Mekong Institute (MI), with financial support from the New Zealand Aid Programme (NZAP), is organizing the training course on “Food Hygiene and Sanitation for Food Handlers” from October 25 to 29, 2021, via a digital platform.  

Twenty-three government and private sector representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV) joined the training program and will be exposed to the theoretical and practical concepts of food safety, food hazards, proper food handling, and hygiene requirements.

“Food system goes beyond quantity; quality and safety are equally important” Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, MI Executive Director, emphasized during his welcome and opening remarks. The increase in compliance with food hygiene and sanitation standards among food business establishments will lead to improved services and products, boosting consumer trust and revenue and resulting in a more vibrant economy.

Best practices in Thailand will be shared with the participants, including the country’s prevailing legislation and systems of controlling food safety hazards and the guidelines for applying proper food storage and preparation protocols, pest control, personal hygiene, and sanitation of premises.

The training will also provide participants with a platform to network and exchange best practices to institutionalize a food safety culture in their respective countries.

This training course is one of the PROSAFE hybrid training programs in 2021. Supported by the NZAP, MI’s PROSAFE project aims to strengthen food safety capabilities of agri-food supply chain stakeholders in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Specifically, its goal is to promote food safety through a coordinated approach to knowledge and skills development. Apart from addressing country-identified training needs, the project also builds strong partnerships and collaboration between the public and the private sector.