Food Safety Terms and Definitions Glossary

The addition of inferior or harmful substances to food products for fraudulent purposes, such as diluting expensive ingredients with cheaper fillers or contaminants.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Food Fraud and Integrity

A substance that triggers an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, commonly found in foods like peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat, and soy.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Allergen Management

Procedures and practices implemented to prevent cross-contact and contamination of food products with allergenic ingredients, including segregation, labelling, and sanitation measures.

Reference: Food safety programme

Topic: Allergen Management

The surrounding environmental temperature. In food safety, maintaining proper temperature controls is essential to prevent bacterial growth.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Temperature Control

The ability of microorganisms to resist the effects of antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, due to genetic mutations or acquired resistance mechanisms, posing a significant threat to public health.

Reference: Public health and food safety

Topic: Microbiology

A vendor that meets regulatory and food safety standards for sourcing ingredients or products. Businesses should ensure suppliers comply with relevant legal and food safety requirements.

Reference: Procurement and approval

Topic: Supplier Management

A systematic review to verify compliance with food safety regulations, standards and internal requirements, such as ISO 22000, HACCP or hygiene legislation.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Auditing and Compliance

A measure of the water available in food for microbial growth. Foods with low water activity are generally less prone to bacterial contamination and spoilage.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

The presence of harmful bacteria in food that can cause foodborne illnesses. Example: Salmonella in raw poultry.

Reference: Food contamination

Topic: Microbiology

A practicable and necessary method for the protection of food against contamination or spoilage, taking account of local conditions, established practice and practical implementation considerations.

Reference: Regulatory concept

Topic: Compliance and Hygiene

The date until which food retains its best quality. Unlike an expiration or use-by date, food may still be safe to consume after this date if stored properly.

Reference: Food labelling term

Topic: Labelling and Shelf Life

A risk to food safety caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi. Example: Listeria monocytogenes in soft cheeses.

Reference: HACCP term

Topic: Hazard Analysis

Measures implemented to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in agricultural and food production systems, including hygiene protocols, quarantine procedures and restricted access controls.

Reference: Preventive control

Topic: Agriculture and Public Health

A severe foodborne illness caused by Clostridium botulinum, often linked to improperly canned foods and anaerobic conditions.

Reference: Foodborne disease

Topic: Microbiology

A controlled area in food processing used to separate raw and ready-to-eat foods, minimising cross-contamination risks.

Reference: Facility control

Topic: Zoning and Segregation

The storage of large quantities of food ingredients or products requiring strict adherence to hygiene, stock rotation, pest control and environmental management measures.

Reference: Storage term

Topic: Storage and Warehousing

The process of verifying that measuring instruments, such as thermometers or pH meters, provide accurate readings.

Reference: Equipment control

Topic: Monitoring and Verification

A bacterial pathogen causing foodborne illness, often found in raw poultry and unpasteurised milk.

Reference: Pathogen

Topic: Microbiology

The assessment of meat post-slaughter to ensure it is free from disease and unacceptable contamination.

Reference: Meat inspection term

Topic: Meat Safety

A step in food production where control is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

Reference: HACCP term

Topic: HACCP

A certificate issued in terms of applicable hygiene regulations indicating that a food premises has met relevant hygiene and legal requirements.

Reference: Legal compliance term

Topic: Compliance and Hygiene

Free of soil, food residues, dust, dirt, grease, impurities or other objectionable matter to the extent that a hygienic state is achieved.

Reference: Hygiene term

Topic: Cleaning and Sanitation

The presence of harmful chemicals such as pesticides, cleaning agents or residues in food. Example: detergent residue contaminating food contact surfaces.

Reference: Hazard type

Topic: Food Contamination

The process of lowering food temperature to slow bacterial growth and maintain food safety and quality.

Reference: Cold chain term

Topic: Temperature Control

Any representation which states, suggests or implies that a food has particular characteristics relating to origin, nutritional properties, nature, production, processing, composition or another quality.

Reference: Food labelling term

Topic: Labelling and Claims

The adherence to laws, regulations, standards and guidelines governing food safety, food quality, labelling and manufacturing practices.

Reference: General business term

Topic: Compliance and Governance

Anything in which or with which food is manufactured, prepared, processed, stored, served, displayed, packed, wrapped, kept or transported and with which food is in direct contact.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Food Contact Materials

The effect of a biological or chemical agent, foreign matter or other substance in food such that the food may fail legal requirements or become unfit for human consumption.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Food Contamination

The temperature reading taken in the estimated centre of the food product.

Reference: Monitoring term

Topic: Temperature Control

The maximum or minimum value to which a biological, chemical or physical parameter must be controlled at a critical control point.

Reference: HACCP term

Topic: HACCP

The process by which contaminants, allergens or microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one food, surface, object or facility to another.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Food Contamination

The process of removing harmful microorganisms, chemicals or foreign matter from food or surfaces.

Reference: Control measure

Topic: Cleaning and Sanitation

A cleaning agent used to remove grease, dirt and food residues from surfaces. It is normally followed by sanitisation in food environments.

Reference: Cleaning term

Topic: Cleaning and Sanitation

The process of killing or reducing pathogenic microorganisms on surfaces using chemicals or heat.

Reference: Sanitation term

Topic: Cleaning and Sanitation

A term covering both best before and use-by dates, indicating how long food retains intended quality and safety.

Reference: Shelf life term

Topic: Labelling and Shelf Life

The time required at a specific temperature to reduce a microbial population by 90 percent, commonly used in thermal processing validation.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Thermal Processing

A bacterium found in the intestines of animals and humans. Some strains can cause severe foodborne illness.

Reference: Pathogen

Topic: Microbiology

A digital system that tracks food products from production to sale, supporting traceability, recall capability and compliance.

Reference: Digital compliance tool

Topic: Traceability

Laboratory analysis conducted on finished food products to assess safety, quality, nutritional content or compliance before distribution.

Reference: Quality control term

Topic: Testing and Verification

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in food, affecting spoilage, ripening, processing and digestion.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Food Science

Environmental factors outside the food itself, such as temperature, humidity and surrounding atmosphere, that affect microbial growth.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

An apparatus, appliance, implement, storage space, working surface or object used in connection with the handling of food.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Food Premises and Equipment

A stock rotation system ensuring older food items are used before newer ones, helping prevent spoilage and unnecessary waste.

Reference: Inventory control

Topic: Storage and Stock Control

A substance added to food to improve taste, texture, appearance or shelf life, such as preservatives, colourants, flavourings or emulsifiers.

Reference: Food science term

Topic: Food Composition

Illness caused by consuming contaminated food, including bacterial, viral and parasitic infections.

Reference: Public health term

Topic: Foodborne Illness

A disease-causing microbe that contaminates food and leads to foodborne illness when consumed.

Reference: Pathogen

Topic: Microbiology

Any surface that comes into direct contact with food during production, processing, packaging or handling.

Reference: Hygiene term

Topic: Food Contact Materials

A harmful chemical, microorganism or physical material present in food that can cause illness, injury or product non-compliance.

Reference: General food safety term

Topic: Food Contamination

Efforts to prevent intentional contamination of food products by biological, chemical, physical or radiological hazards introduced to cause harm.

Reference: Intentional contamination

Topic: Food Defence and Fraud

The intentional misrepresentation, substitution, dilution or adulteration of food for economic gain.

Reference: Food integrity term

Topic: Food Defence and Fraud

A person who directly handles food, food equipment, utensils or food contact surfaces in the course of normal work and is expected to comply with food hygiene requirements.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: People and Responsibilities

The conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.

Reference: Core food safety term

Topic: General Hygiene

A building, structure, stall, vehicle or similar place used for or in connection with the handling of food.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Food Premises and Equipment

The process of removing unsafe or non-compliant food from distribution, sale or use.

Reference: Incident management term

Topic: Recall and Traceability

The assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when prepared or consumed according to its intended use.

Reference: Core food safety term

Topic: Core Concepts

A systematic approach to managing food safety hazards within a food business through policies, procedures, monitoring and control measures.

Reference: FSMS term

Topic: Food Safety Management Systems

A certification and assurance framework supporting good agricultural practices for food safety, sustainability and worker health.

Reference: Agricultural standard

Topic: Standards and Certification

Guidelines and practices implemented in agricultural production to minimise the risk of contamination, unsafe chemical residues and other hazards.

Reference: Best practice term

Topic: Agriculture and Primary Production

Procedures and conditions that ensure food is produced under sanitary conditions and support safe food handling.

Reference: Prerequisite programme

Topic: General Hygiene

Methods of manufacture or handling that follow hygienic principles so food cannot be contaminated or spoiled during production.

Reference: Core GMP term

Topic: Good Manufacturing Practices

The different stages of bacterial multiplication, including lag, exponential, stationary and death phases.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

In hygiene contexts, this may include the forearm or the part of the arm extending from the wrist to the elbow.

Reference: Regulatory hygiene term

Topic: Personal Hygiene

A condition, act or omission that may contaminate or spoil food so that its consumption is likely to be dangerous or detrimental to health.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Hazards

A systematic preventive approach to food safety that identifies, evaluates and controls hazards throughout the food production process.

Reference: Core HACCP term

Topic: HACCP

The presence of toxic metals such as lead, mercury or arsenic in food, often due to environmental pollution or poor process control.

Reference: Contamination term

Topic: Chemical Hazards

Foods that are more susceptible to contamination and spoilage because of composition, handling, storage conditions or microbiological profile.

Reference: Risk-based food term

Topic: Food Classification

Microorganisms used to assess the hygienic quality of food, water or processing environments. Their presence may indicate unsanitary conditions or possible pathogen risks.

Reference: Testing term

Topic: Microbiology

The presence of pests in food storage, handling or processing areas, requiring control through effective pest management measures.

Reference: Pest term

Topic: Pest Control

Official or internal checks on food businesses, food premises, processes or products to assess compliance and safety.

Reference: Verification term

Topic: Auditing and Compliance

A food preservation technique using ionising radiation to reduce microorganisms, parasites or insects and extend shelf life.

Reference: Processing method

Topic: Food Preservation

Properties of the food itself, such as pH, moisture content and nutrient composition, that influence microbial growth and stability.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

An international food safety management system standard integrating hazard analysis, prerequisite programmes and management system requirements.

Reference: FSMS standard

Topic: Standards and Certification

A separation technique used in some food processing operations, particularly in seafood and related sectors.

Reference: Processing term

Topic: Food Processing

A unit of energy used in thermal food processing and scientific measurements.

Reference: Scientific unit

Topic: Food Science

A process step such as cooking, pasteurisation or sterilisation designed to eliminate or sufficiently reduce pathogens.

Reference: Control measure

Topic: Thermal Processing

Ensuring food labels meet legal requirements, including ingredient declarations, allergen statements, product identity, net contents and other required information.

Reference: Compliance term

Topic: Labelling and Claims

Beneficial bacteria used in fermented foods such as yoghurt, pickles and some dairy or beverage products.

Reference: Beneficial microbe

Topic: Microbiology

The initial phase of bacterial growth during which cells adapt to new conditions before rapid multiplication begins.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

A bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis and is often associated with ready-to-eat foods, deli meats and some dairy products.

Reference: Pathogen

Topic: Microbiology

A unique identifier assigned to a production batch or lot for traceability, stock control and recall purposes.

Reference: Identification term

Topic: Traceability

Foods with a pH above 4.6 that require specific heat processing controls to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth.

Reference: Risk category

Topic: Thermal Processing

A regulatory and safety process intended to ensure meat products are safe, wholesome and free from unacceptable disease conditions.

Reference: Inspection term

Topic: Meat Safety

A food safety control measure used in production to identify and remove metallic contaminants from food products.

Reference: Detection and control

Topic: Physical Hazards

Bacteria that grow best at moderate temperatures, including many foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

The total number of microorganisms present in food, ingredients, water or an environment, assessed for safety and spoilage risk.

Reference: Testing term

Topic: Microbiology

The process of heating milk to kill pathogenic bacteria and improve microbiological safety.

Reference: Dairy processing term

Topic: Thermal Processing

A packaging technique that alters gas composition around a product to extend shelf life and maintain product quality.

Reference: Packaging technology

Topic: Packaging and Shelf Life

Toxins produced by moulds that can contaminate foods such as grains, nuts and some dairy-related supply chains.

Reference: Toxin term

Topic: Chemical Hazards

Substances such as salt, vinegar and citric acid used to help extend food shelf life and improve stability.

Reference: Preservation term

Topic: Food Preservation

Food preservation methods such as ultraviolet light, pulsed electric fields and high-pressure processing that do not rely mainly on heat.

Reference: Processing technology

Topic: Food Processing

A highly contagious virus causing foodborne illness, often linked to shellfish, infected food handlers or contaminated surfaces.

Reference: Virus

Topic: Foodborne Illness

Legal or voluntary declaration of nutrient content on food packaging, subject to applicable labelling requirements.

Reference: Nutrition labelling term

Topic: Labelling and Claims

The spoilage of fats and oils due to oxidation or hydrolytic changes, affecting flavour, odour and product quality.

Reference: Quality term

Topic: Shelf Life and Quality

A control measure identified through hazard analysis that is essential to reduce the likelihood of food safety hazards in the product or environment.

Reference: ISO 22000 term

Topic: FSMS and ISO 22000

A chemical reaction that can lead to food rancidity, off-flavours, colour changes and nutrient loss.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Food Chemistry

A heat treatment process used to kill harmful microorganisms in food and beverages while preserving flavour and nutritional quality as far as reasonably possible.

Reference: Core food processing term

Topic: Thermal Processing

Microorganisms that cause disease, particularly those transmitted through food, such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.

Reference: Core hazard term

Topic: Microbiology

Food that is susceptible to microbial growth, spoilage or deterioration because of its composition, pH, moisture content or absence of adequate preservation controls.

Reference: Regulatory concept

Topic: Food Classification

In relation to food premises, the natural person responsible for the food premises or the owner, depending on the context.

Reference: Legal responsibility term

Topic: People and Responsibilities

Measures implemented to prevent, monitor and control insects, rodents and other pests in food facilities.

Reference: Prerequisite programme

Topic: Pest Control

Food that has been packed before being presented for sale or service.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Packaging and Labelling

Basic conditions and activities necessary to maintain a hygienic environment suitable for producing, handling and providing safe food.

Reference: Core FSMS term

Topic: FSMS and HACCP

Measures implemented to prevent, reduce or eliminate food safety hazards in food processing facilities, including sanitation, training and operational controls.

Reference: Control systems term

Topic: Preventive Food Safety

A substance used during food manufacture that may not remain in the final product at significant levels and is not intended as a final ingredient.

Reference: Food science term

Topic: Food Processing

The systematic process of ensuring products meet specified standards and customer expectations through planned activities, monitoring and improvement.

Reference: Management term

Topic: Quality Management

A process used to ensure products consistently meet defined quality standards through inspection, testing and verification during production.

Reference: Quality control term

Topic: Quality Management

Perishable foods that may be consumed without a further process to make them consumable.

Reference: Risk category

Topic: Food Classification

The process of removing or correcting products from the market that are found to be unsafe, non-compliant or potentially harmful.

Reference: Incident management term

Topic: Recall and Traceability

The process of reducing microbial contamination on food contact surfaces to an acceptable level.

Reference: Sanitation term

Topic: Cleaning and Sanitation

Assessment of food quality by examining sensory characteristics such as taste, texture, odour and appearance.

Reference: Quality term

Topic: Quality Management

The length of time a food product can be stored under specified conditions before it becomes unsafe or unsuitable due to quality deterioration.

Reference: Core quality term

Topic: Shelf Life and Quality

Organisms, often bacteria, yeasts or moulds, that deteriorate food quality but do not necessarily cause illness.

Reference: Quality and spoilage term

Topic: Microbiology

The temperature range in which bacteria can grow most rapidly, typically between approximately 5°C and 60°C.

Reference: Core food safety term

Topic: Temperature Control

Regular verification of thermometers, pH meters and other food safety equipment to ensure accurate measurements and reliable monitoring.

Reference: Verification term

Topic: Monitoring and Verification

A poisonous substance produced by bacteria, fungi or chemicals that can cause foodborne illness or product safety failures.

Reference: Toxicological term

Topic: Hazards

The ability to track the movement of food products and ingredients through all stages of production, processing and distribution.

Reference: Core supply chain term

Topic: Traceability

A sterilisation method where food is heated to very high temperatures for a short time to destroy pathogens while maintaining shelf stability.

Reference: Processing method

Topic: Thermal Processing

A non-thermal method using UV light to reduce microorganisms in water, food or food contact applications.

Reference: Non-thermal control

Topic: Food Processing

The presence of allergenic ingredients not declared on a product label, representing a major recall and consumer safety risk.

Reference: Labelling failure term

Topic: Allergen Management

Food that is unacceptable for human consumption according to its intended use because of contamination, spoilage, decomposition or other safety concerns.

Reference: Regulatory concept

Topic: Food Safety and Suitability

Fresh, raw and unprocessed fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds or other crops that have not undergone processing.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Agriculture and Primary Production

A food packaging method where air is removed from the package to reduce spoilage and extend shelf life.

Reference: Packaging term

Topic: Packaging and Shelf Life

The process of obtaining evidence that a control measure or combination of measures is capable of effectively controlling a hazard.

Reference: Core FSMS term

Topic: Validation and Verification

Vehicles, craft or conveyances used in the handling, storage or transport of food.

Reference: Regulatory term

Topic: Transport and Distribution

Ongoing monitoring, checking and confirmation activities used to determine whether procedures and controls are functioning as intended.

Reference: Core FSMS term

Topic: Validation and Verification

Groups at higher risk of foodborne illness, including pregnant women, infants, older persons and immunocompromised individuals.

Reference: Risk communication term

Topic: Public Health

A measure of the available water in food for microbial growth. Foods with lower water activity are generally less prone to spoilage and bacterial growth.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

Microorganisms, often fungi or specialised microbes, that thrive in low-moisture foods such as dried fruits or powdered products.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Microbiology

A detection method used to identify physical contaminants such as metal, glass or dense plastic in packaged food.

Reference: Inspection technology

Topic: Physical Hazards

Microorganisms used in fermentation processes such as bread, beer and some dairy or beverage applications.

Reference: Fermentation term

Topic: Food Microbiology

A foodborne pathogen causing gastrointestinal illness, commonly linked to undercooked pork and contaminated water.

Reference: Pathogen

Topic: Microbiology

The separation of raw, cooked, allergen-containing or high-risk foods to prevent cross-contamination.

Reference: Facility control

Topic: Zoning and Segregation

A thermal processing term representing the temperature change required to achieve a tenfold change in a microbial destruction rate.

Reference: Scientific term

Topic: Thermal Processing