadian consumers through contaminated food consumption.
  • Determining the volume of distribution.
  • Determining food health concerns.
  • Paying attention to processing and consumer handling practices.
  • Balancing the weight of evidence.
  • Effective application of appropriate measurements related to the safety of food items.
  • Using risk assessments as an input while making decisions related to risk management.
  • Confiscation or seizing products.
  • Suspension of revoking licenses and permits if a food brand or employee does not have a food safety certification and does not comply with relevant regulations.
  • Imposing fines for disobeying regulations related to food health.
  • Recommendation of prosecution.
  • The agency collaborates with the following:
  • Other federal departments.
  • Other federal agencies.
  • Provincial, territorial, and municipal authorities.
  • Private industries.
  • National and international stakeholders.

PHAC (Public Health Agency of Canada):

The provision of public health services in Canada at the provincial and jurisdiction levels is the duty of municipal and local level authorities. Canadian provincial and territorial government bodies offer support for LPHS (Local Public Health Services) with assistance for the following: 

  • Assistance in planning.
  • Budget administration.
  • Technical assistance provision.

Public health in Canada is considered a provincial and territorial priority. However, the federal government reserves all rights and powers to legislate public health aspects as specified in the following acts:

  • The Department Of Health Act.
  • The Public Health Agency Of Canada Act.

The outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003 is the reason for the development of the Public Health Agency of Canada in September 2004. It has been developed to achieve the following goals:

  • Constant and consistent contribution to federal efforts to identify and mitigate public risk factors.
  • To provide support needed to ensure national readiness for public health threats.
  • Performing activities related to disease surveillance and control.
  • Promoting cooperation with provincial and territorial governments.

PHAC facilitates meaningful interactions with the following: 

  • Provincial and territorial governments.
  • Other stakeholders.
  • Nationwide coordination of enteric disease surveillance.

The Public Health Agency of Canada conducts disease surveillance to ensure food safety in Canada. This disease surveillance is conducted to achieve the following objectives: 

  • Quick, accurate, and timely identification of the following:
  • Outbreak and monitoring of trends.
  • Outbreak and monitoring of environmental infectious diseases.
  • Outbreak and monitoring of diseases that spread because of contaminated food, water, and the environment.
  • Fast and accurate detection of increases among vectors. This indicates the possibility of an increase in the risk of infection.
  • Identification of risks for the following:
  • Informed risk management.
  • Informed policy and regulation development.
  • Providing evidence to ensure fast development and accurate monitoring and assessment for the following:
  • Interventions
  • Food health concerns related programs.
  • These actions aim to reduce chances of disease and antimicrobial resistance. PHAC’s list of other resistance includes:
  • Supporting the development of necessary diagnostics tests leveraging the data related to public health on new and emerging disease strains.
  • Contributing to international surveillance efforts.
  • Meeting global commitments.
  • Ensuring implementation of WHO’s (World Health Organization) International Health Regulations.

Enteric diseases fall in the category of more complex diseases. The Public Health Agency of Canada conducts national comprehensive and national surveillance using multiple surveillance systems for this reason. 

  • The data forwarded by the PHAC could be laboratory or public health-based. The entire set of data collected and provided to PHAC through these systems is summarised and presented in annual reports to ensure support for the following through data:
  • Regulators that conduct risk assessments.
  • Improvement in the understanding of existing sources of infection.
  • Inform investigations related to food health concerns and the safety of food.
  • Meaningful contribution to help identify important sources and pathways of every enteric pathogen that spreads food-borne illnesses in Canada.

This says a lot about the role PHAC plays in Canada’s food safety. 

HC (Health Canada):

This federal department collaborates with several departments to achieve the health-related goals mentioned below:

  • Prevent and reduce risk to the environment.
  • Prevent and reduce risk to the health of every individual.
  • Promote a healthy lifestyle.
  • Ensure efficient, easy-to-access, and high-quality health services.
  • Health system’s renewal integration with long-term plans on health risk prevention, health promotion, and health protection.
  • Address inequalities in Canadian society on health and safety issues.
  • Providing health information and important data Canadians need to make informed decisions about their health.
  • Developing and implementing policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines for the food safety and nutritional quality of every food item sold throughout Canada.
  • Providing HRA (Health Risk Assessments) related to food health hazards to the CFIA and other stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments.
  • Providing scientific advice and analytical surge capacity to CFIA, all stakeholders, and provincial/territorial governments to analyse the following:
  • Microbial contaminants.
  • Chemical contaminants.
  • Non-permitted food additives.
  • Chemicals used in food packaging materials.
  • Processing aids.
  • Incidental additives.
  • Undeclared food allergens in food.
  • Undeclared food allergens in clinical samples.
  • Conducting scientific assessments of the following:
  • Risk
  • Benefits
  • The efficiency needed to support standard-setting and investigations related to food health concerns in Canada.
  • Providing information and authoritative advice public, health, and consumer organizations need.
  • Conducting research and post-market surveillance to support the following:
  • Standard setting.
  • Risk assessments.
  • Informational roles.

