The Food Safety Management Training Course, organised under HRD Project Phase 4 in collaboration with the Department of Food Science and Technology of Visayas State University (VSU), was attended by a total of 91 participants, which consisted of 15 academicians and 76 students from VSU and other universities.
A relevant expert from Kagoshima University in Japan shared his expertise, drawing on his broad knowledge and experience in food safety management. The participants were proactively engaged in the lecture and were eager to learn the Japan Food Standards concept. Adding to the theories, interactive sessions were included to learn how to make HACCP Plans, including hazard analysis, critical control point decisions, and critical limit establishment. A case study was also included to learn how to audit food factories by themselves.
Through VSU’s focal point, Dr. Lynette C. Cimafranca, VSU conveyed that beyond the benefit of the interactive learning activities and group discussion, this training course equips students with a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of food industry practitioners, especially QA and QC personnel, and their vital role in upholding food safety, product quality, and regulatory compliance. She also affirmed that other lessons learned are that collaboration among academic institutions, government agencies, and industry stakeholders is essential for promoting a culture of food safety and ensuring the effective implementation of food safety management systems.
Mr. Yuichi Otsuka from MAFF Japan also emphasised that the training equips participants with practical food safety management skills based on the internationally recognised JFS Standard, which is internationally recognised and aligned with Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) requirements. The knowledge gained is expected to contribute to the advancement of the Philippine food industry and further enhance cooperation between the Philippines and Japan in food-related sectors.
