Any professional who comes in contact with food is known as a Food Handler and, therefore, must hold a Food Handler Certificate.
There are a wide range of industries in which people come into direct and indirect contact with food.
Professionals who handle food in all its stages of production: preparation, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, sale and service, may be referred to as a Food Handler.
A basic professional profile for important sectors of the Spanish industry: catering, food, transport, nursery schools, care homes for the elderly, restaurants…
Obtaining the Food Handler Certificate ensures that workers have the necessary training and education in food safety and hygiene.
Food Handler’s Responsibility
Food handlers play an active role when it comes to hygiene and food contamination.
The contamination of food can stem from various sources:
- Unsuitable work clothes.
- Poor personal hygiene.
- Poor handling practices.
Therefore, food handlers play a key role in the possible contamination of food.
One of the major responsibilities lies in knowing the basic rules of hygiene in order to exercise the utmost caution when handling food. Therefore, food handlers must:
- Wash hands correctly. Hand washing is of the utmost importance when it comes to preventing food contamination. Professionals should wash their hands before starting work, when changing activities, when handling raw food, after handling waste, etc…
- Food disinfection. Disinfection of some foodstuffs, such as vegetables, is sometimes mandatory.
- Surface Cleaning. Surfaces must be cleaned, as it reduces cross-contamination to a minimum.
- Food handlers must be aware of the standards for conserving hot and cold food, while other foods should not be stored for more than 24 hours.
- Correct work clothes. Hat and gloves must be worn and the uniform must be kept in an optimal condition.
Food Handler Preventive Measures
Food safety and hygiene training is an essential resource for professionals working with food.
However, as well as this key training to adopt the best practices in this professional activity, it is also important to be trained in the relevant key occupational risk prevention measures.
Among other measures, we can highlight the following:
- Attention to fire and hot products.
- Correctly handling and maintaining chemicals.
- Correct use of machines and utensils.
- Application of good practice in load handling and back care.
- Correct use of electrical appliances.
- Use of prevention equipment relevant to the activity to be carried out.
Food handlers must obtain the Food Handler Certificate, in order to know what the best practices in food safety and hygiene are.
Along with this Food Handler Certificate, workers must have the appropriate training in Occupational Risk Prevention to safeguard their health and safety.