Food safety provides an assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use. Safety is a component of quality. Safety differs from many other quality attributes since it is a quality attribute that is difficult to observe. A product can appear to be of high quality, i.e. well colored, appetizing, flavorful, etc. and yet be unsafe because it is contaminated with undetected pathogenic organisms, toxic chemicals, or physical hazards. On the other hand, product that seems to lack many of the visible quality attributes can be safe.
Water is a major input in food, from primary production through all stages in the food value chain to consumption. Water can contact food directly or indirectly and is used in maintenance of hygiene and sanitation throughout the food chain. Water is a diminishing resource globally and not all food primary producers and proces- sors have access to safe water sources. Water needs to be used conservatively and it is possible to reuse water if it does not present a health risk for consumers.
What is quality control in food safety? :Quality Control in the Food Industry– (Defect Identification)
What is Quality? : It is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.
Fitness for use Quality is excellence that is better than a minimum st