These provincial and federal agencies contribute to the Canadian food safety system and initiatives.

Provincial and Federal Laws That Impact The Canadian Food Industry:

Laws play an important role in helping address food health concerns in Canada. This is why Canadians have strict laws to safeguard their health and food items. These laws are implemented at the federal, provincial, territorial, jurisdictional, and municipal levels. 

Let’s first talk about Federal Food Safety Laws In Canada:

Health Canada develops and implements the federal laws discussed here. Even their compliance is also ensured by Health Canada. The following are federal laws being discussed: 

  • Food And Drug Act:

This federal law addresses food health concerns by setting standards for the following:

  • Food production.
  • Food import.
  • Food export
  • Food transport.
  • Food sale.
  • Drugs and cosmetics.

The Food And Drug Act sets these standards at the federal level. Every food industry professional and brand in every Canadian province must adhere to the guidelines specified in this law. 

  • The Consumer Packaging And Labelling Act:

This federal law helps deal with food health concerns differently. This federal law makes it mandatory for all packaged food sellers to provide information about the list of ingredients used in their products. The requirement helps consumers access the necessary information to assess the safety and ingredients of food items. 

  • The Consumer Packaging And Labelling Act:

This federal law solves two purposes to ensure food safety for consumers. First, it determines the standards and grades of agricultural products. Second, it regulates the marketing of consumer products on the import/export and interprovincial trade fronts. 

  • The Safe Foods For Canadian Acts:

This federal law in Canada addresses food health concerns in two different ways. First, it consolidates aspects related following food inspection acts:

  • Fish Inspection Act.
  • Meat Inspection Act.
  • Canada Agricultural Products Act.
  • Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act.

It also helps improve and streamline CFIA’s (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) food safety oversight.  

Time To Talk About Provincial Food Safety Laws:

Every Canadian province addresses food health concerns using its own laws. Take a look below:

Ontario Food Safety Laws:

Every food industry professional, food business owner, and manager is strictly expected to comply with the following laws:

  • Federal Government Food Safety Laws.
  • Ontario Provincial Food Safety Laws.
  • Local Municipal Legislation.
  • Food And Drugs Act.
  • Safe Food For Canadians Act

Compliance with the following provincial laws is also mandatory: 

  • Ontario Food Premises Regulation under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
  • Ontario Food Safety and Quality Act.

Food handler certification in Ontario province is another legal requirement mandatory to fulfill. Certification renewal is required every five years in Ontario. 

Food businesses and brands operating without certification or expired certification are considered noncompliant with federal and provincial food safety laws in Ontario. Listed below are the serious consequences for them:

  • A visit to your food premises by a food safety inspector.
  • Entry of food inspection team without any notice.
  • Food premises and equipment examination.
  • Collection of food-contaminated food samples.
  • A hefty fine.
  • Issuance of warning notice.
  • Immediate business closure.
  • Licence cancellation.
  • Prosecution
  • Entry of your name and your brand’s name in public records.
  • Inventory confiscation.
  • Damage to your reputation.
  • Damage to the reputation of your brand.

The staff and food business owners must pass the food handler certification exam and obtain food premises-related licenses and permits in Ontario. Compliance with all federal and provincial food safety laws related to food health concerns is important for everyone on the staff. 

LIFE OF A FOOD HANDLER IN ONTARIO

The life of a Food Handler Certificate holder in Ontario is different. They lead a different life as compared to non-certified food industry professionals.

They get their leg up during the hiring process in every eatery, restaurant, hotel, motel, and company. Even customers trust their service and brand.

The quality of their experience, knowledge, and skills deserve full credit for it. As a result, they climb the growth ladder in their career from every perspective. Even their food brand climbs the success ladder on every front.

Do you want to relish that life? But don’t know what to do about it? Don’t worry! We are here to help you achieve this incredible feat. You will learn about the skills you need to elevate the quality of your professional life as a food industry professional.

A Reality About The Life Of A Food Handler Certificate Holder In Ontario

Yup! You are right! You need to know something about it. There is something you need to understand before walking that path. The life of food industry professionals in this part of the world is like a rocket ride.

It goes up if you keep the accelerator pressed the right way. It comes crashing down once you commit even a single mistake.

Let us tell you about the path you need to walk to be a successful food safety certificate holder in your career.

