KS3 Food Safety
What's covered
Key facts
Botulinum toxin (from Clostridium botulinum) produced in damaged or bulging tinned food can be fatal.
Under ideal conditions, bacteria can double in number roughly every 20 minutes.
The transfer of bacteria from one food (typically raw) to another is called cross-contamination.
Once a tin is opened, the printed date is no longer the relevant guide — follow the "after opening, refrigerate and use within X days" guidance.
Canning preserves food by sealing it airtight and then heat-sterilising it to kill bacteria, giving years of shelf life.
Mould on bread can produce mycotoxins, so the affected loaf should be thrown away rather than just the visible patch cut off.
Dry goods such as flour, pasta, and rice should be stored in airtight containers to keep pests, moisture and contamination out.
Aprons are worn because the clothes underneath have travelled through public spaces and carry bacteria that should not contact food.
Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial food poisoning in the UK.
Most harmful bacteria need moisture to grow and multiply (which is why drying, salting and sugar preservation work).
Sample questions
A taste of the 108 questions in this topic — answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
Which bacterium is most commonly found in raw poultry and eggs?
- •Campylobacter
- •E. coli
- •Listeria
- ✓Salmonella
Which of these does bacteria need to grow and multiply?
- •acidic food
- •bright light
- •dry surface
- ✓warmth
What colour chopping board is used for raw fish?
- ✓Blue
- •Green
- •Red
- •Yellow
Who are 'display until' dates intended for?
- •Consumers, as a use-by eating guide
- •Environmental health officers
- •Food delivery drivers
- ✓Retailers, for stock rotation
How does drying preserve food?
- •it creates a vacuum around the food, excluding oxygen
- •it lowers the food's pH, making it too acidic for bacteria
- •it raises the food's temperature, killing all bacteria
- ✓it removes the moisture that bacteria need to survive and multiply
Which of the following is a sign that food has spoiled?
- •bright colour and firm texture
- •low moisture, dry surface
- ✓mould on the surface
- •sealed pack with fresh smell
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