Level 2 HACCP

Module 2: Food safety hazards and controls

Recognise microbiological, physical, chemical and allergenic hazards throughout a food process, including risks in high-risk and ready-to-eat foods.

Video runtime: 12:39

What you will learn in this module
  • One food can contain several hazard types; identify the hazard before choosing its control.
  • Use labelled chemicals correctly and separately from food; follow manufacturer instructions, not improvised mixing.
  • Food can become unsafe after a safe delivery; controls must continue throughout storage, preparation and service.

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Module 2: Food safety hazards and controls

Module 2: Food safety hazards and controls

Recognise microbiological, physical, chemical and allergenic hazards throughout a food process, including risks in high-risk and ready-to-eat foods.

Records your study progress, not an assessment result or certificate.

Browse course modules

Key points

  • One food can contain several hazard types; identify the hazard before choosing its control.
  • Control bacterial growth and prevent contamination; normal appearance is not a microbiological safety check.
  • Do not remove one visible foreign object and assume the rest of the food is safe.
  • Use labelled chemicals correctly and separately from food; follow manufacturer instructions, not improvised mixing.
  • Allergen safety requires verified ingredient information and cross-contact controls; cooking or scraping is not a remedy.
  • Ready-to-eat food has no later cooking step to remove contamination; apply controls for every customer.
  • Food can become unsafe after a safe delivery; controls must continue throughout storage, preparation and service.

Lesson guide

2.1 The four hazard groups

Food safety hazards can be grouped as microbiological, physical, chemical and allergenic. A single food can involve several groups at once. A chicken sandwich may carry bacterial risk from handling and storage, physical contamination from equipment or packaging, chemicals from poor cleaning practice and allergens in bread, sauce or mayonnaise.

The purpose of naming a hazard is to choose a suitable control, not just learn a list. Recognise what could affect the food you handle and report anything outside your instructions. Milk, egg, mustard or gluten may be present in ingredients even when they are not obvious from the finished food. Check information rather than relying on appearance, taste or memory.

2.2 Microbiological hazards

Microbiological hazards include harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites and moulds. Raw food, dirty hands, contaminated equipment and poor handling can introduce them. Many harmful bacteria can multiply when food, moisture, warmth and time are suitable; this growth explanation must not be treated as a claim that all microorganisms multiply in food.

Cooked chicken left at room temperature for too long may become unsafe before being placed in a wrap, even though the food looks normal. Follow storage, cooking, reheating and holding procedures. Separate raw and ready-to-eat food, wash hands and clean and disinfect correctly. Hands, boards, cloths and raw drips can spread contamination. Report illness and uncertain controls rather than assuming later cooking will correct every earlier failure.

2.3 Physical hazards

Physical hazards include glass, metal, plastic, stones, hair, jewellery, false nails, staples, screws, bones, insects and fragments from equipment or cleaning materials. Contamination can occur at delivery, preparation or service, particularly when packaging or equipment is damaged.

Check equipment and containers, protect food and report damage. A cracked plastic container of salad or broken glass near exposed food requires action under the procedure. Removing one visible fragment does not prove all fragments have been removed. Do not serve food on that assumption. Keep the affected food from use while the responsible person assesses it, and deal with the damaged item or area so further food is not contaminated.

2.4 Chemical hazards

Chemical contamination can come from cleaning products, sanitisers, pesticides, fuels, maintenance lubricants, residues in ingredients, wrongly used additives or natural toxins. Suitable chemical controls depend on the product and process; they are not a reason to stop cleaning food areas.

Store chemicals labelled and separate from food, follow approved dilution, contact time and any rinsing instructions, and never improvise mixing products. An unlabelled drink bottle containing cleaning liquid is unsafe because its contents can be mistaken for food or drink. Report spills, damaged containers or unexpected chemical smells. Do not guess whether contaminated food can be used; use the workplace reporting and corrective procedures to protect it.

2.5 Allergenic hazards

The module distinguishes allergens from other hazards because a small amount can cause serious harm to a susceptible customer. The regulated list includes celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soya, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and specified tree nuts. Current guidance and ingredient information should be used for the applicable labelling rules.

Cooking does not reliably remove an allergen, and scraping cheese from a meal or brushing nut crumbs from a dessert does not make it suitable. Use checked recipes, labels and allergen information, controlled storage and preparation, clean equipment and clear communication. Mustard hidden in a sauce cannot be assessed from flavour. If suitability cannot be confirmed, stop and check rather than reassure the customer.

