Temperature Control

It's really important to store food in conditions that bacteria won't grow and multiply in. You need to bear certain temperatures in mind when handling food.

Danger zone: 5-63°C

Between 5°C and 63°C, bacteria can grow and multiply very rapidly.
Bacteria grow best at 37°C, which is normal human body temperature.
Hot food should be eaten before it drops below 63°C.

Chilling: 0-5°C

Food may harden a little when it's chilled, but besides that, food doesn't really change when it's chilled.
Storing food between 0°C and 5°C will slow bacteria growth and increase shelf life (how long the food stays safe for).

Freezing: -18°C

Bacteria can no longer grow at temperatures below -18°C.
Freezing preserves nutrients and increase the shelf life of many foods.
It's important to note that bacteria become dormant when food is frozen - they don't die. As soon as food defrosts, they turn active again.

Cooking or reheating: 75°C

To destroy bacteria, we should cook food at temperatures higher than 75°C.
We should only reheat food once, and we should always reheat food thoroughly. We should heat the food for a minimum of 3 minutes or until the food is 'piping hot' (definitely above 75°C).

Correct Use of Fridges and Freezers

Fridges and freezers need to be set to certain temperatures. You must store food correctly in fridges and freezers to avoid contamination and disrupting the circulation of air.

Fridges

The temperature of a fridge should be set at 0-5°C.
To prevent food contamination, foods should be put into containers or covered.
Store raw meats, fish and poultry at the bottom of the fridge to prevent blood and juices from leaking onto other foods.
Putting too much food in fridges will disrupt air circulation and therefore the removal of heat from food.

Freezers

The approximate temperature of a freezer should be -18°C.
You should note on food packaging when you stored the foods.
When you take foods like poultry and meat out of the freezer, you should place them in the fridge to allow them to defrost properly.
You may have to adjust cooking times for food that's been left to defrost - if parts of the food are still frozen, you'll need to cook the food for longer to destroy all of the bacteria.
Food packaging will often include a 'cook from frozen' guideline. You should follow this if cooking directly from frozen.

Star ratings

Star ratings - tell you how long you can store foods in fridges and freezers for.
For example, in a fridge's freezer compartment you should store:
- 1★ foods - maximum 1 week at around -6°C.
- 2★ foods - maximum 1 month at around -12°C.
In a freezer, you should store:
- 3★ foods - up to 3 months at around -18°C.
- 4★ foods - no longer than the 'best before' date at -18°C or below.

Fridge layout

Top shelves and middle shelf: ready-to-eat foods (e.g. sandwiches, yoghurts, cured meats, condiments etc.)
Bottom shelves: raw meat, fish, poultry.
Salad drawer: fruit, vegetables and salad vegetables.

1Food Preparation Skills

1.1Food Preparation Skills

1.1.1General Practical Skills

1.1.2Knife Skills

1.1.3Preparing Fruit, Vegetables & Using Equipment

1.1.4Cooking Methods: Prepare, Shape & Combine

1.1.5Sauce Making, Tenderising & Marinating

1.1.6Dough & Pastry

1.1.7Shaping & Finishing Dough

1.1.8Raising Agents & Mixtures

1.1.9End of Topic Test - Food Preparation Skills 1

2Food, Nutrition & Health

2.1Macronutrients

2.1.1Proteins

2.1.2Proteins 2

2.1.3Fats

2.1.4Carbohydrates

2.1.5Carbohydrates 2

2.2Micronutrients

2.2.1Fat-Soluble Vitamins

2.2.2Water-Soluble Vitamins

2.2.3Minerals & Water

2.2.4Minerals & Water 2

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Macro & Micronutrients

2.3Nutritional Needs & Health

2.3.1Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet

2.3.2Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet 2

2.3.3Energy Needs

2.3.4Nutritional Analysis

2.3.5Diet Modifications

2.3.6Diet-Related Problems

2.3.7Diet-Related Problems 2

2.3.8End of Topic Test - Nutritional Needs & Health

3Food Science

3.1Cooking of Food & Heat Transfer

3.1.1Reasons for Cooking & Heat Transfer

3.1.2Water-Based Cooking Methods

3.1.3Fat-Based Cooking Methods

3.1.4Dry Cooking Methods

3.1.5Dry Cooking Methods 2

3.2Functional & Chemical Properties of Food

3.2.1Proteins & Carbohydrates

3.2.2Fats & Oils

3.2.3Raising Agents

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Science

4Food Safety

4.1Food Spoilage & Contamination

4.1.1Microorganisms & Signs of Food Spoilage

4.1.2Enzymes & Signs of Food Spoilage

4.1.3Food Poisoning

4.1.4Bacterial Contamination

4.1.5Microorganisms in Food Production

4.2Principles of Food Safety

4.2.1Temperature Control

4.2.2Ambient Foods & Food Labels

4.2.3Preparing, Cooking & Serving Food

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Safety

5Food Choice

5.1Factors Affecting Food Choice

5.1.1Factors Which Influence Food Choice

5.1.2Food Choices

5.1.3Religious Food Choices

5.1.4Food Labels

5.1.5Mandatory Food Labels

5.1.6Optional Food Labels

5.1.7Marketing Influences

5.1.8End of Topic Test - Food Choice

5.2British & International Cuisines

5.2.1British Cuisine

5.2.2Japanese Cuisine

5.2.3Japanese Ingredients & Dishes

5.2.4Spanish Cuisine

5.2.5Spanish Ingredients & Dishes

5.3Sensory Evaluation

5.3.1Taste Receptors & Olfactory Systems

5.3.2Sensory Testing Methods

5.3.3Sensory Testing Methods 2

5.3.4End of Topic Test - Cuisines & Senses

6Food Provenance

6.1Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Food

6.1.1Food Sources - Intensive & Organic Farming

6.1.2Food Sources - Genetically Modified Crops

6.1.3Food Sources - Reared Food

6.1.4Food Sources - Caught Food

6.1.5Food & The Environment

6.1.6Food & The Environment 2

6.1.7Sustainability of Food

6.1.8Sustainability of Food 2

6.1.9End of Topic Test - Environmental Impacts

6.2Food Processing & Production

6.2.1Primary Food Processing

6.2.2Primary Food Processing 2

6.2.3Secondary Food Processing

6.2.4Fortification

6.2.5Additives

6.2.6End of Topic Test - Food Processing & Production

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