14 February 2018
A series of online training and workshops will provide frontline managers and supervisors with more educational resources to help them better manage food safety and related business risks.
The new training initiative, to be provided by Think ST Solutions, an Australian food consultancy, which focusses on assisting aged care, hospitals, restaurants and others in the food service sector to understand and identify food safety risks and implement strong preventative control measures.
Food safety must be a top priority issue for the food service sector, says Andrew Thomson, Director of Think ST Solutions.
We know around 63% of all foodborne illness outbreaks in Australia occur in the food service (and related retail) sector says Mr Thomson.
In the last few years outbreaks of foodborne illness in the aged care sector and Meals on Wheels have also been reported, some with fatal outcomes, Mr Thomson said.
Think ST Solutions has partnered with Dr Douglas Powell, a former professor of food safety in the United States to provide expert advice in the delivery of these training programs.
Australia has a decent food safety system, says Dr Powell. “But I have observed gaps, like raw alfalfa or bean sprouts being served in hospitals and other aged care facilities, when major supermarkets in the U.S stopped selling raw sprouts five years ago because they could not ensure safety.
“There is an eagerness to learn, I strive to provide the most recent, relevant and reliable food safety information.”
Other international and local specialist consultants will add value to this training initiative which is supported by Testo Australia, said Mr Thomson. The online training and face-to-face workshops will ensure that busy frontline managers and supervisors can easily access the training they need and develop crucial skills to ensure safe food is provided to consumers and improve public health outcomes