Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point - eLearning module

This eLearning course is aimed at allowing participants to improve their knowledge and skills in:

  • EU legislation and relevant international standards.
  • Background and principles of HACCP.
  • HACCP methodology, development of HACCP plans and document management.
  • Implementation and validation of HACCP plans.
  • Information on the different materials used in Food Contact Materials.
  • Audit principles and management, to verify implementation of HACCP systems and compliance with food and feed requirements.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average dedication: 8 hours
Online
  • 5 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Food Improvement Agents - eLearning module

The eLearning module aims to give a basic understanding of EU legislation on Food Improvement Agents (FIAs), in particular:

  • How food additives, food flavourings and food enzymes are regulated in the EU.
  • What are the requirements for their authorisation in the EU (Common Authorisation Procedure).
  • What are the requirements for food business operators using FIAs in the EU.
  • What should be verified by the competent authorities when confirming compliance with relevant legislation.
  • To provide information about the current re-evaluation programme on food additives and flavourings.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average duration: 6 hours
Online
  • 4 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Food hygiene requirements for fishery products and live bivalve molluscs, and their official control - eLearning Module

This eLearning course is aimed at allowing participants to improve their knowledge and skills in:

  • The legislative requirements for fishery products and live bivalve molluscs throughout the production and distribution chain, including primary production.
  • The requirements for vessels and on-land establishments.
  • The tasks of the competent authorities.
  • The tasks and responsibilities of food business operators in order to meet the legislative requirements for fishery products and live bivalve molluscs.

Features

365 days access
  • Average dedication: 8 hours
Online
  • 6 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Agri-food fraud investigation techniques in e-commerce - eLearning module

The eLearning module aims to improve the knowledge and skills of official control staff on specific investigations techniques used to identify agri-food fraud and to differentiate it from involuntary non-compliance.

The specific objectives of the training are:

  • To improve basic knowledge of agri-food fraud and agri-food fraud qualifying criteria.
  • To present good practices, tools and procedures relating to investigation techniques helping to detect fraud in e-commerce linked with the agri-food sector.
  • To help disseminate best practices on e-commerce surveillance.
  • To complement existing BTSF training courses on e-commerce agri-food fraud investigation techniques.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average duration: 6 hours
Online
  • 4 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Agri-food fraud investigation techniques - eLearning module

The eLearning module aims to improve the knowledge and skills of official control staff on specific investigations techniques used to identify agri-food fraud and to differentiate it from involuntary non-compliance.

The specific objectives of the training are:

  • To improve basic knowledge of food fraud and food fraud qualifying criteria.
  • To present good practices, tools and procedures relating to investigation techniques helping to detect fraud in the agri-food sector.
  • To help disseminate best practices.
  • To complement existing BTSF training courses on agri-food fraud investigation techniques.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average duration: 6 hours
Online
  • 5 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Food Contact Materials rules - eLearning module

Food Contact Materials rules - eLearning Information

This eLearning course is aimed at allowing participants to improve their knowledge and skills in:

  • EU legislation on Food Contact Materials with special focus on the changes adopted in the last few years.
  • Setting up of national control plans for Food Contact Materials.
  • Check-list used by the inspectors.
  • Information on the different materials used in Food Contact Materials.
  • How to inspect/check declaration of compliances and supporting documentation to the declaration of compliance.

Features

365 days access
  • Average dedication: 8 hours
Online
  • 5 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

STM PROGRAMME on Listeria monocytogenes

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training course on STM PROGRAMME on Listeria monocytogenes are:

  • Explanation of EU legal framework for shelf-life studies;
  • Analysis of Guidance documents on shelf-life studies- International European standards developed;
  • Importance of determining a shelf-life -Prerequisite before starting shelf-life studies;
  • Classification of RTE foods based on their physicochemical characteristics;
  • Consideration of intrabatch/interbatch variability;
  • Predictive microbiological modelling and software, database, case scenario and examples;
  • Durability studies for Lm shelf-life verification;
  • Challenge tests for shelf-life determination and use of the growth potential, of the maximum growth rate of Lm in RTE foods.
  • Use of case studies and workshop exercises, based on specific Irish products / situations.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Listeria monocytogenes and RTE foods
  • Explanation of EU legal framework for shelf-life studies
  • Overview of studies in Annex II of Regulation 2073/2005
  • Overview of relevant European guidance documents and ISO standards related to shelf-life studies
  • Prerequisite before starting shelf-life studies
  • Challenge tests to determine the growth of L. monocytogenes and growth rate with CT report to review Standard EN ISO 20976-1 Protocol + EURL Lm TGD
  • Evaluation of a challenge test report
  • Presentation of available predictive microbiology models and software for L. monocytogenes
  • Use of Predictive Microbiology models and software to assess:
  • Case study: Use of ComBase software to reduce salt concentration
  • Case study 2: Use of FSSP software to set shelf life for new products
  • Case study 3: Use of Sym’Previus software to consider product variability
  • Evaluation of a Predictive Microbiology Report
  • Surface sampling: horizontal methods for surface sampling
  • Case study – L. monocytogenes environmental contamination in a RTE factory

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Irish Competent Authorities.
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 17/10/2023 19/10/2023 Grange Ireland
2 31/10/2023 02/11/2023 Grange Ireland

STM PROGRAMME on Food Hygiene and Flexibility

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training course on STM PROGRAMME on Food Hygiene and Flexibility are:

  • Raise awareness and improve understanding of flexibility provisions of the Hygiene Package;
  • Highlight how provisions are not always used completely and not in the proper manner;
  • Promote exchange of experience in order to increase the level of expertise and harmonization in the approach to flexibility;
  • Ensure a better use of flexibility provisions
  • Disseminate best practices for official controls when flexibility is applied;
  • Raise awareness on notification procedures and importance of their adoption;
  • Use of case studies and workshop exercises, based on specific Irish products/ situations.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Flexibility through the Hygiene Regulations: general overview and concept. Legal bases, flexibility provisions included in the FHP, EC guidance documents
  • DG Sante findings in relation to the application of flexibility provisions of the Hygiene Package
  • Activities excluded from the scope of the hygiene Regulations
  • Direct supply from small producers to consumers: the situation in Ireland
  • Flexibility for small businesses in relation to building, lay out and equipment
  • Flexibility for small businesses: focus on the meat sector
  • Flexibility for small businesses: focus on the dairy sector and on food of non animal origin sectors
  • Flexibility with regard to the implementation of procedures based on the HACCP principles
  • Flexibility and HACCP based procedures: the Irish situation
  • Flexibility with regard to Regulation (EC) nº 2073/2005 and the Irish situation
  • Flexibility provisions pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EC) nº 2074/2005, foods with traditional characteristics
  • Flexibility measures to enable the continued use of traditional methods: scope and practical examples
  • Flexibility measures to accommodate the needs of food businesses situated in regions subject to special geographic constraints
  • Flexibility measures and documentation in individual establishments
  • National measures and notification process
  • Analysis of the notifications in the TRIS database and examples from the last notifications

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Irish Competent Authorities
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 10/10/2023 12/10/2023 Grange Ireland
2 14/11/2023 16/11/2023 Grange Ireland

Supporting effective participation in CODEX activities for EU Member States

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training course on Supporting effective participation in CODEX activities for EU Member States are:

  • to provide the European Union (EU) Member States (MS) with high-level training supporting effective participation in CODEX activities.
  • Strengthen the capacity of EU Member States (MS) to participate actively in Codex Alimentarius work
  • Enable MS delegates to actively contribute to Codex work by improving their understanding of Codex: procedures and organisation (Commission, Executive Committee, Subsidiary bodies, Electronic Working Groups);
  • Enhance MS delegates’ understanding of EU coordination, EU objectives, and vision on Codex;
  • Enhance negotiation skills in a multilateral environment through practical examples;
  • Increase the impact of the EU and its Member States on the development of Codex standards.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • EU Membership in Codex
  • EU internal coordination procedures for effective work in Codex
  • Negotiation techniques at international level
  • Simulation of a Codex Committee session
  • Organisation and procedures or Codex Alimentarius.

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

Participants must be officials from Member States who attend or will attend sessions of Codex Committees

While the workshop will have dedicated sessions on the work of the Codex Committee for Pesticide Residues (CCPR), the Codex Committee for Contaminants in Food (CCCF), or the Codex Committee for Fats and Oils (CCFO), delegates attending other Codex committees are also invited to participate.