2.6 High-risk and ready-to-eat food

Examples of high-risk food include cooked meat and poultry, fish, dairy products, cooked rice and pasta, prepared salads and sandwiches, and cream or custard products. Their ingredients, storage and handling can allow bacterial risk. Ready-to-eat food receives no further cooking before it is eaten, so contamination at preparation or service may reach the customer directly.

Keep these foods within their prescribed temperature and date controls, covered and separated from raw food, and handle them with clean hands and equipment. Young children, pregnant women, older people and people with weakened immune systems or underlying conditions may be more vulnerable to harm. You may not know who will eat a meal; apply the controls consistently rather than deciding which customer looks vulnerable.

2.7 Hazards across the food journey

Every stage can introduce or increase risk. At delivery, look for unsuitable temperature, damage, contamination, pest signs, missing information and ingredient substitutions. In storage, raw drips, chemicals, uncovered food, spilled allergens and date failures can affect otherwise safe ingredients.

During preparation, consider hands, boards, cloths, jewellery and equipment; during cooking, cooling and reheating, follow the time and temperature procedure. Service can involve the wrong label, order or allergen information, and transport or customer handling arrangements may also matter. A safe arrival does not guarantee safe food later. Follow each stage’s controls and report the specific problem so action addresses its cause, not just the final appearance of the meal.

In practice

Cracked salad container

Source teaching example rewritten as a formative scenario; not a real reported incident

A ready-to-eat salad is in a container with a broken plastic edge. You can see one piece.

Can you remove that piece and serve the salad?

Stop use and report the damaged container and affected food for the workplace corrective decision.

Other fragments may be present, and ready-to-eat food will not receive a later cooking control.

A customer asks about mustard

Source teaching example rewritten as a formative scenario; not a real reported incident

The meal contains a prepared sauce, but no one has checked its current label.

Can taste establish whether mustard is present?

Check the ingredient and allergen information with the responsible person before confirming suitability.

An allergen may be present without an obvious flavour, and cooking does not remove the risk.

Reflect on your learning

Which statement about hazards is correct?

Select one answer.

What should happen after finding broken plastic beside salad?

Select one answer.

What makes ready-to-eat contamination important?

Select one answer.

What is a suitable chemical control?

Select one answer.

For your own learning — not the certification assessment.

FAQs

Are allergenic hazards just a cooking issue?

No. Ingredient information, storage, equipment, handling and order communication all matter. Cooking, removing cheese or brushing off crumbs cannot establish allergen suitability.

Is food safe because it arrived safely?

No. Storage, preparation, cooling, reheating and service can introduce or increase hazards after delivery. Continue the controls throughout the food journey.

Should I decide controls from the customer’s appearance?

No. You may not know whether a customer is vulnerable or allergic. Follow the specified food and handling controls consistently.

Further reading

  • Food safety management systems for businesses (opens a new tab)

    Supplementary overview of HACCP-based procedures, checks and records.

    UK Government / Food Standards Agency. Applicable jurisdiction: UK overview; check the relevant national regulator and business-specific rules. Supplementary reading; checked 2026-10-07.

  • Allergen guidance for food businesses (opens a new tab)

    Supplementary current ingredient information, labelling and cross-contact guidance.

    Food Standards Agency. Applicable jurisdiction: England, Northern Ireland and Wales; use Food Standards Scotland guidance for Scotland. Supplementary reading; checked 2026-10-07.

  • CookSafe: House Rules (opens a new tab)

    Role-specific training and practical hygiene, maintenance, temperature, stock and allergen controls.

    Food Standards Scotland. Applicable jurisdiction: Scotland; catering businesses. Supplementary reading; checked 2026-10-07.

