Level 2 Hospitality and Catering WJEC

Assuring Quality of Commodities in Food Preparation

Culinary Commodities and Quality

• Understand the term commodities as it refers to vital ingredients required in the food preparation process.
• Learn about the different types of commodities used in the hospitality and catering industry such as dairy, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, grains, sugars and fats.
• Recognise that quality of commodities is crucial in assuring food safety, affecting taste, texture, and the overall success of the finished product.

Quality Compliance and Control

• Become familiar with quality control as a system of maintaining standards in manufactured products by testing a sample against the specification.
• Understand what standard operating procedures (SOPs) are and their key roles in assuring the quality of commodities.
• Take note that routine checks for quality and safety in food preparation are mandatory.

Spotting Substandard Commodities

• Learn the visible signs of bad quality or spoilt commodities such as peculiar smell in dairy products, discoloration in fruits and vegetables, and slimy texture in meat and fish.
• Familiarise with the safety risks of using poor quality commodities, including foodborne illnesses.

Quality Assurance Methods

• Understand that food packaging and labels offer information about the quality of food commodities, including the 'use by' and 'best before' dates, batch numbers, storage instructions, and origin.
• Develop knowledge on various quality assurance methods and tests applicable to different types of commodities, such as sight, smell, and touch.
• Be aware that quality assurance often requires a multi-step approach, combining inspection of physical goods with validation of supplier credentials.

The Role of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs)

• Understand the role of a Environmental Health Officer (EHO) in ensuring food safety and quality, including regular inspections and issuing hygiene ratings.
• Recognise that EHOs can offer advice on how to improve food safety and quality.
• Understand that non-compliance with EHO regulations can result in penalties and can potentially damage the reputation of a hospitality and catering business.