Consumers are in contact with food businesses in many ways – from fast-food and takeaways to convenience foods and formal dining. In each of these businesses, the potential exists to expose consumers to health and safety hazards – including bacteria and viruses, toxins, and even broken glass.
Food safety training is vital to ensure that the safety of consumers is paramount – and enables employees to ensure that they comply with all processes and compliance requirements to manage the risks that are inherent to this type of business.
The importance of food safety training
Globally, 1 in 10 people become ill from eating contaminated foods every year. Over 420 000 of those individuals die each year – highlighting the overall importance of food safety within each food business.
By providing adequate – and ongoing – food safety training to every employee who handles food, businesses can ensure that everyone is aware of what they need to do, and how they need to do it, in order to uphold high standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness.
In this way, everything is done to ensure that customers are protected from health risks such as food poisoning or food allergies from cross-contamination.
What food safety training entails
It is important to note that food safety training is not a single event, but multiple, ongoing training events that contribute to a holistic understanding and competence in overall health and safety requirements when handling food.
Employees need to have constant access to food safety training information, and businesses can get this support from companies – such as AssureCloud – who provide courses on everything from basic food safety and general hygiene requirements to traceability practices and food defence.
These courses can be done online, at a public venue, or onsite – ensuring that all employees have access to food safety training no matter where they are.
Why food safety training needs to be done by accredited providers
While there are many food safety training providers available, ensuring that training is done through an accredited provider offers peace of mind to the food business. It ensures that all elements of the training are legally compliant, and that, should any food safety incidents happen, they are managed in the correct way.
By ensuring that teams have initial – and continued – food safety training will ensure that up-to-date practices are adhered to. Through certified, traceable and measurable training, food safety performance can be managed and improved. This will result in a safer working environment for the employees, as well as a safer food environment for the customer.
Food safety is the responsibility of everyone
Food safety training is central to the survival of any food business. Without the knowledge and processes that this training brings, food safety incidents could become endemic, and result in the close of the business – jeopardising the livelihoods of the employees and business owners alike.
Ensuring that food safety – and related food safety training – is maintained across the entire business is the responsibility of all employees. With a solid foundation, everyone can work together towards the sustained future growth of the food business.