Participant must:Have participated in a meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission or a Codex subsidiary body or will soon participate in meetings of a Codex Committee.

Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 16/10/2023 18/10/2023 Brussels Belgium

Auditing general hygiene requirements and control procedures based on the HACCP principles developed by FBOs

BTSF Training Programme on Auditing general hygiene requirements and control procedures based on the HACCP principles developed by FBOs

This Course will allow participants to improve their knowledge and practical skills in:

  • EU legislation and relevant international standards.
  • Background and principles of HACCP and HACCP methodology, development of HACCP plans and document management.
  • HACCP methodology, development of HACCP plans and document management.
  • The students will learn the Implementation and validation of HACCP plans as well theInformation on the different materials used in Food Contact Materials.
  • Finally they will able to audit principles and management, to verify implementation of HACCP systems and compliance with food and feed requirements.
  • Topic 1. HACCP overview
  • Topic 2. Prerequisites programmes
  • Topic 3. HACCP method and plan
  • Topic 4. The audit process
  • Topic 5. Guides and flexibility

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Staff of competent authorities performing planning and control activities in the food sector (preferably at central level)
  • Field inspectors involved in official control activities in food establishments
Session Start Date End Date City Country
TS01 07/11/2022 11/11/2022 Prague Czech Republic
TS02 12/12/2022 16/12/2022 Athens Greece
TS03 30/01/2023 03/02/2023 Lisbon Portugal
TS04 27/02/2023 03/03/2023 Athens Greece
TS05 27/03/2023 31/03/2023 Lyon France
TS06 15/05/2023 19/05/2023 Prague Czech Republic
TS07 19/06/2023 23/06/2023 Riga Latvia
TS08 11/09/2023 15/09/2023 Riga Latvia
TS09 16/10/2023 20/10/2023 Riga Latvia
TS10 13/11/2023 17/11/2023 Prague Czech Republic
TS11 11/12/2023 15/12/2023 Lisbon Portugal
TS12 29/01/2024 02/02/2024 Athens Greece
TS13 26/02/2024 01/03/2024 Lisbon Portugal

Contaminants (Basic)

BTSF Training course on Course 1: EU regulations and guidelines applicable to the control of contaminants

The objectives of Course 1: EU regulations and guidelines applicable to the control of contaminants are:

  • Harmonising the understanding of EU requirements for the controls on contaminants
  • Improving the general knowledge on contaminants, their sources and existing EU guidelines for their prevention
  • Promoting exchanges and cooperation within EU

Please verify compliance with the following selection criteria before applying:

  • Competent Authority staff responsible for the control of contaminants in feed and food
  • basic knowledge of the area is sufficient to take part in the course
  • have preferably not attended CTM Phase 1 (2017-2018) training for the same course
  • have relevant educational background and professional experience
  • commit to disseminate the obtained knowledge among stakeholders in their home country
  • have a good working level of English
Session Start Date End Date City Country
VC01 12/04/2021 16/04/2021 n/a n/a
VC03 10/05/2021 14/05/2021 n/a n/a
VC04 31/05/2021 04/06/2021 n/a n/a
VC05 07/06/2021 11/06/2021 n/a n/a
VC06 28/06/2021 02/07/2021 n/a n/a
VC08 04/10/2021 08/10/2021 n/a n/a
VC09 25/10/2021 29/10/2021 n/a n/a
VC11 06/12/2021 10/12/2021 n/a n/a
VC13 31/01/2022 04/02/2022 n/a n/a
VC14 07/03/2022 11/03/2022 n/a n/a
VC17 30/05/2022 03/06/2022 n/a n/a

Contaminants (Advanced)

BTSF Training Programme on Contaminants Course 2 (Advanced).

The specific objectives of the BTSF training activities on pesticide equipment are to further improve the knowledge of the control requirements by bringing together participants from different Member States and selected non-EU countries and to allow the exchange of experience and disseminate best practices for control activities and procedures.

