Food hygiene glossary

Adrenaline auto-injector

A pen-shaped device that gives a dose of adrenaline to treat anaphylaxis. People with a severe allergy may carry one; if they have one, help them use it and call 999.

Allergen

A food or ingredient that can cause an allergic reaction. UK law lists 14 allergens, such as milk, eggs, peanuts and sesame, that must be declared to customers.

Anaphylaxis

The most severe form of allergic reaction, which can kill. If you see swelling of the lips or throat or difficulty breathing, call 999 straight away and say it is anaphylaxis.

Best before

A date mark about quality, found on longer-life food such as dried, canned and frozen food. The food can still be safe after this date if stored correctly, but its quality may be lower.

Coeliac disease

An autoimmune reaction to gluten that damages the gut. Gluten is found in cereals such as wheat, rye, barley and oats.

Contact time

How long a disinfectant or sanitiser must stay on a surface to work. It is shown on the product label.

Core temperature

The temperature at the centre or thickest part of the food, measured with a clean probe thermometer. Always check cooking and reheating temperatures here.

Critical control point

In HACCP, a step where control is essential to prevent or reduce a hazard, for example cooking. Each one has a critical limit that is checked and recorded.

Critical limit

In HACCP, the value that must be reached at a critical control point, for example a core temperature of 75°C when cooking. If it is missed, corrective action must be taken.

Cross-contact

When an allergen gets into food that should not contain it, for example through shared equipment, fryer oil or airborne flour. Thorough cleaning removes allergens; disinfection alone does not.

Cross-contamination

The transfer of harmful bacteria from one place to another, usually from raw food to ready-to-eat food. It can happen by direct contact, through hands, knives, boards and cloths, or through people and pests.

Danger zone

The temperature range of 5°C to 63°C, in which harmful bacteria grow. Keep high-risk food out of it: chilled at 5°C or below, or hot at 63°C or above.

Detergent

A cleaning product used with hot water to remove grease and dirt. It cleans but does not disinfect: disinfection is a separate step that comes after.

Disinfection

Reducing bacteria to a safe level, using a chemical disinfectant or heat. It only works on a surface that has already been cleaned of dirt and grease.

Due diligence

Being able to show that the business took all reasonable precautions to keep food safe. Honest records of checks, actions and training are the main way to prove it.

Environmental Health Officer

An inspector from the local council who enforces food hygiene law. EHOs can inspect without warning, take samples, issue improvement notices, close premises that pose an imminent risk and prosecute.

Exclusion

Keeping an ill staff member away from handling food while they could pass on illness. After diarrhoea or vomiting, they stay away from open food until 48 hours after symptoms stop without medicine.

FIFO

First in, first out: a way of rotating stock. Put new stock behind older stock and use the oldest stock first.

Food handler

Anyone whose work involves handling food, for example preparing, cooking, serving or storing it. Every food handler must be trained, instructed or supervised in food hygiene to match their work.

Food Hygiene Information Scheme

The food hygiene scheme used in Scotland. After an inspection, a business is given either Pass or Improvement Required.

Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

The scheme used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that gives food businesses a hygiene rating from 0 to 5, based on their inspection. Scotland uses the Food Hygiene Information Scheme instead.

Food safety management system

The written procedures and records a food business uses to control food safety hazards, based on HACCP principles. Safer Food Better Business is one example.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a way of managing food safety based on seven principles. It means finding the critical steps, setting limits, checking them, putting problems right and keeping records.

High-risk food

Ready-to-eat food that supports bacterial growth and will not be cooked again, such as cooked meat, dairy products, cooked rice, seafood and prepared salads.

Hot holding

Keeping cooked food hot, at 63°C or above, until it is served, for example in a bain-marie or hot cupboard. Hot-holding equipment must not be used to heat food up.

Improvement notice

A written notice from an Environmental Health Officer telling a food business what it must do to put things right, within a set time.

Intolerance

A digestive reaction to a food. It is usually not life-threatening, unlike a severe allergy, but it is still unpleasant.

Natasha's Law

The UK rules, in force since 1 October 2021, for food prepacked for direct sale, such as sandwiches packed on site before the customer orders. The label must show the name of the food and a full ingredients list with the 14 allergens emphasised.

Probe thermometer

A thermometer with a metal probe that you push into the centre of food to check its core temperature. Clean and disinfect it before and after use, and check it regularly for accuracy.

Ready-to-eat food

Food that will be eaten without being cooked again, such as salads, sandwiches and cooked meats. Any bacteria that get onto it will not be killed, so keep it away from raw food.

Safer Food Better Business

A ready-made food safety management system based on HACCP, used by many small food businesses in England and Wales. Northern Ireland has Safe Catering and Scotland has CookSafe.

Sanitiser

A product that cleans and disinfects in one. Surfaces with heavy dirt still need cleaning first, and you must follow its dilution and contact time.

Spore

A tough, resting form that some bacteria make, which can survive cooking. This is why cooked food must be cooled quickly and kept out of the danger zone.

Toxin

A poison that some bacteria make in food. Some toxins are not destroyed by reheating, so food must not be left in the danger zone.

Use by

A date mark about safety, found on food that goes off quickly, such as fresh meat, fish, dairy and ready meals. Never use, serve or sell food after its use-by date.

These terms come from the United Kingdom version of the course. See what the course covers.