Why food safety training is needed for food handlers?

Why food safety training is needed for food handlers?

Now food safety training for food handlers is being emphasized not only by food safety and public health experts but also by food businesses across the world. With growing importance of food hygiene and food safety, most successful food businesses either employ food handlers who are already trained on food hygiene and food safety issues or they arrange food safety training for the food handlers working in their establishment. In current scenario, rather than a physical training, most of them go for online food safety training for food handlers. 

Who are food handlers?

A food handler is anyone who is involved in manufacturing, producing, collecting, extracting, processing, transporting, delivering, thawing, preserving or serving food.  A food handler may do many different things for a food business, for example: cooking, preparing, serving, packing, displaying and storing food.

Why food safety training for food handlers is important?

A food handler usually comes in direct contact with food or surfaces that are likely to be in contact with food such as cutlery, plates and bowls, or cooking or serving tops or equipment used for food cooking or preparation. As operations of food businesses are full of food safety hazards — physical, biological and chemical hazards as well as allergens—the only way to protect your customers, your business and yourself from these hazards is through ongoing food safety training of food handlers.

As majority of food-borne illnesses are caused by improper handling of food, poor personal hygiene and/or contaminated food preparation surfaces or equipment, adequate food safety training to everyone who handles food in your business will cut down  the risk of food poisoning, allergic reactions and other health risks to your customers..

Benefits of food safety training

Properly trained food handlers and a robust food safety plan are the keys to ensuring food safety in any food business. When your staff members receive proper training on food safety, they will acquire the skills and knowledge required to handle food safely and uphold high standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness. This will ensure overall food safety and quality of your food products and ultimately productivity of your business.

There are a number of benefits if the food handlers or staff of your establishment enrolls in an appropriate food safety training course. Some important benefits are listed below:

·        Improves the approach of staff to food-handling

·        Cuts down on waste and increases profit

·        Improves working conditions and thereby efficiency of employees

·        Reduces your customer’s health risk

·        Boosts your business

How food safety training cuts down customer’s health risk?

Food safety training for food handlers is a useful tool to prevent food-borne illness in your customers. It reduces the health risk to customers by helping food handlers to:

·        Understand the causes of food-borne illness,

·        Understand how food can become unsafe

·        Know about high-risk foods that can cause illnesses

·        Know how to safely store, thaw, prepare, cook and serve food

·        Know how to effectively clean and sanitize surfaces, equipment, dishes and utensils

·        Understand the importance of personal hygiene and appropriate practices for the workplace

How food safety training boosts your business?

By investing into food safety training of your staff members, you can:

·        Establish/ protect your brand and reputation

·        Prevent customer complaints as well as negative media reports and online reviews

·        Reduce operational costs related to food waste and pest control

·        Avoid legal issues, fines or risk of business closure.

By proper training of food handlers on food safety and hygiene your profit margin will increase as there is greater productivity, less wastage, fewer contraventions of the law, and happier customers who are likely to return and keep the business going. All of these will ultimately boost your business.

Should you go for online food safety training?

Now several certified training companies are offering especially crafted online courses on food safety for food handlers, food managers, food supervisors, and other staff members of food establishments. In current scenario, it will be a wise decision to go for such online courses on food safety. Some of the key benefits of choosing online food safety training are:

·        Saves time and cost – Online courses of short durations are provided which can be completed from anywhere anytime. Also, there is a huge saving in terms of course fee, cost of boarding and lodging etc.

·        Does not impact daily business – Your business will keep on going as usual as the participants of online food safety course need not attend physical classes at a fixed time. They can attend online sessions at any convenient time when they are free.

·        No risk of COVID-19  – In current pandemic scenario it is always wise to minimize your exposure to a public place like any training institution, school or college. Hence, you must select a suitable online food safety course for yourself/ people of your food business.

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