Their journey to growth and success in this field becomes a cakewalk if you get the hang of the following:

  • Safe food handling course overview
  • Course delivery method
  • Course registration process
  • The value course module offers
  • Eligibility criteria to get the certification

Get the hang of these things first. You will then understand the value it adds to your career in the form of professional success and financial growth.

Safe Food Handling Course Overview:

Everyone desires to get this certification for a reason. Most people value it as an opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding about food safety procedures and processes. A chance to climb the growth and success ladder in the food industry from the career and financial perspective is another big reason.

Let’s not underestimate the value of the opportunity to learn from experienced, skilled, and certified industry experts. You learn food safety certificate material specifically stamped by the ministry.

Course Delivery Method:

The entire course material is delivered to you using the following methods:

In-Class Instructor Lead Sessions:

You book available dates during the registration process. Mostly, session duration includes exam duration. The fee varies from one institute to another. You have to visit the facility physically to attend classes.

Online Instructor Lead Sessions:

The facility allows you to complete the food safety certificate from the comfort of your home or wherever you are. All you need is a mobile phone, laptop, or desktop with a stable connection.

Course Registration Process:

You can register for the course online. You have to submit your government-approved ID proof during the registration process. The selection of an available date is a must for the candidate before the following:

  • The submission of required data.
  • Payment of fee.

Value reading the privacy policy and terms & conditions of the certification course provider you register with. The level and quality of your understanding of everything written in these two documents will tell you everything about the value you are likely to get.

 

Some course providers determine prerequisites. Those who want to register for the certification must fulfill those prerequisites. But certification providers don’t make you walk this path.

But you must be above 18 years of age to enroll in this certification through any provider.

The Value Course Module Offers:

The course module matters. You must dedicate your wealth of time to knowing about the value it will offer you. There is a reason for it. It is going to determine the skills and knowledge you will gain. It will determine the chances of growth and success in your career. For this reason, the following must be part of your food handler certificate course content:

  • Safe food handling, personal hygiene, and proper food storage practices.
  • Knowledge about time and temperature controls and proper use of a thermometer.
  • Complete knowledge about microbiology, growth of microorganisms, related food health concerns, and HACCP.
  • Proper knowledge about allergies and allergens.
  • Tips to cook and cool foods.
  • The best housekeeping and sanitation practices.

Your certification course must offer you this value to help you climb the growth and success ladder in your career.

Eligibility Criteria To Get The Certification:

You must be above 18 years of age to get this certification. International applicants can be in touch with the support staff to know the eligibility criteria for themselves.

Let’s now talk about the food safety practices you learn through a relevant certification.

Safe Food Handling Practices:

You learn the value of cleaning hands, taking baths, wearing washed and clean clothes, cooking food to the proper temperature, cooling food to the right temperature, freezing and refreezing food the right way. Food thawing, food preparation, food serving, and the art of dealing with leftover food are more things food safety certification teaches you about. All food handlers in Ontario, Canada practice safe food handling during their work hours.

Personal Hygiene Practices:

The level and quality of your cleanliness matters as a food handler. It determines the health of your customers and the growth of your business and career in the food industry. Your level of knowledge about personal hygiene skills reaches the next level. You are firmly encouraged to take leave if you are feeling unhealthy. You are encouraged not to come to work and touch any food item in such a condition. You learn the value of handwashing, taking showers, wearing clean clothes and gloves, and not smoking/coughing/sneezing inside the food preparation/storage premises or near food. These are all personal hygiene practices you learn during the certification.

Time And Temperature Controls For Food:

This thing matters under all circumstances. Even a slight mistake on this front can spoil your food items. You need to understand the value of cooking and cooling food at the right temperature for the right number of minutes or hours. As a part of the process, you learn about the following:

  • Food types.
  • Characteristics of all food types.
  • Temperature danger zone.
  • Cold and hot holding.
  • Cooking and cooling.
  • Heating and reheating.
  • Thawing.

The list of time and temperature controls for foods you are taught about does not end here only.

Food Allergies And Allergens

Thousands of people suffer health issues due to contaminated and stale food. They spend millions of dollars on medical care in hospitals. As a result, thousands of people die every year. For this reason, you are taught about food allergies and allergens as a part of the course content. You learn about the best practices to keep both these health hazards and food items safe for consumers’ health.

Proper Food Storage Practices:

A professional food handler has to take care of several things. For example:

  • Temperature danger zone.
  • Cooking, cooling, and storage of high-risk foods.
  • Food storage in the fridge.
  • Safe food freezing.
  • Safe storage of cooked food items.
  • No refreezing of thawed food items.
  • Separate storage of raw food from cooked food.
  • Storage of food items in non-toxic food storage containers.

These are some proper food storage practices you learn during your course.

