Food Smart Program

The Food Smart Program was designed to overcome language and cultural barriers to provide effective safety training and education to Chinese food workers in Stratford. Historically, information about safe food-handling practices was provided primarily in English, but many food workers are not proficient in English. As a result, Asian food establishments have had a fairly problematic inspection history. The Food Smart Program contracted with a Chinese-speaking food safety trainer to conduct on-site training with each Asian food establishments in town and to train the inspection staff in Chinese words and phrases that will improve their ability to communicate with food service employees during inspections.

The program goals are to improve food-handling practices and improve communication between food service employees and inspection staff by providing language and culturally appropriate food safety training.

One hundred percent of the specific target population was reached by this intervention. The outcomes of this practice were: 1) improved average inspection scores, which were used as an indicator for improved food-handling practices and 2) an observed improvement in the inspection process. The program provided substantial help to the food establishments and enrichment for the inspection staff. The Asian food service establishments have already made a commitment to continue this training annually.