Food hygiene and safety is a topic that gets very little attention in mainstream media. And yet, how many of us have eaten out and had what appears to be a great meal at a restaurant. only to find out that hours later we are suffering food poisoning. It’s an all too familiar story and yet there is very little public awareness of food hygiene certificates and industry standards.
Indeed, in the UK the figures for food poisoning are steadily rising. The most common bacteria causing it are Campylobacter and Salmonella. Although we may not know these names, we have most probably encountered them in recent years. The numbers are staggering – it is believed that almost 6 million people had food poisoning in the past year. Put another way, that is one in 10 of us here in the UK. So more recently, there has been a push to get all food handlers upskilled in food hygiene standards in order to turn this problem around.
Most chefs and hospitality workers are looking for a user-friendly way to get accredited certificates in safe food hygiene practices. Catering college, Baristabarbar, has recently introduced an online portal where these workers can now complete a fully accredited Food Hygiene Certificate online. This is a big shift away from the classroom and allows them to achieve an accredited industry standard in a convenient and flexible manner.
“The Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate completed online is a huge step forward for anyone involved in food preparation. And it tackles some of the huge problems associated with limited time and the need for flexibility in the sector.” said Ian Sinclair, who has worked closely with developers of the Level 2 and Level 3 food hygiene certificates at Baristabarbar.
This is an important development in the food handling sector, as all kitchen staff now have access to a high-quality, accredited Level 2 Certificate food hygiene online. And there is light at the end of the tunnel, since with an increase in accredited food hygiene certificates and associated practices, we are seeing a reduction in food poisoning in the UK.
www.foodhygienecertificates.org.uk