Jump to a key moment
Transcript

[0:00] Welcome to lesson 2.1, what food safety
[0:02] hazards are.
[0:04] A food safety hazard is anything that
[0:06] could make food unsafe to eat.
[0:08] In HACCP, hazards are the starting
[0:10] point.
[0:11] Before a food business can control
[0:13] risks, it must understand what could go
[0:15] wrong at each stage of the food process.
[0:18] There are four main types of food safety
[0:20] hazards: microbiological, physical,
[0:23] chemical, and allergenic.
[0:25] Microbiological hazards include harmful
[0:27] bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds.
[0:32] These can cause food poisoning and are
[0:33] often difficult to detect because food
[0:35] may still look, smell, and taste normal.
[0:38] Physical hazards are objects that should
[0:40] not be in food, such as glass, plastic,
[0:43] metal, hair, stones, packaging, jewelry,
[0:46] or broken equipment parts.
[0:49] Chemical hazards happen when harmful
[0:50] chemicals get into food.
[0:53] This may include cleaning chemicals,
[0:55] pest control products, sanitizer
[0:57] residue, or chemicals stored
[0:59] incorrectly.
[1:00] Allergenic hazards happen when a food
[1:02] contains an allergen that the customer
[1:04] has not been told about, or when
[1:05] allergens transfer by cross-contact.
[1:08] For example, a chicken sandwich could be
[1:11] affected by several hazards.
[1:13] Bacteria may come from poor handling of
[1:15] cooked chicken.
[1:17] Plastic may fall from damaged packaging.
[1:20] Cleaning spray may contaminate the
[1:22] worktop.
[1:23] Milk, egg, mustard, or gluten may be
[1:26] present in the bread, sauce, or
[1:27] mayonnaise.
[1:29] At level two, your role is to recognize
[1:32] hazards, follow the controls in your
[1:33] workplace, and report anything that
[1:35] could make food unsafe.
[1:37] The key message is HACCP starts by
[1:39] asking what could go wrong.
[1:42] Once hazards are identified, the
[1:43] business can put controls in place to
[1:45] protect customers.
[1:47] Welcome to lesson 2.2, microbiological
[1:50] hazards.
[1:52] Microbiological hazards are caused by
[1:54] harmful microorganisms, such as
[1:56] bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds.
[2:00] These hazards are a major concern in
[2:02] food safety because they can cause food
[2:04] poisoning.
[2:05] The dangerous part is that food may
[2:07] look, smell, and taste normal even when
[2:09] harmful microorganisms are present.
[2:12] Bacteria can grow when food has the
[2:14] right conditions.
[2:16] They need food, moisture, warmth, and
[2:18] time.
[2:20] High-risk foods such as cooked meat,
[2:22] poultry, fish, dairy products, cooked
[2:25] rice, cooked pasta, sauces, gravy,
[2:28] prepared salads, and sandwiches must be
[2:30] controlled carefully.
[2:32] Viruses can also spread through food,
[2:34] especially when food handlers are ill or
[2:36] do not wash their hands properly.
[2:39] Poor personal hygiene can allow
[2:40] contamination to spread from hands to
[2:42] food, surfaces, utensils, and packaging.
[2:46] For example, if cooked chicken is left
[2:48] at room temperature for too long,
[2:50] bacteria may multiply.
[2:53] If the chicken is then used in a wrap or
[2:54] sandwich, the customer may become ill
[2:56] even though the food looks normal.
[2:59] Microbiological hazards can also spread
[3:01] through cross-contamination.
[3:03] Raw meat, poultry, or fish can transfer
[3:06] bacteria onto ready-to-eat food through
[3:08] hands, boards, knives, cloths, worktops,
[3:12] or fridge drips.
[3:14] At level two, you help control
[3:16] microbiological hazards by keeping food
[3:18] at safe temperatures, cooking and
[3:20] reheating properly, washing hands,
[3:22] cleaning and disinfecting surfaces,
[3:24] separating raw and ready-to-eat food,
[3:27] and reporting illness or unsafe food.
[3:30] The key message is microbiological
[3:32] hazards are often invisible, so staff
[3:34] must rely on safe procedures, not
[3:36] appearance or guesswork.
[3:39] Welcome to lesson 2.3, physical hazards.
[3:43] Physical hazards are objects that should
[3:45] not be in food.
[3:47] They can injure customers, cause
[3:48] choking, damage teeth, or make food
[3:50] unsafe.
[3:52] Examples include glass, metal, plastic,
[3:55] stones, hair, jewelry, false nails,
[3:58] staples, packaging pieces, screws,
[4:01] broken equipment parts, bones, insects,
[4:04] or pieces of cleaning materials.
[4:07] Physical hazards can enter food at many
[4:09] stages.
[4:10] They may arrive with deliveries, fall
[4:12] from damaged equipment, break off
[4:14] packaging, come from poor personal
[4:16] hygiene, or be introduced during
[4:18] preparation and service.
