Sources, vehicles and routes of bacterial contamination
To control hazards we need to know where they come from (sources) and how they get into food or food premises (routes)
Sources
• People (staff and customers): Hands, nose (sneezing), mouth, bowel, skin, boils, cuts(septic), spots and sewage
• Raw food: Vegetables, milk and eggs, meat (red and white), shellfish, water
• Environment: Soil, dust & refuse/waste food
• Pests: Insects (feet, vomit, faeces),rodents (feet, urine, faeces, mouth), animals (pets) and birds
Vehicles
• Hands • Cloths, utensils
• Hand-contact surfaces and equipment
• Food-contact surfaces
Routes
A route is the path taken by food poisoning bacteria to get from the source to the high-risk food. This may be direct (including drip) or indirect via a vehicle.
Cleaning, disinfection and good hygiene practice are essential to remove routes.
Remove source, and/or avoid vehicle and/or provide a barrier to the route e.g. cleaning and disinfection
Cross-contamination
The transfer of bacteria from contaminated foods (usually raw) to ready-to-eat foods by:
Direct contact: Raw ready-to-eat food
Indirect: Raw surface ready-to-eat food
Indirect contact via: • Hands • Cloths • Equipment • Work surfaces