The effective implementation of these practices takes your career in the food industry to the next level. Your food brand, eatery, hotel, motel, or restaurant also climb the success ladder.

Throwing On The Career Of A Food Handler Certificate Holder In Ontario

All those who want to be a professional handler for a better life and career in Ontario, Canada, deserve to know about it. The hard work is always there to be done.

There is no doubt about it. You will have to strive to learn all the skills mentioned above to be where you believe you deserve to be in your career. There is no shortcut to success in this world!

Those who do this perseverance get ready to burn the midnight oil to be successful in this industry. You can also be one of those as a FSA (Food Safety Auditor), Food Packaging Specialist, Food Safety Inspector, Food Quality Analyst, Food Safety Trainer, and Food Processing Specialist. You can be a Cook, Chef, or Manager in an eatery, hotel, motel, or restaurant.

They make hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to support their family back at home. It is because they understand and fulfill the responsibility that they get to fulfill as a food industry specialist. Whatever you have read here is just one side of professional food handlers’ life in this part of the world.

You can also be one of those. All you need is an ActiCert food safety certificate for it. Enroll now to understand the value we can add to your career from every perspective. Hurry! We don’t have many seats! Grab your spot before someone else grabs it!

ACTIVE CAREER PROSPECTS FOR CERTIFIED FOOD HANDLERS

Safe Food Handling seems to have become a norm throughout the food industry. All food brands value this concept for several reasons. Protection of their customers’ health tops their list of reasons. The growth of their food brand depends on it. This is particularly true about food brands in Canada.

More than 11,000 Canadian nationals can visit hospitals this year. Over 200 people could die this year. These are the predictions of the Canadian Institute of Food Safety report.

For this reason, All Canadian food brands prefer experienced and certified food handlers. Hassle-free avoidance of legal troubles, compliance with Safe Food Handling, and protection of business and financial interests are some more reasons for it.

Here is a golden opportunity for you. You can build an exciting career in various verticals of the food industry. Do you know what is better than the best? You can be eligible to come to Canada to elevate the quality of your career from every perspective.

All you need is a Safe Food Handling Certification. The list of career choices for you in the Canadian food industry is beyond your imagination.

How is that possible? Many of you must be thinking about it. We know it.

We are going to tell you about it. Keep scrolling down gradually to get the answer.

Lucrative Career Choices For Food Safety Certificate Holders:

Serving delicious meals safely and appropriately to customers is not the only duty of professionals in this industry. It is one of their duties. They play an important role.

Their contribution is not limited to food preparation, processing, service, safety, and delivery. That’s true! You will see it for yourself once you become a Certified Food Handler and build a successful career in this domain.

Are you a  Food Safety Certificate Holder? You are ringing the right bell.  Here are some lucrative career options for you then:

  • FSA (Food Safety Auditor):

An FSA is responsible for keeping unsafe food off the supermarket shelves. It is for those who are immensely interested in the following:

  • Public Health Safety.
  • Food Manufacturing Facility.
  • Food Quality Training.
  • Food Audit.
  • Training Employees About Food Safety Programs.
  • Pest Control, Operational Methods.
  • FPEM (Food Production Equipment Maintenance).
  • Food Safety Regulations.

Maintaining Organized Reports, elevating the quality and level of employees’ performance, and remedying and identifying non-conformities are also key responsibilities of a Food Safety Auditor. For this reason, your career could reach the next level in Canada. Get a Food Handler Certificate to get this job in this country.

  • Food Packaging Specialist:

The quality of packaging matters. It ensures Food Safety. You can become a Food Packaging Specialist and play an important role in the following processes:

  • Package Design.
  • Searching For Products That Are Economical And Ecological.
  • Food Testing Processes And Procedures.
  • Determining The Shelf Life Of Food Items.
  • Implementation Of Government Safety Protocols.
  • Testing Package’s Integrity.
  • Following The Ethics Of The Company.

You can do all this as a Food Handler Certificate Holder or Food Packaging Specialist for a reputed brand.

  • Food Safety Inspector:

Food Safety Professionals get employment opportunities from all types of organizations. The list includes but is not limited to Food Production Facilities, Food Storage Facilities, Third Party Auditing Bodies, CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), and USFDA (United States Food And Drug Administration). All food facilities, departments, organizations, and companies must adhere to the Canadian Government’s Food Safety Standards.  Keeping up with regular inspections is equally important for them.

