Council holds food safety courses for local firms

The next food hygiene training courses take place on Wednesday 22 January and Thursday 20 March 2014.

They are aimed at anyone working in a business where food is prepared, cooked or handled. Attendees will work towards a Level 2 Award in Food Safety

in Catering and those who pass the final exam will receive a formal Ofqual approved qualification from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

All food handlers are required by law to have received an appropriate form of training in food safety. The Level 2 award is aimed at food handlers who do not have management responsibility for the food operation and the vast majority of food handlers fall into this category.

Everyone who works with food has a responsibility to safeguard the health of consumers and to ensure that the food they serve or sell is safe to eat. Ensuring that staff obtain a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health qualification will help local food businesses improve service for their customers, make the most of best practice in the industry and will help them to understand how to improve their food safety ratings.

The six-hour training session covers a range of food handling issues including common hazards, correct refrigeration, food safety laws and thorough cleaning.

Places on the course, which will be held at the Mid Sussex District Council offices in Haywards Heath, are available at a cost of £70 per person including lunch.

“All food businesses in Mid Sussex are visited and inspected regularly by our Environmental Health Officers to ensure that everything meets the required food safety standards and in-depth, professional training is hugely beneficial,” said Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community.

“We have set up these training courses to ensure all Mid Sussex businesses have the help and support they need to maintain excellent food safety.”

For more information or to book a place on the food safety workshop, contact MSDC Environmental Support Officer Val Taplin on 01444 477292 or email [email protected].

A further food safety course will be held on Wednesday 28 May 2014.