Multicultural training advances in chilled food
A long-term project to beef up multicultural training in the chilled food sector has come to fruition, with the publication of guidance backed by the Chilled Food Association.
Food Safety and Hygiene Training in a Multicultural Environment has been developed by representatives from the chilled food industry in association with Food Northwest and training provider Industrious.
The work has been welcomed by Greg Hunn of Greencore, who was a member of the project group. “The need for food safety and hygiene training guidance applicable to multicultural workforces was identified by the Chilled Food Association (CFA) as important for maintaining exemplary standards of hygiene in assuring the safety of chilled foods,” said Hunn.
“This guidance aims to assist companies in meeting their legal obligations and complements the hygiene standards and food safety assurance measures already set out in CFA’s Best Practice Guidelines for the Production of Chilled Foods.”
The document outlines procedures and gives practical examples of action which employers can take to ensure that their legal and moral obligations are met.
The guidance covers areas including managing culture and diversity, the use of risk assessment techniques and guidance on creating a positive hygiene and food safety environment in a multicultural workplace.
Food Northwest said while the guidance was specifically developed for the chilled food sector, it was generally applicable to other food manufacturing operations.
The publication of the guidance document follows the Food Standards Agency’s announcement that it would hold several one-day courses for local authority food law enforcement officers.
