Those who work in the food industry must have basic knowledge of food hygiene in order to ensure food safety. The Finnish Hygiene Passport for the food industry was developed to promote food safety.
A person has to have a Hygiene Passport if
- they work on food premises and
- handle unpackaged easily perishable foodstuffs.
Food premises are for example cafés, restaurants, fast food restaurants, institutional kitchens, food shops, bakeries and factories producing foodstuffs. Examples of easily perishable foodstuffs are milk, meat and fish. Finnish Food Authority has compiled a table on what is considered to be handling of unpackaged, easily perishable foodstuffs and what is not. The table is available on Finnish Food Authority's internet page under Handling of unpackaged easily perishable foodstuffs.
Information on the Hygiene Passport, hygiene proficiency, the Hygiene Passport test, Hygiene Passport Examiners and food hygiene is available on Finnish Food Authority’s pages on Hygiene Passports. The following are the most frequently asked questions and information about hygiene passport:
- Who is required to have a hygiene passport?
- What is the hygiene passport like?
- How do I get a hygiene passport?
- Proof of identity for a proficiency test
- Validity of the hygiene passport
- Foreign hygiene passports and qualifications
- Cost of the hygiene passport
- Studies/training before the proficiency test
Re-ordering of a Hygiene Passport
For more information contact the Finnish Food Authority’s customer service on Hygiene Passports:
- hygieniapassi@ruokavirasto.fi
- Customer Service number 029 5300 402 on Tuesdays 9-12 am