On World Food Safety Day, a food marketing and distribution company, Via Rovigo, based in the city of Sertãozinho, São Paulo in Brazil, devised a range of activities and actions to improve food safety awareness within the company’s facilities.

The day was widely promoted throughout the facility and informational posters and a “food safety tips board” were also displayed. Following a World Food Safety Day toast to start the celebration, employees were introduced to some fun activities involving gouache paint and glitter paint that helped visualize the need for thorough hand washing when handling food.

Employees were also made more aware of the reasons for strict dress codes in food handling facilities, and the danger of wearing jewelry and nail varnish and of chewing gum. Good practices were reiterated, such as ensuring correct storage of equipment. There was also an explanation of the dangers of cross contamination of known allergens within the food processing plant, with a particular emphasis on peanuts, fish, crustaceans, soy, milk and wheat.

The Day concluded with an acknowledgement that “Only when we work together, we can reach safer food for better health.”