1.

The HFLA template and the HACCP templates have to be filled in and have it ready for submission, so my group members and i came together one morning.

We shared with one another on what we've found in our specific area of research.
Brainstorming was also done to identify the different potential hazards during the receiving of raw materials and even the processing steps of Mum's Pound Cake.

Also, we found out that eggs, one of the ingredients used to make the pound cake, contains pathogen of the genus Salmonella (Salmonella Enteritidis). Curious as we were, we went to find out more about Salmonella in eggs.

Indeed, eggs are excellent medium for the growth of many micro-organisms. Some of the micro-organisms that we have found are Salmonella and Staphyloccocus.

We asked ourselves whether Salmonella has a connection with the Avian Flu outbreak. And it was found that there is no epidemiological information that humans could have been infected by the Avian Influenza via the transmission of disease through contaminated food products based on the current scientific evidence available in the World Health Organisation (WHO).
WHO and other health authorities such as the European Food Safety Authority reiterates that even though the virus may not be passed into humans by raw meat or eggs, inactivation of the virus is possible by cooking food thorougly.

So cooking eggs or poultry products thoroughly is important.

For the next meet up session, we are to share information on Avian Influenza.


References
U.S. FDA/Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition. (2004). Analysis of Microbial Hazards Related to Time/Temperature Control of Foods for Safety. Chapter 4. Retrieved: March 31, 2008. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ift4-4.html

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, H.K. Risk Assessment Section (2005). Risk in Brief, Issue No. 22: Avian Influenza Viruses and Food Safety. Retrieved: 31 March 2008. Available at: http://www.fehd.gov.hk/safefood/report/avian_infl_virus/index.html



Love,
Lynette