Who needs food hygiene training?

Q: I hear that I am expected to train my employees in food hygiene. I employ packers etc, on temporary contracts - am I expected to train them too?

The food hygiene regulations state: "the proprietor of a food business shall ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities."

This is a new requirement in that it formally requires employees involved in handling food to be either trained in food hygiene issues or be closely supervised.

You should train all your permanent staff, but there is no need to train your temporary employees if they are supervised by properly trained staff who ensure that hygiene levels are not compromised.

For many transport operators handling pre-packaged food, staff only need basic awareness training. For those handling unpackaged frozen or temperature-controlled foodstuffs, training is more detailed, due to greater risk of contamination.

The new regulations require op-erators to carry out a hazard analysis of their operation, to identify areas and put appropriate measures in place to ensure that hygiene levels are not compromised.

This hazard analysis will play a key role in determining what training is required and to what levels.