Food Laboratory Regulation

Group Number: 14


Group Members:

Tan Jen Nee 1000820966

Ting Jia Shyang 1000921445

Chung Wei Yen 1001025919

Tan Zin Wei 1001025962


  There are several legal requirements for food safety and food qualities based in different countries which formed to protect the consumer and also act to maintain the food’s safety and quality for human body. These legal requirements are known as food laws and regulations which have to be obey by food industries. Different countries may have different food laws and regulations need to be obey by those food industrial in that particular country. These food laws and regulation can ensure that foods not harmful, illness, or injury; and are not adulterated or misbranded; are wholesome and fit for human consumption. [Inteaz Alli, 2004] The food laws and regulations are not only protecting the foods in the country, it also covers the imported foods into that particular country. For example, Malaysia does not allow beef which is slaughter based on halal rules to import into Malaysia because of the Quran.



  In this food laws and regulations, it also includes food laboratory regulation. This food laboratory regulation is the same as the Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). This GLP needs to be followed by those who worked in the food laboratory. Its concept is the same as Good Manufacture Practice (GMP) which mostly based on the hygiene. In this GLP, there are several rules for example, people have to clean their hands, cover their hair and wear the apron provided by the laboratory before entering into the food laboratory as we all known that food laboratory is the place which deal with foods. This GLP strictly needs to be obey by the laboratory assistants. This is because GLP is generally refers to a system of management controls for laboratories and research organizations to ensure the consistency and reliability of results. [Wikipedia, 2010]



  A list of rules and regulations in laboratory has been developed to ensure safety in the laboratory and students are required to obey these rules at all times when laboratory session. Laboratory is a safe place to work on experiment if students obey the rules and be careful whenever they are in the laboratory. Everyone should be responsible on themselves and their other friends. The safety rules and regulations will act as a help guide to protect ourselves from injury in the laboratory.



  The general guidelines in food laboratory are everyone should be responsible for everyone else at all the time in the laboratory. Playing in the laboratory is not be permitted and no running or jumping in laboratory area. Also, do not make noise or commotion. Before students enter the laboratory, they should record their attendance. Students should read the lab manual or assignment before coming into the laboratory, make sure that they are familiar to it. If there are some parts that student’s fail to understand, they should ask the lecturer or supervisor before proceeding. No students are allowed to work alone in the laboratory without present of any lab staff. Students will be assigned at a laboratory station to work and experiments must be personally monitored all times. Students should not wander and distract other students. In UCSI, students should book the laboratory before using at least one week before and working hours for student is strictly not allowed after 5pm.



  When first entering the food laboratory, students are not allowed to touch the equipment and other materials in the laboratory area until they are instructed to do so. When students are work in the food laboratory, aprons and safety goggles must be worn and apron should not be worn outside the laboratory. Students are advised to wear clothes that cover the maximum amount of their skin where no shorts and skirts are allowed. Whenever students need to handle hot equipment, gloves should be worn. Be alert and do experiments with caution whenever in the laboratory, any unsafe conditions should be notified immediately. Any accident such as spillage and breakage or injury such as cut and burn should be reported to the lab staff immediately no matter in what condition it may appear.



  If there are student hurt in the laboratory, others should turn off the burners and prepare to help if needed. Any cut or scrape should be reported even there is no blood visible because there is always a possibility of infection. When a student is cut, they must not contact with other people blood. Flammable liquids are never dispenses near an open flame or source of heat and should handle over a pan to contain spills. When there are any broken of glasses in laboratory, there may be small slivers of glass that students will not notice. Students should stop and report to the lab staff immediately if this situation occurs until the lab staff says that it is safety to proceed the experiment. Also, the lab staff will collect those broken glass.



  As a student, when working in the food laboratory, they should know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipments including fire extinguisher, first aid kit and many more. They also need to know the location of fire alarms and where exits located. Any glassware or chemicals should not be brought into or out of the laboratory except for food grade to prevent any contamination. Any solid or oil should not be discarded into the sink because it is just used for water and those solutions designated by instructor. Oil used should be disposed in the waste bottle provided and labeled appropriately. Solid metals, filter paper, matches and other insoluble materials should be discarded into the waste container. All the waste should be dispose properly. The sink of workbench should be check regularly. At the end of the experiment, those broken or cracked glass should be placed in a special container which is labeled as the ‘Broken Glass’.



  Before using equipments, the labels and instruction should be read carefully. The apparatus are set up and used as directed in the laboratory manual provided by laboratory supervisor. Booking should be made which refer to the supervisor or lab personnel before using any equipments or apparatus in the laboratory. Students are not allowed to enter the storage room except for the lab staff. They can only enter the storage room if they are permitted by the lab staff. Inform to the lab staff if students need anything rather than just take it from storage room to prevent stealing. Any spillage inside the freezer should be cleaned. Those ingredients that keep inside the freezer should be labeled and once the experiment or project is over, the ingredients should be disposed.



  Students should ask lab staff for help if they are not understand about the function or how to use particular equipment. Damaged electrical equipment should not be used and report immediately to the lab staff. Also, students have to examine glassware before use, cracked or dirty glassware should not be used. Heated glass, metals and ceramics remain hot for a long time. So they should be set aside to cool on a trivet and then picked up using tongs or heat protective gloves (if necessary) with caution. Anything that is being heated or lit burner is never leave unattended. When not in use, the burner or hot plate should be turned off. Students hand should be completely dry before touching an electrical switch, plug or outlet to prevent electrical shock.



  If there is a fire drill during laboratory session, student should know how to handle and what to do. Gas valve should be turned off, container kept close and all electrical equipment should be turned off.



  Students should practice good housekeeping practices. Work areas should be kept clean and tidy at all the times. Only laboratory manual, worksheets or reports can be bring into the work areas and other materials such as purses, bags and books should be placed in the cabinet. Before or after performing experiments, hand should be wash with soap and water. At the end of the experiment, all the equipments should clean with detergent, rinse and dry and same goes on work surfaces. Unused ingredients are never return into its original containers. At the end of the laboratory session, make sure that all gas valve and electrical equipment are shut off and the water is turned off. Floor area at the workbench and sink are clean. Also, all equipments are clean and dry and arranged it in the cupboard provided if students are allowed to do so. All apparatus used and those kept in the drying oven should be cleared once it is dry. Those provided must be cleared and cleaned to accommodate the next batch of laboratory students to prevent complication in completing their works. apparatus can put on the trolley and can be use back when needed. After laboratory sessions are completed, all glassware and equipments should be return in a well-good condition. Cabinets provided must be cleared and cleaned to accommodate the next batch of laboratory students to prevent complication in completing their works.


References:
1. Inteaz Alli, (2004) Food Quality Assurance: Principles and Practices. CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, New York, Washington, D.C.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_laboratory_practice