A Food Safety Certificate can help you get this lucrative in Canada easily. You will have your leg up during the hiring process. You could be responsible for the following duties:

  • Regular Inspection of Agriculture And Food Products.
  • Accurate Assessment of Food Recipes, Formulations, And Production Methods Of Food Products.
  • Accurate Assessment of Production, Processing, Packaging, Preservation, Labelling And Storage Methods Of Foot Items.
  • Accurate Evaluation of All Practices, Programs, And Records Related To Process Control Systems.
  • Regular Application of Regulatory Requirements To Identify Unacceptable Noncompliance Or Food Safety Hazards.
  • Regular Testing Of Biological, Chemical, And Physical Food Safety Hazards Through Regular Collection Of Various Samples From Agricultural, Food Processing And Production Environments.
  • Preparing Reports And Maintaining Relevant Records Related To Compliance Verification Activities.
  • Assisting Premises Operators And The Rest Of The Parties Technically Will Also Be Your Responsibility.
  • Regularly Organizing Field Sampling And Relevant Reporting Activities During Emergency Response.
  • Regular Participation In Emergency Preparedness Exercises And Training.
  • Implementation of Food Hygiene Practices.

Try to get this job in Canada if you are a Safe Food Handling specialist. You will earn handsomely based on your knowledge, skills, certification, and experience.

  • Food Quality Analyst:

Get your Food Safety Certificate out of the almirah. Use it to build your career as a Food Quality Analyst. You will be responsible for analyzing food samples in labs based on the following aspects:

  • The Quality.
  • The Nutritional Content.
  • The Adherence To Safety Standards.

Testing food samples for Physical, Microbiological, and Chemical properties tops the list of a Food Quality Analyst’s responsibilities.

You can earn CA$ 46,300 to CA$ 96,750 per year. It depends on the following two factors:

  • The Quality Of Your Knowledge, Experience, And Skills.
  • The Way You Execute Your Knowledge, Experience, And Skills.

Your Food Safety Certificate also plays an important role in it. You get preference during the hiring process. You get a higher salary as compared to non-certified professionals.

  • Food Safety Trainer:

This could be a lucrative opportunity for you to be a hero behind the curtain. You can train the next generation of Food Handlers, Food Managers, Food Storage, Labelling and Packaging professionals. You will equip them with accurate knowledge, high-quality skills, and strategies related to the following:

  • Safe Food Handling, Storage, Labelling, Delivery, and Services Practices.
  • The Best Personal Hygiene Standards.
  • Regular and Effective Implementation of Food Safety Regulations.

Many reputed Canadian Training Institutes, Private Organizations, invite applications for the post of certified Food Safety Trainer now and then.

Get your phone in your hands, and look for this post online. You will see many job opportunities. You can apply for many more posts. The list includes but is not limited only to the post of a Food Safety Officer, Food Safety Consultant, Food Safety Researcher, Food Safety Compliance Officer, Safe Quality Food Standard Coordinator, Third-Party Food Safety Auditor, Program Quality Manager, HACCP Coordinator, Quality Assurance Technician, Regulatory Affairs Officer, Cook, Butcher, Chef, Baker, Sommelier, Restaurant Manager, Food Processing Specialist, and Product Testing Expert.

Do you want to get one of these posts in Canada for a better career and financially secure life? You will need Safe Food Handling Certification for it. ActiCert can help you get it easily. We are Ontario Ministry of Health Approved Food Handler Certificate Course Providers in Canada.

Have a question about the course? Dial our phone number. Our Support Staff will answer all your questions about the course.

Register now! Hurry! Only a few seats are available now!

THE SIX PACKS OF FOOD SAFETY

Food Safety is an important topic of discussion worldwide. The quality of your food determines the level of your health. The most important thing it determines is the quality of your overall health. For this reason, eateries, restaurants, motels, and hotels prefer to hire certified safe food handling experts. The implementation of concepts related to food safety helps their business reach the next level of growth and success on the business front.

Food industry witnesses millions of medical cases every year due to food-borne illnesses. More than 42,000 people die because of food-borne illnesses, says a WHO Report.  Prevention against food-borne illnesses is the only key to prevent food-borne illnesses.

Safe food handling benefits your customers’ health. The most important thing it benefits is your food business’s overall health. Even people and animals exposed to Microbes that play havoc with the food. For this reason, food safety principles matter.

This is something you are about to learn today.

Food Safety Principles:

Any action or activity performed to safeguard food items falls in the category of food control measures. These measures further have three different categories:

  • Prerequisite Programs (PRP).
  • Operational Prerequisite Programs (OPRP).
  • Critical Control Points (CCP).

These measures go on to become the base of principles used to ensure safe handling of food items worldwide. Explained and listed below are these food safety packs:

Personal Hygiene

This is the first and most important principle and is taught to food professionals during the training period. It is a combination of hand washing techniques, wearing clean and protective clothing, trimming nails, keeping hair tied back nicely and regularly, and resting at home instead of working with food items during illness.