[4:20] For example, if a plastic container
[4:22] cracks and a small piece falls into
[4:24] salad, the salad may become unsafe.
[4:27] If a glass breaks near open food, tiny
[4:29] fragments may spread further than
[4:31] expected.
[4:32] The affected food may need to be thrown
[4:34] away.
[4:36] HACCP helps control physical hazards by
[4:38] identifying where objects could enter
[4:40] food and putting controls in place.
[4:42] These controls may include checking
[4:44] deliveries, keeping equipment in good
[4:46] condition, covering food, using suitable
[4:49] protective clothing, tying hair back,
[4:51] avoiding jewelry, and reporting
[4:53] breakages immediately.
[4:55] Food handlers should also check
[4:56] equipment before use.
[4:59] Damaged chopping boards, cracked
[5:01] containers, loose screws, broken
[5:03] utensils, and damaged packaging should
[5:05] be reported.
[5:07] At level two, you must never ignore a
[5:09] physical contamination risk.
[5:11] Do not simply remove a visible object
[5:13] and carry on if the food may still be
[5:15] contaminated.
[5:17] The key message is physical hazards can
[5:19] cause real harm.
[5:21] Prevent them through good housekeeping,
[5:23] careful handling, equipment checks, and
[5:25] immediate reporting when something
[5:27] breaks or falls into food.
[5:30] Welcome to lesson 2.4, chemical hazards.
[5:34] Chemical hazards happen when harmful
[5:35] chemicals contaminate food.
[5:38] In food businesses, chemical hazards may
[5:40] come from cleaning products, sanitizers,
[5:43] pest control chemicals, maintenance
[5:45] chemicals, fuel, lubricants, or
[5:47] chemicals stored too close to food.
[5:50] Chemicals are important for cleaning and
[5:52] safety, but if they are used
[5:53] incorrectly, they can become dangerous.
[5:57] For example, spraying sanitizer near
[5:59] open food can cause droplets to land on
[6:01] the food.
[6:03] Using too much chemical may leave
[6:04] harmful residue.
[6:06] Storing chemicals above ingredients may
[6:08] lead to leaks or spills.
[6:11] Some chemical hazards can also come from
[6:13] food itself or the supply chain, such as
[6:15] pesticides, additives used incorrectly,
[6:17] or naturally occurring toxins.
[6:20] In everyday level two food handling, the
[6:22] most common workplace risks usually come
[6:24] from cleaning and chemical storage.
[6:27] HACCP controls chemical hazards by
[6:29] making sure chemicals are stored safely,
[6:31] clearly labelled, used according to
[6:33] instructions, and kept away from food,
[6:35] packaging, utensils, and food contact
[6:38] surfaces.
[6:39] For example, if a staff member pours
[6:41] cleaning chemical into an unlabeled
[6:43] drink bottle, another worker may mistake
[6:45] it for something safe.
[6:47] This is extremely dangerous and must
[6:49] never happen.
[6:51] Food handlers should follow the cleaning
[6:52] procedure, use the correct dilution,
[6:54] allow correct contact time, rinse if
[6:56] required, and never mix chemicals unless
[6:59] the product instructions say it is safe.
[7:02] At level two, you should report spills,
[7:04] unlabeled bottles, strong chemical
[7:06] smells, damaged containers, or any
[7:08] chemical stored incorrectly.
[7:10] The key message is chemicals help keep
[7:13] food areas clean, but only when used
[7:15] safely.
[7:16] Poor chemical control can make food
[7:18] unsafe.
[7:20] Welcome to lesson 2.5, allergenic
[7:22] hazards.
[7:24] Allergenic hazards happen when food
[7:25] contains an allergen that the customer
[7:27] has not been told about, or when an
[7:29] allergen accidentally gets into food
[7:31] through cross contact.
[7:33] In the UK, food businesses must provide
[7:35] information about the 14 regulated
[7:37] allergens when they are used as
[7:39] ingredients.
[7:40] These include allergens such as milk,
[7:43] eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame,
[7:46] cereals containing gluten, fish,
[7:48] crustaceans, molluscs, soya, mustard,
[7:51] celery, lupin and sulfur dioxide or
[7:54] sulphites.
[7:56] Allergenic hazards are serious because
[7:58] for some customers even a small amount
[8:00] of the wrong allergen can cause a severe
[8:02] reaction.
[8:04] Unlike bacteria, allergens are not
[8:06] removed by cooking.
[8:08] If cheese is added to a dairy-free order
[8:10] by mistake, scraping it off does not
[8:12] make the food safe.
[8:14] If nut crumbs fall onto a dessert,
[8:16] removing visible crumbs may not remove
[8:18] the risk.
[8:19] HACCP-based procedures should help
[8:21] control allergen hazards.
[8:23] This may include accurate recipes,
[8:25] checked labels, allergen matrices,
[8:28] separate storage, clean utensils,
[8:30] controlled preparation, correct labelling
