This lesson closes the course: what to do when something goes wrong, how inspections work and how to build a workplace where food safety is normal.
Safe food: the operator is responsible
Regulation (EC) 178/2002 (the "General Food Law") says that unsafe food must not be placed on the market (Article 14) and that responsibility for safety lies with the operator at every stage it controls (Article 17). This applies also to those who sell, cook and serve.
Traceability
Under Article 18 of Regulation 178/2002 you must be able to say who supplied you with a food and, if you sell to other businesses, whom you supplied: one step back and one step forward. If you sell only to the final consumer, you must know who your suppliers are.
In practice:
- keep invoices, delivery notes and labels of the products;
- note the batch when the plan requires it;
- keep the information for the period set by the rules for your business.
Withdrawal and recall
If an operator considers that a food it has imported, produced, processed or distributed is not safe, it must immediately start the procedures to withdraw it from the market and inform the competent authorities (Article 19 of Regulation 178/2002). If the product has already reached consumers, the public is also informed and, where needed, the product is recalled. Do not hide problems: if in doubt, tell the person in charge.
Official controls
Inspections are carried out by the local health authority (ASL; in Lombardy ATS, in Emilia-Romagna AUSL, in Veneto ULSS) and by other authorities such as the NAS of the Carabinieri (the police unit for food and health inspections). The European framework is Regulation (EU) 2017/625, implemented in Italy by Legislative Decree 27/2021. Inspectors can:
- visit the premises and check hygiene, temperatures and products;
- read the self-control plan and the records;
- check staff training and talk to workers;
- take samples;
- require corrections, impose penalties or, in serious cases, suspend the business.
These are inspections: cooperate, answer honestly and show the documents. If you do not know something, say so and call the person in charge.
Training during inspections
Inspectors look at whether workers know and do what is needed, not only whether there is a piece of paper. In Lombardy, inspections look in particular at the operational behaviour of staff (regional law 33/2009, Article 126). In Emilia-Romagna the Region suggests documenting training, for example with a programme that states its duration and topics. In Veneto the choice of content and duration is the employer's, who renews the training when the production cycle changes.
Food safety culture
Regulation (EU) 2021/382 introduced a new obligation in Annex II of Regulation 852/2004: every FBO, except those doing only primary production, must establish, maintain and provide evidence of an appropriate food safety culture. This means:
- commitment of management and of all workers;
- leadership from those in charge: they set the example;
- awareness of hazards: everyone understands why a rule exists;
- open communication: everyone can talk about problems without fear;
- sufficient resources: time, means and training to work safely.
A good culture shows in everyday actions: nobody "cuts corners" when the boss is not looking.
What you can do
- Follow procedures even when you are in a hurry.
- Report problems: a fridge that is not cold, a strange product, a sick colleague.
- Ask if you do not know.
- Take part in refresher training.
After the course
This course is a general foundation. The owner of your business must complete it with training on your premises: equipment, recipes, self-control plan, cleaning procedures, allergen management. The refresher must be repeated when the work or the rules change, or after a problem.
Remember
- Unsafe food is not sold and is withdrawn.
- Traceability is one step back and one step forward.
- Inspectors look at documents and behaviour.
- Safety culture shows in how each person works.