Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Basic Course

27/05/2022

With a firm commitment to advocate food safety education, IAM provides comprehensive educational resources and on-the-job training for food workers and industry in Macao in order to enhance the standards of food safety and hygiene adopted by the industry in the long run. From 2020, the ‘Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Basic Course’ is regularly held on the last Thursday of every month. The food safety and hygiene guidelines as teaching materials are supplemented by ‘Guidelines on Hygiene Practices for Food Handling in Food Premises and Takeaways’, which cover many keys of food safety precautions, such as food procurement, storage, handling methods, personal hygiene, that are often ignored in daily operation. In addition, a concise guide compiled by IAM, ‘Five Keys to Food Safety in ABCDE’, is available in multiple languages and incorporated into the course. The ‘Five Keys’ refer to ‘Avoid Cross-Contamination’, ‘Buy Right’, ‘Clean and Cook Completely’, ‘Danger Temperature Zone’ and ‘Efforts to Maintain Food Safety of Macao’. People from different cultural backgrounds can learn about these important aspects of food safety then use it into daily practice for cooking and food preparation. It aims to disseminate the effective ways to prevent and reduce the risk of foodborne diseases. Moreover, the course also introduces the main contents of ‘Food Safety Law’ to deepen the industry's understanding of their responsibilities and obligations stipulated in the law. We encourage the food industry to maintain good communication with the government, and notify any potential food hazards, which are crucial to improving food safety in Macao.

 

Furthermore, when food establishments are in poor hygiene conditions, for examples, foods and other items are stored unsuitably, and garbage is handled improperly, it creates opportunities for rat harbourage and causes rodent infestation. Thus, our course focuses on ways to effectively prevent and control rodents in order to raise awareness of environmental hygiene and rodent control in the food industry. Upon completion of the course, participants will be awarded a certificate of attendance. The teaching material, ‘Guidelines on Hygiene Practices for Food Handling in Food Premises and Takeaways’, has been uploaded to the Food Safety Information website and its mobile app for the public to obtain easily.

 

Interested employed food trade practitioners are welcome to enrol for the course via the website/mobile application of “Business & Associations Platform”, or they may download the “Enrolment Form”, fill it out and send it to the Division of Risk Communication of the Department of Food Safety via fax (fax no.: 8296 1234) or e-mail (dir-info@iam.gov.mo), or submit it in person at food trade zone on the 1st floor of Iao Hon Hawkers’ Building. Upon receipt of the application, our designated staff will contact the applicants. For details and enquiries, please call 8296 1242 / 8296 1231 / 8296 1241. Early enrolment is recommended as the quota is limited.

 

Enrollment Form

 

Leaflet

 

Teaching Material

(Portuguese Version)