Some progress has been made in hygiene standards since the introduction of Food Hygiene Regulations in 1850 but there is considerable room for improvement in many areas. It was this need for improvement that prompted the Irish Quality Control Association, in keeping with its determination to foster the appreciation and application of quality in Irish industry, to take the initiative to organize and run the first ever National Hygiene Awards in 1979. This need was substantiated by the fact that a very small percentage of our food workers receive any training in sanitation procedures.
In fact, lack of hygiene education is probably one of the most important reasons for our low standard of hygiene are in everyone's interest, from the food handler and his employer, right to the customer. by raising the standards in the factory, it is possible to improve efficiency in the production process, acting on the principle that a hygienic, pleasant work environment is usually more conductive to good output. It must be also stressed that unhygienic standards are a threat to public health.
In order that high standards if hygiene and housekeeping are maintained, it is essential that all food handlers are aware of the basic principles of food hygiene. For example, it is imperative that they are all told why they are required to wear the correct clothing, why they are required to keep.