Session Start Date End Date City Country
VC02 26/04/2021 30/04/2021 n/a n/a
VC07 13/09/2021 17/09/2021 n/a n/a
VC10 08/11/2021 12/11/2021 n/a n/a
VC12 17/01/2022 21/01/2022 n/a n/a
VC15 28/03/2022 01/04/2022 n/a n/a
VC16 02/05/2022 06/05/2022 n/a n/a
VC18 27/06/2022 01/07/2022 CANCELLED CANCELLED

EU rules applicable to the authorization and placing on the market of novel foods and traditional foods coming from non-EU countries

The overall objective of the BTSF Training course on EU Rules applicable to the authorization and placing on the market of novel food and traditional foods coming from non-EU countries is to develop cooperation activities on novel food with non EU trade partners with a view to further raise awareness and contribute to a better understanding and more efficient use of existing EU rules applicable to the authorisation and placing on the EU market of novel food.

The topics covered in the training programme are:

  • What is new on novel foods and on traditional foods from third countries
  • The EU legal framework applicable to Novel Foods and Traditional Food from third countries
  • The EU/National regulatory bodies involved in assessment and authorization of novel and Traditional foods
  • Article 4 requests
  • The major novel foods and traditional foods and their classification
  • Categorisation of novel and traditional foods
  • The Regulation 2015/2283
  • How to prepare a novel foods application
  • How to prepare a traditional foods notification and application
  • The outcome of a successful application
  • The differences between risk assessment (what EFSA actually does) and risk management (how the Member States and the Commission in the Novel Foods WG respond)
  • How to submit a dossier through the e-submission system
  • Labelling of Novel Foods

This training programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the criteria before applying.

Officials from Competent Authorities in the beneficiary non-EU countries involved, preferably at central level, verifying compliance with rules applicable to placing novel foods and traditional foods on the EU market and from one of the following categories:

  • Decision/policy makers / senior officers from Food safety competent authorities
  • Decision/policy makers / senior officers from Food export competent authorities
  • Decision/policy makers / senior officers from Public Health competent authorities
  • Senior officers from already existing national and/or regional networks on topics links to Novel Food
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 18/02/2020 21/02/2020 Bangkok Thailand
2 30/01/2023 02/02/2023 Amman Jordan
3 28/03/2023 31/03/2023 San José Costa Rica
4 25/04/2023 28/04/2023 Buenos Aires Argentina
5 30/05/2023 01/06/2023 Dakar Senegal
6 04/07/2023 06/07/2023 Addis Ababa Ethiopia
7 26/09/2023 29/09/2023 Beijing China
8 31/10/2023 03/11/2023 Delhi India
9 28/11/2023 01/12/2023 Chisinau Moldova

Beef carcass classification

The overall objective of the BTSF Training course on Beef carcass classification is to provide the control bodies of the Member States with an opportunity to verify the compliance of the standards applied in their own countries with the standard Union Scale for the classification of beef carcasses and to calibrate them in case of over or underscoring.

As the process of carcass classification is a visual method, it is necessary to ensure that the Union Scale is applied in a consistent way in all Member States. To reach this aim, the training course will be focused on practical exercises, where participants will be called to classify some carcasses, working both in groups and individually. The exercises will be carried out at a slaughterhouse and beef processing plant.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Beef carcass classification and legal background.
  • General conditions and the application of the carcass classification
  • Minimum requirements of classification, weighing and identification of carcasses; Community scale for the classification of carcasses of bovine animals aged eight months or more.
  • On-the-spot check, inspection reports
  • The authorisation method of automated beef grading techniques
  • Practical demonstration on the classification: determination of conformation and fat cover, marking and classification of carcasses, presentation of carcasses

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • experience in the supervision of the classification and control of slaughterhouses
  • worked in functional areas of carcass classification and control of slaughterhouses
  • experience in carcass classification within a Competent Authority in areas of food/feed safety, animal health or animal welfare, in particular in areas such as control of the slaughterhouses
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 02/11/2022 04/11/2022 Tullamore Ireland
2 30/11/2022 02/12/2022 Ghent Belgium

Food of animal and non-animal origin

BTSF Workshop on Commission controls over food of animal and non-animal origin (FNAO) and related EU requirements.

The main purpose of the workshop is to familiarise experts, in the areas of food of animal and non-animal origin and related EU requirements, with the role that they will perform if invited to participate, in Directorate F controls that involve mainly audit and fact-finding missions.

The workshop comprises two sections with the first one targeting experts for food of non-animal origin/laboratory; food labelling, nutrition and health claims; e-commerce; FCM and additives. The second section will cover food of animal origin and will target experts from meat, dairy (incl. laboratory) and fishery product sectors.