European legislation on food hygiene requires and emphasize
the need for food safety trainings in all EU countries. All food
business operators are required to ensure that all their staff
engaged in food handling activities are suitably trained and/or
instructed in food hygiene, as stated in the European Regulation
(EC) No 852/2004. The necessary food safety skills may be obtained
through formally organised training courses or through internal
trainings and self-study. In Greece, the Hellenic Food Safety Authority
provides minimum acceptable context of food safety
trainings, and approves organizations that may provide training.
The context of the training follows requirements given in the EU
Regulation (EU, 2004), while details are given by ministerial order
No. 14708, which was adopted in 2007. In Portugal, the catering
companies are responsible to organize and train their own employees
and on food safety and the control is leased to private food
safety companies. Official control is performed by the Portuguese
Food Safety and Economic Authority. Employees from other food
service establishments, such as take-away places and restaurants
do not attend training courses in regular basis.