Specialist cheesemakers initiative
Tuesday 7 December 2004
The Food Safety Management Awareness Initiative for Specialist Cheesemakers was launched by the Agency in January 2002.
It involved cheesemakers, ADAS consultants and Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) working in partnership to help improve food safety management awareness and to promote best practice.
In total, 156 cheesemakers (about 98% of known specialist cheesemakers in England and Wales) and 86 local authorities took part in the scheme.
The initiative was well received by EHOs who valued the input of specialists, and by the Specialist Cheesemakers� Association, who found it provided a valuable practical working tool for its members.
The audit of the initiative confirmed that it had delivered a range of benefits with the main findings being:
- relationships between the enforcement authorities and cheesemakers were strengthened as a result of taking part in the initiative,
- cheesemakers now have a better understanding of hazard analysis and how it can be implemented in a practical way without generating unnecessary paperwork,
- The Food Safety Workbook, which was used to help simplify food safety planning and paperwork by systematically documenting production systems, food safety hazards and appropriate controls for each individual business was praised as being easy to use,
- the enforcement authorities believed the Initiative helped improve their own confidence in cheesemaking businesses, and this confidence was sustained,
- the Initiative increased customer confidence because cheesemakers were able to demonstrate that they meet appropriate food safety standards.
This initiative has successfully demonstrated the importance of stakeholders working together to develop a shared understanding of effective and proportionate food safety risk management.
In view of these successes the Agency is, for the time being, keeping the initiative open for new businesses.
Those who would like further details about the scheme should contact ADAS on 01522 521292.
Copies of the Specialist Cheesemakers� Initiative Final Report and the audit are available through the links below.