[8:32] and clear communication with customers.
[8:35] For example, if a customer asks whether
[8:37] a sauce contains mustard, staff must
[8:40] check the allergen information.
[8:42] The sauce may not taste strongly of
[8:44] mustard, but mustard could be hidden
[8:45] inside a spice mix or prepared
[8:47] ingredient.
[8:49] At level two, your role is to never
[8:51] guess, prevent cross-contact,
[8:53] communicate allergy requests clearly and
[8:55] report any allergen mistake immediately.
[8:58] The key message is allergens are food
[9:00] safety hazards.
[9:02] They must be controlled with accurate
[9:04] information, careful preparation and
[9:06] honest communication.
[9:08] Welcome to lesson 2.6, high-risk foods
[9:11] and vulnerable customers.
[9:13] High-risk foods are foods that can
[9:15] support the growth of harmful bacteria
[9:17] and are often eaten without further
[9:18] cooking.
[9:20] Examples include cooked meat, poultry,
[9:22] fish, seafood, dairy products, cooked
[9:25] rice, cooked pasta, gravy, sauces,
[9:28] sandwiches, prepared salads, cream
[9:31] cakes, custard desserts and other
[9:33] ready-to-eat foods.
[9:35] These foods usually contain moisture and
[9:37] nutrients that bacteria need to grow.
[9:40] If they are stored at unsafe
[9:41] temperatures, left out too long,
[9:43] contaminated by raw food, handled with
[9:46] dirty hands, or used after their use-by
[9:48] date, they may become unsafe.
[9:50] For example, cooked chicken used in
[9:52] sandwiches is high risk because it has
[9:54] already been cooked and may not be
[9:56] cooked again.
[9:57] If it is stored in a fridge that is too
[9:59] warm or sliced on equipment used for raw
[10:01] chicken, harmful bacteria may reach the
[10:04] customer.
[10:05] Some customers are more vulnerable to
[10:07] food poisoning.
[10:09] This includes young children, pregnant
[10:11] women, older people, and people with
[10:13] underlying health conditions.
[10:15] These groups are more likely to suffer
[10:17] severe symptoms if they eat contaminated
[10:19] food.
[10:20] Food handlers may not know when they are
[10:22] serving someone vulnerable.
[10:24] A takeaway order, sandwich, dessert, or
[10:27] cooked meal could be for a child,
[10:29] elderly person, pregnant customer, or
[10:31] someone with a weakened immune system.
[10:34] At level two, high-risk food should be
[10:36] handled with extra care through
[10:37] temperature control, date checks,
[10:39] separation, clean hands, clean
[10:42] equipment, and safe storage.
[10:44] The key message is high-risk foods and
[10:46] vulnerable customers need strong
[10:48] controls because one small mistake can
[10:50] cause serious harm.
[10:52] Welcome to lesson 2.7, how hazards can
[10:55] enter the food process.
[10:57] Food safety hazards can enter the food
[10:59] process at any stage, from delivery to
[11:01] service.
[11:03] During delivery, hazards may arrive
[11:05] through damaged packaging, poor
[11:06] temperature control, contaminated
[11:08] ingredients, substitute products, pests,
[11:11] or missing allergen information.
[11:14] During storage, hazards may enter when
[11:16] raw food drips onto ready-to-eat food,
[11:18] chemicals are stored near ingredients,
[11:20] food is left uncovered, allergen
[11:22] ingredients spill, or stock is kept past
[11:25] its use-by date.
[11:27] During preparation, hazards may spread
[11:29] through dirty hands, contaminated
[11:31] equipment, shared chopping boards, dirty
[11:33] cloths, broken packaging, jewelry, poor
[11:36] cleaning, or allergen cross-contact.
[11:39] During cooking, hazards may remain if
[11:41] food is undercooked or not checked
[11:43] properly.
[11:44] During cooling or reheating, bacteria
[11:46] may grow if time and temperature are not
[11:48] controlled.
[11:50] During service, display, or delivery,
[11:53] hazards may enter through poor hand
[11:54] hygiene, uncovered food, shared
[11:56] utensils, incorrect labels, wrong
[11:59] orders, customer handling, pests, or
[12:01] food being kept at unsafe temperatures.
[12:04] For example, a prepared salad could be
[12:06] safe at delivery, then become unsafe
[12:08] later if it is stored below raw meat,
[12:10] handled with unwashed hands, displayed
[12:13] too warm, or served with the wrong
[12:14] allergen information.
[12:16] HACCP helps control these risks by
[12:18] looking at each stage and deciding what
[12:20] controls are needed.
[12:22] At level two, your role is to follow
[12:24] those controls and stay alert.
[12:27] If something looks unsafe, report it.
[12:30] The key message is hazards can enter
[12:32] food at any point.
[12:34] HACCP protects customers by controlling
[12:36] each step of the food process.