All food safety certificate holders wash their hands regularly using plain soap and water. They value scrubbing the following nicely:

  • The backs of their hands.
  • Between their fingers.
  • Under their nails.

They rinse and dry their hands.

Washing hands before, during, and after cutting, handling, storing, and cooking food is also an essential part of their hygiene to ensure safe food handling all the time.

Prevent Cross Contamination of Food Items:

Cross-contamination of food items is one of the biggest reasons for food-borne illnesses worldwide. Many people commit this mistake because of a lack of awareness about the harm such a food-handling practice causes to the health of their families and customers.

Such a mistake can be prevented using the following safe food handling practices:

  • Value using cutting boards for fresh produce or food items that are not likely to be eaten before they are cooked.
  • Use new plates for meat, poultry, and seafood. Use different plates and utensils for food items that are cooked or raw.
  • Always keep certain food items separate from other food items. Keep certain food items packed in plastic bags.

Time And Temperature Control Practices:

Cooking to the right temperature for the right duration of time is another thing a food safety certificate holder must know about. Measure the temperature of cooked food items using a thermometer.

Make sure your food items have reached the right temperature. Don’t touch the bone, fat, or grizzle while measuring the temperature of your food. All food items are cooked to safety when the temperature rises enough to kill harmful bacteria available in them.

Make sure your food items are hot once the cooking process is over. The temperature of all cooked food items must be 40°C or more. The maximum temperature should be 60°C. The temperature of all food items microwaved must be 74°C or more.

Always refrigerate or freeze perishable food items within 2 hours.

Value Proper Food Storage Practices:

Food safety courses stress various things. This is one of those major aspects.

  • Value cleaning surfaces and counters and tools and utensils between uses.
  • Appropriate packing of food items is necessary.
  • Appropriate labelling and dating of food items is also necessary.
  • Always store raw food items below-cooked food items.
  • Always store foods using suitable covered containers.
  • Store high-risk food items with special care.
  • Temperature and humidity control is also important.

These are some things experienced food safety certificate holders suggest you to store food items. 

Value Cleaning And Sanitation:

Keeping food items perfectly clean is extremely important to keep food items safe. The sanitization of tools and utensils used to cut or store food items is also equally important. You can constantly achieve this incredible feat using the following tips:

  • Prefer the use of natural cleaners instead of chemical-based cleaners.
  • Store all cleaners appropriately.
  • Wash and dry hands immediately after the cleaning process.

Ensure regular cleaning and sanitization of food cooking and storage facilities.

Pest Control:

It is one of the top 10 safe food-handling practices worldwide. The flawless and regular implementation of the best pest control practices in food manufacturing or storage units is a must. You must remain vigilant all the time.

It is because the life forms that enter the manufacturing or storage unit get enough warmth/cooling, air, water, food, and safety from predators to proliferate. For this reason, food business owners need to clean their food manufacturing and storage units regularly to help ensure the prevention of pests, harmful bacteria, and contaminants.

These are some food safety principles that you must follow under all circumstances. These principles can help you keep your food items safe.

What is more important is that your business will remain safe, compliant with food safety regulations, and in the good books of your customers.

You can learn the art of implementing these principles through the ActiCert food safety certification course. Do you want this certification? Enrol now!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS TO CANADA​

Millions of people immigrate to Canada every year. Most of these immigrants come here in the hopes of better professional opportunities. They enroll in different types of educational programs for it. Red Cross and Food Safety Certificates are among those programs. Such educational programs and initiatives help new Immigrants elevate their careers significantly. What is more important is these programs help new immigrants find their source of livelihood in this part of the world.

Successful completion of these programs leads to better professional opportunities. There is no dearth of better professional opportunities. For this reason, Canada is heaven for all new immigrants. Most immigrants want to improve their careers in various Red Cross and food verticals.

The popularity of these two fields is constantly reaching the next level. The rise of these two fields’ popularity has resulted in the introduction of many exciting career opportunities for new immigrants in Canada. We are going to help you understand this fact through this post.

Food Safety Certificate For Better Career Opportunities In Canada For New Immigrants:

In 2023, immigrants to Canada enrolled in the following crouses for a better career:

  • Software Engineering.
  • Administrative Assistance.
  • Computer Programming.
  • Interactive Media Development.
  • Information Systems Analysis and Consultancy.

But the list was dominated by the following courses:

  • Red Cross Programs.
  • Food Safety Certifications Courses.

Do you also want to elevate your career in one of these two domains? Do you want to enroll in one of these courses to come to Canada for it? Alright! This country offers various courses related to these two domains. You can choose the one that appeals to you the most and enroll in it. Register for a course or certification that aligns with your professional and future goals.

