12 replies to this topic

[Simon]

For anyone in food service who has not taken a look at the Food Standards Agency Safer Food Better Business resource it really is a must. The advice is good and everything is free, what more can I say.

Safer food, better business - Hygiene Training Course
Now available in 16 languages Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, English, Kurdish, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese and Welsh.

http://www.sfbbtraining.co.uk

Safer food, better business - food safety management procedures pack
Safer food, better business (SFBB) is an innovative and practical approach to food safety management. It has been developed to help small businesses put in place food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.

http://food.gov.uk/sfbb

Bacteria Bite Business
The FSA's Bacteria Bite Business video demonstrates the importance of good food hygiene, focusing on the 4 Cs (Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling and Cross-contamination). This is now available to view online.
http://www.food.gov....riabitebusiness

[Charles.C]

Dear Simon,

Very praiseworthy project but, at least in my fingers, appeared to contain some functional glitches. Perhaps I was unlucky, wouldn’t be the first time . Maybe IE would be more successful (I used FF).
Only posting 1-3 in case other people hv similar problem.
(1) FSA website very difficult to connect / fully connect which is unusual IMEX..
(2) I decided to dwl the video first (in retrospect a mistake). 1st dwl menu came up quick but I had to stop the dwl after it revealed itself as 138MB (1hr+!). Repeating the cycle produced no response and I then noticed a site statement that only 1 dwl permitted (?!) However after 5mins another menu appeared (actually I had already given up but left screen on) and I proceeded with no problems AFAIK.
(3) Tried the retail section. Two o/o 5 sections I looked at stopped playing in the middle and the sub-title didn't appear at all. Pity because the content is quite well done after looking at the site video which ran perfectly inc. the subtitles. Maybe my dwl was flawed but the .exe file gave no errors on installation.

I also tried the last, on-line video. The recommended zoom function was inoperable on my computer. Didn’t really matter because IMHO this 8min video is very poor indeed. I watched 70pct and then gave up.

My guess is that the program set up for SFBB has been a success, particularly at offering a route to compliance with the EU food laws and this extension is surely another worthwhile addition. But maybe needs some revising.


Rgds / Charles.C

PS - have put on my flak jacket

[Simon]

Very praiseworthy project but, at least in my fingers, appeared to contain some functional glitches. Perhaps I was unlucky, wouldn’t be the first time . Maybe IE would be more successful (I used FF).

I just tried all the links again and they work perfect in IE. Anybody else?

As to the content. It's free and the advice is obviously on the button, not just for the EU, but for any food establishment anywhere in the world. Great stuff I say.

Regards,
Simon

[JFT]

Hi Charles,

glad you like SFBB, i think it's success has been largely due to the fact that there was really nothing before for the UK (NI and Scotland apart), like it.

The key is that it directs attention to the actual operations and informs EHOs (EHPs) more about what goes on in a kitchen; the actual operations, rather than the old, mostly floors, walls and ceilings approach. (The backwash effect of assessment.)

Not sure what you mean by revisions needed. Most people are unaware of SFBBs origins but i can tell you that the current version has been very much trimmed down from the original, which incidently was developed by a multi disciplinary team at the University of Salford, for the FSA and known as the Salford Model.

Anything you'd like to know about it please ask.

JFT

[Charles.C]

Dear JFT,

Welcome to the forum

Actually I’m not sure I liked all the original SFBB technical content (from memory, not yet revisited the earlier threads on this topic) but I could certainly appreciate the intentions behind it. I seem to recall wondering if other EU countries had to develop similar programs also.(?)

My “revisions” comment was rather relating to the specific comments in my previous post. Unfortunately still waiting for some more input there. Anybody ? Anybody ?

@Simon, did you also dwl the .exe with IE and try the functionality or ? (I am too lazy to repeat the dwl again ).
(I didn’t see any browser related comments / other software limitations on the original site link but maybe)

Interesting to know the initial development location. I had a quick look at the descriptive newsletter on FSA site (2007) but no credits ? . Must be about time for a revision now (2-3 years). Opportunity knocks!.

