Education of food industry personnel in hygiene matters has been
recommended as a means of improving food handling practices and thus the
safety of food. Provision has been made within the Food Safety Act 1990
for the making of regulations to specify the nature and extent of such
training. There is, however, a lack of documentary evidence of
improvements in food hygiene standards which can be directly related to
education or training. Evaluations of formal food hygiene education
courses have identified increased knowledge levels of course
participants, and improvements in the relationship between food industry
and enforcement personnel by the development of common understanding.
Reported evaluations of food hygiene training programmes indicate that
formal courses operated in settings divorced from the food handling
environment are limited in effectiveness. While course participants
have increased knowledge, evidence of consequential improved food
handling behaviour is not clearly demonstrated. Training programmes more
closely associated with the work site are potentially more effective
especially if supported by practical reinforcement of hygiene messages.