Let’s Begin With Red Cross Certifications:

More than 20,000 ICRC volunteers are currently in over 100 countries affected by wars, violence, and catastrophes. They are building their career by helping people in need. They dedicate their wealth of time, skills, and experience to help people facing the wrath of armed forces and violence. They are doing their best to save lives in such countries.

All these ICRC (International Committee Of The Red Cross) volunteers are active in countries Norway, Russia, France, the United States, India, Ukraine, Turkey, China, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Columbia, and many more. Canada leads their league by producing qualified and skilled healthcare specialists. The availability of various Red Cross certificate related programs in Canada proves it.

Do you also want to serve the people in need? Why don’t you come to Canada? There is no dearth of certifications to help you become a healthcare specialist trained, experienced, and skilled enough for emergency assistance and disaster response.

The quality of knowledge, experience, and skills you will gain will help you perform the following the right way:

  • CPR/AED.
  • BLS (Basic Life Support).
  • Emergency First Aid Blended (Levels A or C).
  • Standard first aid.
  • Disaster response.

All institutes offering Red Cross Certificates offer training using the following methods:

  • Instructor-led in-class sessions.
  • Instructor-led online sessions.
  • Blended sessions (the combination of In-class and online sessions).

All of these courses equip you with different types of skills needed to respond to emergencies effectively.

Skills These Courses Equip You With:

You need to be certified to be a skilled and approved Red Cross volunteer in Canada. This could be possible if you enroll in one of the following certifications to immigrate to Canada:

  • CPR/AED.
  • BLS (Basic Life Support).
  • Emergency First Aid Blended.
  • Standard First Aid Blended.

We want you to make the right choice. For this reason, allow us to tell you a thing or two about these Red Cross Certificates below:

CPR

CPR/AED:

This course is related to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Automated External Defibrillator resuscitation. Its successful completion equips the participant with the knowledge, skills, and experience required to recognize and respond to the following:

  • Cardiovascular emergencies.
  • Choking for adults, children, and babies.

It all depends on the level of CPR you choose.

Basic LIfe Support (BLS):

Basic Life Support Red Cross Certification is for those who wish to be first responders, health care providers, or public safety professionals to provide basic life support to people facing the following medical emergencies:

  • Cardiac Arrest.
  • Respiratory Distress.
  • Airway Obstruction.
  • Hemorrhage.
  • Spinal injuries.

The list doesn’t end here only. Those who complete this course gain the confidence to perform CPR in a team environment. They become reliable and confident professionals with a duty to perform.

Emergency First Aid Blended:

Emergency First Aid is another name for this Red Cross Certificate. Enrollment in this course equips first responders, health care providers, or public safety professionals with the necessary skills to assist an accident or illness victim. It helps ensure the following as soon as possible:

  • To save the victim's life.
  • Further prevention of injury
  • To reduce or relieve the victim's suffering.

Skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, and qualified first responders, healthcare providers, or public safety professionals ensure these things by the time a team of qualified medical healthcare specialists arrives.

Those who enroll in this course attend instructor-led in-class and online sessions. They learn to perform vital life-saving first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills at the workplace or home.

This Red Cross Certification allows you to be a professional lifesaver in Canada. You can take your career to the next level in the healthcare industry. The Emergency First Aid course you select should fulfill legislation requirements for provincial/territorial worker safety.

This is another opportunity for you to immigrate to Canada as a healthcare, first responder, or public safety professional. Canada provides a blended version of training for this course to all participants. Instructor-led in-class and online sessions are conducted to train participants.

Standard First Aid Blended:

Standard First Aid is another important Red Cross Certification for first responders, health care providers, or public safety professionals.

This course can help you to immigrate to Canada as a first responder, healthcare provider, and public safety professional who needs comprehensive first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills for the following:

  • Those who need practical training because of work requirements.
  • Those who need more knowledge to respond to emergencies at home effectively.

We suggest you earn all these Red Cross Certificates to immigrate to Canada. This country has many opportunities for skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, and qualified first responders, healthcare, and public safety professionals. You will have a great chance to improve your career with such certifications. Think about it once!

Professionals With Food Safety Certificate Are Also In High Demand In Canada:

Food Industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. The industry caters to the food needs of everyone in the world. But this industry also has its own challenges.

The list includes but is not limited to cooking, cooling, storage, and handling of food items. A small mistake by anyone in the food industry impacts consumers’ health.

Consumers are the backbone of all food manufacturing brands’ business. They know it! For this reason, they value their health the most. Their efforts to hire experienced professionals with a Food Safety Certificate speak volumes about it.

How Is This Possible?