Rgds / Charles.C

[JFT]

Hi Charles

there were a number of versions, the first version being about 2003 or 4. In fact the first version had the development team printed inside and the University of Salford logo on it.

(I can always attach that part as a scan if at all interested.)

As for technical content, one of the key principles of the system was the conversion of technical content into user friendly mode. This had never been done before. As for credits, the FSA are a bit funny about that kind of thing although there are various references to Salford University around, (reports and board minutes).

SFBB has a history as does HACCP which i found very interesting when i did a bit of work on it a couple of years ago.

By the way the first version is around as Menu Safe which retained the original content and is aimed at the larger business.

JFT

[Simon]

Did you help to put SFBB together JFT? Whoever did wants a good hard pat on the back. Do you have any statistics on the numbers of food businesses using it in the UK and in other countries?

Welcome to the forums.

Regards,
Simon

[Charles.C]

Dear Simon,

Well, if the original version lastly referred is the same item that googling leads to, looks like there was a lot of interesting spin-offs generated.

Also points to a nice survey on the general subject –
http://www.who.int/f.../HACCP_SLDB.pdf

Rgds / Charles.C

[JFT]

Hi Simon

yes, i was in fact on the team and there was much more involved in creating and implementing the system than is given credit for, i think someone from the FSA commented, at a conference, that it was just a thing they did with few caterers - (it sourced 3 phd's to start with). The main point of mentioning this is that there is still much to learn about food safety applications in the catering industry. SFBB is only a starting point. Hand washing is just one example of an unsolved problem!? anyone who knows or really cares about what really goes on will be in tune with what i'm trying to say.

Just one point for interest. One of the original principles was that chefs would actually LEARN how to construct safe methods. There are many aspects to this - firstly that they already have a lot of ideas about food safety although without the terminology, they need to own the system, and often traditional methods of testing are perfectly valid and just need validating.

I've started to ramble so better sign off for now.

Swinging website!

JFT

[JFT]

Simon,

got carried away and missed your question - 400,000 in UK initially.

Doubtless an opportunity for multiple number crunch research.

JFT

[Simon]

yes, i was in fact on the team and there was much more involved in creating and implementing the system than is given credit for, i think someone from the FSA commented, at a conference, that it was just a thing they did with few caterers - (it sourced 3 phd's to start with). The main point of mentioning this is that there is still much to learn about food safety applications in the catering industry. SFBB is only a starting point. Hand washing is just one example of an unsolved problem!? anyone who knows or really cares about what really goes on will be in tune with what i'm trying to say.

Watching Gordon Ramsey's TV programme this evening he still has a lot to learn about food safety; Michelin stars or not. The way they perform in the kitchen with little regard for basic food hygiene practices must set back a lot of the good education work that is done by the FSA et al.

Something that has always troubled me, do you think catering or food service employees should wear full hair covering like everybody else does in the food industry?

got carried away and missed your question - 400,000 in UK initially.

Wow, that's some number. Looks as though it was well worth the effort. Even if the FSA didn't think it was up to much.

So what's next with SFBB?

Regards,
Simon

[JFT]

Hi Simon

thought i'd already posted reply today but it seems to have disappeared - probably because i can't use the thing efficiently.

The Gordon Ramsey thing is only about entertainment not education. Unfortunately people learn from it and of course 'unwittingly' as was an implied aspect of your last post. Did i say 'last post'? Well with their standards of food safety perhaps that is quite appropriate.

I trained as a chef many years ago, worked in full brigade, West End, etc etc... and we had very high standards. Enthusiasm and dedication aren't new; gimmicks are. Need to send the shows producers on food safety training - quite seriously - they run the show and tell the chefs to swear.

SFBB seems to have taken off but i'm not involved with the FSA current version as i work with the first much fuller version which is called Menu-Safe. What you have currently in the free FSA pack is a very much cut down version from the original. With the first version, caterers had to put more work in so they might learn the system and gain ownership - two prerequisites to a sustainable system?

[Aliali]

thanks for the post. I am using these links for my reference in 2021! :)