Sanitation and Food Safety for Cheesemakers

Updated by Assistant Extension Professor, Robson Machado, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

Developed and used with permission from Penn State Extension.

Introduction

This sanitation and food safety training for small scale cheese producing establishments was developed by The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Food Science to provide an educational tool for the training of cheesemakers. This training contains strategies that take into account specific characteristics of the small and very small dairy farm.

The training includes two lessons designed to provide workers in dairy farms with the knowledge, skills, and a comprehensive explanation of the food safety rules that they need to follow at work. It can be used to train a group of employees or as a self-study training.

Lesson 1: Sanitation and Food Safety for Cheesemakers

This lesson describes the four steps for cleaning and sanitizing, the four elements (T.A.C.T.) to be considered during cleaning and sanitizing, and the basics of cross-contamination.

After the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:

List the four steps for cleaning and sanitizing, in order.
List the four elements T.A.C.T.
Understand how cross-contamination happens and how to avoid it.

Lesson 2: Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

This lesson describes the importance of good personal hygiene practices. The correct procedure for handwashing, the correct use of gloves, and other personal habits to avoid will be described.

After the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:

Describe how hands can become contaminated with microbes and transmit them to food.
List the situations when handwashing is required.
Demonstrate appropriate handwashing techniques.

Download a Flip-Book Version of the Training

A printable version of Sanitation and Food Safety for Cheesemakers is available in a flip-book format for trainers to use in group settings.

Documenting Your Food Safety Training

If your training is not documented, it never happened. Your auditors and customers want to see evidence that every employee in the plant has received food safety training. Create an attendance sheet with the topic and date, have every participant sign it after completing the training, then keep it in a safe place.