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The Québec government amended its Food and Drug Regulations. They now require restaurant owners and those operating establishments where products intended for human consumption are prepared and sold to employ personnel who have been trained in food sanitation and safety.

Training in food sanitation and safety: it's everyone's responsibility

The new regulations stipulate that the supervision of food sanitation and safety in restaurants must be entrusted to MAPAQ-certified food-processing managers. They must be on site during business hours; otherwise, a certified food handler must be present. Under the terms of these regulations, the operator must guarantee that at least 10% of his or her staff who prepare products or clean utensils and equipment that comes into contact with food have a certificate in food handling or food-processing management. These regulations will come into effect on November 21, 2008.

To accommodate the numerous Québec businesses that need to train their employees before the November 21, 2009 compliance deadline, the Institutde tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) adapted the Ministère del'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec's (MAPAQ) food sanitation and safety online training program.

The ITHQ offers the only online training program for HRI personnel in Québec

The food sanitation and safety online training program, which was developed by the ITHQ and Xaracom, is the only one of its kind offered on the Web. This program is designed for two types of complementary clientele:

• Managers and supervisors of establishments where food is prepared and
  sold;
• Staff who work in these businesses, such as cooks, cook helpers,
  Maîtres d'hôtel, wait staff, service workers, and dishwashers.

 

Individuals who successfully complete this innovative program may register for the MAPAQ exam. In 2008, the program received a mention in the Multimedia Category of the Prix de la ministre de l'Education, du Loisir et du Sport. Using audio, images and video, this new training tool offers several advantages. It is available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week and requires no travel. Training sessions can also be interrupted and resumed at any time during the three-month period while the password is valid, and technical support is available for one month online and by phone. For more information, please visit:
www.ithq.qc.ca/hygienesalubrite/