Working effectively with minority ethnic food businesses

Thursday 21 May 2009

A new handbook has been launched today, to assist local food safety inspectors in their work with diverse communities. The handbook, ‘Working Effectively with Minority Ethnic Food Businesses’, has been produced as a result of a one day practical training course offered to local authorities to assist them in understanding different religious and cultural practices.

It is designed as a toolkit for environmental health and trading standing officers to help them develop better understanding, awareness and confidence when working with diverse community groups with different religious cultural and dietary practices. It requires input from the reader and contains activities and case studies as well as a section on developing good practice. It is also useful for anyone wishing to understand more about other cultures.

Minority ethnic groups account for nearly 8% of the UK population. There are estimated to be approximately 8,000 Asian restaurants in the UK, and they contribute more than £3 billion pounds to the British economy. There are also other large ethnic communities in the UK and the guide includes sections on Chinese, Jewish, Somali, Thai, Turkish and British West African cultural and religious traditions.

The handbook identifies the main religious holidays and provides practical tips for inspectors when working with particular minority ethnic groups.

For further information about courses the Food Standards Agency runs on working effectively with minority ethnic food businesses, please contact:

Bob Pilling
telephone 020 7276 8436
e-mail to robert.pilling@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk