Explain the concepts of food quality and food safety, with a note on food hazards.

1. 1 · Open in two lines. Food quality is the sum of features that make a food acceptable to the buyer. Food safety is the assurance that food will not harm the consumer.
2. 2 · Define quality. Kramer and Twigg: the characteristics that decide acceptability. Juran: fitness for use. ISO: the degree to which requirements are met.
3. 3 · Draw the quality attributes chart. [Chart: Quality attributes → Sensory (appearance, texture, flavour), Hidden (nutrition, safety), Quantitative (yield)]
4. 4 · Define food safety, hazard and food hygiene. Give the Codex definitions. Safety is built from farm to fork.
5. 5 · Food hazards.
   • Biological: bacteria, viruses, parasites, moulds.
   • Chemical: pesticide residues, aflatoxin, heavy metals, non-permitted colours.
   • Physical: stones, glass, metal, hair.
   • Allergens: peanut, milk, wheat, egg, soy.
6. 6 · Quality vs safety. Quality is wide and graded; safety is one essential attribute with no grades. Unsafe food can never be good quality.
7. 7 · Kitchen link. In a hospital or noon-meal kitchen, safety comes first; quality makes sure the food is eaten.
8. 8 · Close in one line. Safe food is the base, and quality is built on top of it.

Scoring tip: Draw the attributes chart and the hazard table; both earn easy marks. Give one Indian food example for each hazard.