Safe Food Depends on You

Training Guide for
Food Handlers

This training program is designed to teach English and Spanish-speaking workers food handling practices that will minimize the potential for food-borne illness. The program, which includes a manual, videotape and posters, covers important practices that workers must be aware of, for example, proper handwashing techniques, the wearing of appropriate clothing, avoiding cross-contamination and how to maintain good hygiene. The underlying goal of the training program itself is to inculcate a system of values and to help the food industry deliver safe food to market and to help it meet new food safety regulations which require a more formal educational program for all workers.

The videotape contains two ten-minute presentations, one in English and one in Spanish, that show workers demonstrating proper food handling techniques - each demonstration is highlighted by a color poster hanging on the wall nearby. They are available as online streaming video courtesy of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Communication Services. There are a few minor errors in the video and one of the training exercises is to see how many of them employees can find.

The 38-page printed manual covers the same techniques and includes activities in Spanish and English to reinforce the topics covered. Nine laminated color posters with labels in English and Spanish graphically represent handling practices and can be posted in the workplace to further reinforce training activities.

You may download the training manual (pdf, ~500kb) or order the printed manual, video and posters.

The cost is $14.95 for the complete set of material (training manual, instructional video and 9 posters). Materials may also be purchase separately. The training manual and video are $4.95 each and the posters are $10.00 for a set of nine.

To order, please send check for $14.95 plus $3.50 shipping and handling to:

Maryland Sea Grant
c/o Publications
4321 Hartwick Road, Suite 300
College Park, MD 20740

This Training Program was created by the University of Delaware in cooperation with Extension Specialists at the Sea Grant colleges of Delaware and Maryland.