The benefits of online food safety training
Food poisoning is fast acting and is caused by eating poisonous food. Food, including drinks, could have been poisoned by us, other people, or environmental factors.
The main cause of food poisoning is from bacteria, which are microscopic organisms. They are living beings that inhabit this planet in great abundance. Most bacteria are harmless. In fact, without bacteria, it is highly doubtful that the inhabitants of this planet (animals and plants) would survive. It has been suggested that we all originated from LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) several billion years ago. Luca evolved into different branches: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria. We humans are under the rule of Eurkarya. It is because of this link that scientists believe that bacteria have very similar cellular components and functions to ours.
At home, food poisoning can be controlled with good personal hygiene, such as regular hand washing and showering/bathing. Wearing protective clothing, such as an apron, while preparing food can also help prevent food poisoning. Many people prepare and cook food at home, but never consider taking an online food safety training qualification to learn about the dangers of food poisoning. They may think that the courses are only for people who work in the hospitality industry.
Keep pets out of the kitchen when preparing food, as they are a major source of infection. This includes dogs, cats, pet birds, and other cute and cuddly creatures; all harbor pathogens.
Keep raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods. All raw meat, salad greens, and vegetables contaminated with soil contain pathogens and these can easily be transferred to ready-to-eat foods through cross-contamination. This is especially important when using barbecues. If you handle raw food, wash your hands. Do not use alcoholic or bactericidal gels for health and safety and environmental reasons. Soap and water are totally fine.
Internal and external containers must be kept clean, inside and out, or they will attract pests. Pests, such as birds, insects, and rodents, transmit diseases other than pathogens. Make sure outer containers have tight-fitting lids. Do not leave bags outside the container, as they attract pests.
Have a good cleaning regime in the kitchen. Clean as you go, is a process that is widely used in commerce. It is a method of preventing cross contamination by cleaning as soon as soiling occurs.
There are many things to consider when cooking at home to stay free from food poisoning; that is why it is ideal for home cooks to learn food hygiene. One method is through online food safety training.
To work in the catering industry in the UK, staff must pass a food safety qualification. The level of which is based on the type of work being carried out.
There are four levels of qualification:
Level 2 is designed for anyone who works in a catering, manufacturing, or retail environment where food is prepared, cooked, and handled.
Level 3 is for managers, supervisors and chefs in medium to large manufacturing or catering companies.
Level 4 is for managers, supervisors, senior personal hygiene, business owners, and food hygiene trainers.
Personnel working in the catering industry, such as food handlers, chefs, supervisors, managers, business owners and food hygiene trainers, have typically had to attend a training course to gain a recognized qualification in food safety. This results in time off work, finding staff to fill the gap, and loss of quality output if key staff are on course. Many companies offer online food safety courses, but they do not lead to an accredited qualification recognized by industry, environmental health departments, and educational bodies.
For a food safety qualification to be accredited in the UK, it must be recognized by Ofqual, DCELLS, CCEA and SQA and be part of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
QCF is the framework for creating and accrediting qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It gives a wider range of students the chance to get the qualifications they need, in the way that works best for them. QCF qualifications are designed with the help of employers so students can be sure they are acquiring the skills employers are looking for.
The QCF:
• recognizes smaller steps of learning and allows students to gradually build qualifications
• helps students acquire skills and qualifications that meet the needs of the industry
• allows on-the-job training to be recognized at the national level.
Qualifications recognized under the QCF attract funding.
Qualifications within the QCF will be confirmed for funding of one or more of the Agency’s delivery programs (Responsive Provision for Adult Learners, Service Learning and Skills for Offenders, Train to Gain and Unemployment Programs).
There is only a company in the UK which offers the three levels of qualification in food hygiene accredited by the main educational bodies.
The benefits of online food safety training are:
Lower qualification costs compared to classroom training courses
Avoid adverse weather conditions by traveling to training courses.
Don’t sit in a training room for endless hours
choose when to study
Not traveling to the course or exam
Flexibility at the end of the course.
Choosing when to take the exam
No need to take time off work to study
Full access to the tutor before, during and after the course.
Therefore, there are several ways to prevent food poisoning at home using a common sense approach to preparing food. Regular hand washing, wearing protective clothing, good cleaning regimens, pet and pest control, waste control, and enrolling in an online food safety training course can help.
It is time to reduce cases of food poisoning, both at home and in restaurants.