The Government of Canada has introduced an Agri-Food Pilot Program for it. All food service professionals who want to immigrate to Canada for a better career can learn everything about this program from the official website of the Canadian Government. Follow the steps given below to find all this information:

  • Visit the official website of the Canadian Government
  • Click the menu option available in the header section of the website.
  • Navigate to immigration & citizenship options.
  • Navigate to immigration & citizenship options.
  • Click the agri-food pilot option.

You are now all set to seek information about the program. Read everything carefully to make the right move.

Register For A Reputed Food Safety Certification Course In Canada:

That’s right! This should be your next step in this direction. Find a reputed educational institution that offers this certification. Enroll in it, complete it, and you are good to go.

Look For Appropriate Opportunities In The Canadian Food Industry:

food handler

This is something you need to know about on priority. The accuracy of your knowledge about it will help you make the right choice. You will save all that money and time that goes into identifying genuine opportunities for food service professionals in the Canadian industry. It will strengthen your immigration case significantly.

You need to identify a couple of things in this process. Given below is their list:

  • Eligible industry code.
  • Eligible industries agri-food pilot program.
  • Eligible occupations.
  • Annual application limits.

Eligible Industry Code:

Your employer must include the industry code in the job offer extended to you. Only then your Food Handler Certification Course will help you immigrate to Canada for a better career. You can also find the eligible industry code by visiting the official website of NAICS.

Eligible Industries Agri-Food Pilot Program:

Several food industries are eligible under Canada’s Agri-food Pilot program. The list includes the following:

  • Meat product manufacturing industry (NAICS 3116).
  • Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture, and mushroom production industry (NAICS 1114)
  • Animal production industry. For Example:
  • Cattle ranching and farming (NAICS 1121).
  • Farming of hogs and pigs. (NAICS 1122).
  • Poultry and production of eggs (NAICS 1123).
  • Farming of goat and sheep (NAICS 1124).
  • Production of other animals (1129).

You must identify industries eligible under this program after or before you get your Food Handler Certification Course to immigrate to Canada.

Eligible Occupations:

The Agri-Food Pilot program of Canada has specified eligible occupations according to the industry type. Following are the occupations eligible under this program for you:

Occupations eligible for meat product manufacturing industry (NAICS 3116).

Several occupations are eligible for this industry. Take a look at the list below:

  • Retail and wholesale butchers (NOC 63201)
  • Retail and wholesale butchers (NOC 63201)
  • Meat cutters and industrial butchers, poultry preparers, and relevant workers (NOC 94141).
  • Farm supervisors and agriculture service contractors (NOC 82030).
  • Farm machinery operators and specialized livestock workers (NOC 85100).
  • Farm machinery operators and specialized livestock workers (NOC 85100).
  • Livestock Laborers.

Get your food safety certificate from a reputed institute if you are one of the experienced professionals in these verticals of the meat manufacturing industry. Your certification will add value to your immigration case.

The list of occupations eligible for greenhouse, nursery and floriculture, and mushroom production industry (NAICS 1114):

Take a look at the list of occupations eligible for the industries mentioned above:

  • Farm supervisors and agricultural service contractors (NOC 82030).
  • Farm machinery operators and experienced livestock workers (NOC 84120).
  • Livestock laborers (NOC 85100).
  • Laborers related to the domain of harvesting (NOC 85001).

Do you have some experience in one of these food industry verticals mentioned above? Do you have a food handler certificate to work in Canada? We suggest you use both things to your advantage. You will get many job opportunities in the food industry to immigrate to Canada.

All occupations are eligible for the animal production industry. For Example:

You should know the complete list of occupations eligible for the animal production industry. Your knowledge about it will save you a lot of time during the immigration process. Take a look below:

  • Farm supervisors and agricultural service contractors (NOC 82030).
  • Farm machinery operators and experienced livestock workers (NOC 84120).
  • Livestock laborers (NOC 85100).
  • Laborers related to the domain of harvesting (NOC 85001).

You can use your food handler certificate to your advantage if you have worked in these verticals of the animal production industry. Your experience and certification can help you immigrate to Canada for a better career in this vertical of the food industry.

Annual Application Limits:

The Government of Canada entertains only 2,750 applications every year. There is no such restriction or limitation for individual applications. The Canadian government entertains applications on a first-come, first-serve basis. Professionals with food handler certificates are eligible for fee refund if their application is not approved because the annual application limit has been hit. You can try again next year.

All in all, certifications with some experience can nowadays help you immigrate to Canada. Put your best foot forward for it. Don’t have a Red Cross or Food Safety Certification Course to immigrate to Canada for a better career? Don’t worry!

You can enroll in ActiCert Red Cross and Food safety courses. Our courses can improve your chances of immigrating to Canada for a better career.

Come to our website or call us to learn about our Red Cross and Food Safety Certification courses immediately.