In-house training
Designed to suit your needs
Current industry needs, along with our delegates’ feedback, are used to guide our training team as they create our in-house training offers. Please browse our practical and informative training calendar, which includes all the workshops, masterclasses and webinars our learning community enjoy.
Our in-house training can be hosted virtually or in person, and can be structured according to your availability. We set ourselves apart by including practical examples that resonate with the products and/or systems used in your facility. If required, the customised training programmes will be tailored to enable your team to workshop and refine solutions for addressing your specific challenges.
If you’re planning your development journey for 2025, please see our training calendar. Alternatively, contact us to discuss a custom training programme.
We are standing by to discuss your training questions; please contact us, or request an in-house training quote by completing our easy-to-use online form.
ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT
Please browse our collection of in-house food safety training offerings. These sessions can be designed for your organisation’s specific requirements, and can be presented virtually or on-site. If you choose a customised solution, FACTS will include practical examples directly related to the products and/or systems used by your facility, enabling your team to workshop innovative solutions to your particular challenges.
| TOPIC | TYPICAL DURATION | WHO SHOULD ATTEND | CONTENT FEATURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allergen Awareness (Food Manufacturing or Food Service) |
±2 hours | • Front-line workers, food handlers & supervisors (Food Manufacturing) • Front- and back-of-house staff (Food Service) |
• Understanding food allergies and intolerances • Eight regulated common allergens in South Africa • Importance of an allergen management plan and practical allergen controls • Practical allergen management controls in factories, kitchens, and restaurants |
| Practical Allergen Management | ±1 – 2 days or equivalent | • Food safety teams • Food safety managers • Food safety supervisors • Quality controllers • Quality assurers • Food safety system coordinators • Production managers |
• Understanding food allergies and intolerances • Allergen regulations and labelling in South Africa • Developing and implementing an allergen management plan • Best-practice allergen management controls • Validation and verification of allergen controls • Effective allergen cleaning practices • Allergen testing and sampling strategies • Conducting allergen risk assessments |
| VITAL® (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) | ±1 – 2 days or equivalent | • R&D team • Food safety team • Regulatory team |
• Introduction to VITAL® – What it is and why it is important • Key Benefits of VITAL® – Advantages for allergen risk assessment and management • Practical Use of VITAL® – Step-by-step guidance and application (See VITAL® Training) • Using the VITAL® Tool – How to apply it to determine appropriate allergen labelling outcomes |
| Allergen Management for Product Developers | 5 hours | • R&D teams • Product developers |
• Understanding food allergies and intolerances • Allergen regulations and labelling in South Africa • Allergen-free-from claims: requirements and permissibility • Collecting raw material and supplier information • Identifying hidden and unexpected allergens • Conducting supplier risk assessments • Conducting raw material risk assessment • Integrating product development into the food safety system |
| Allergen Raw Material Risk Management | 6 hours | • Raw material specialists • Food safety team • Quality Assurance • Quality Control • Product Development |
• Understanding the purpose of allergen raw material risk assessments • Identifying hidden or unexpected allergens • Recognising risks from agricultural cross-contact • Knowing what raw material and supplier information is needed • Learning how to obtain accurate information • Interpreting supplier and raw material data • Using a risk assessment tool effectively • Applying sampling and testing strategies • Approving and managing suppliers • Validating and verifying material specifications • Interpreting and communicating risk accurately |
| Agricultural Allergen Cross-Contact Risk Assessment | 5 hours | • Raw material specialists • Food safety team • Quality Assurance • Quality Control • Product Development |
• Overview of relevant guidelines and toolsUnderstanding agricultural allergen cross-contact • Knowing what raw material and supplier information is needed • Learning how to obtain accurate information • Interpreting supplier and raw material data • Using the risk assessment tool effectively • Implementing appropriate sampling and testing strategies • Approving and managing suppliers • Validating and verifying material specifications • Interpreting and communicating risk clearly |
| Wheat vs Gluten | 4 hours | • Food Safety • Quality Assurance • Quality Control • Product Development |
• Why significant cereals are a concern • Consumer groups most affected • Types of food hypersensitivities they can trigger • South African allergen labelling requirements • Raw material and supplier risk reviews for compliance • Appropriate testing approaches |
REGULATORY
Please browse our collection of in-house regulatory and nutrition training offerings. These sessions can be designed for your organisation’s specific requirements, and can be presented virtually or on-site. If you choose a customised solution, our training team can cover the regulations applicable to the specific categories of foods that you are manufacturing, including all labelling regulations under DoH, DALRRD, and DTIC.
| TOPIC | TYPICAL DURATION | WHO SHOULD ATTEND | CONTENT FEATURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA food labelling regulations | 1 day to 2 days | • Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers • Packaging Specialists & designers |
• Overview of how the regulations in South Africa integrate • Regulations relating to the labelling and advertising of foodstuffs (R. 146): in-depth training • Legal metrology: quantity indication • Overview of other regulations that affect labelling • Regulatory authorities: function and enforcement • Overview of CPA, GMO, and when food is considered medicine (CAMs) |
| Ingredient lists | 2.5 hours | • Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers |
• In-depth training on the requirements for ingredient list declarations under the regulations relating to the labelling and advertising of foodstuffs (R. 146) |
| Nutritional information |
4 hours |
• NPD team • Food Quality managers • Dietitians |
• Nutritional table format • What to test for and when • Correct sampling procedures for nutritional analysis • Understanding a Certificate of Analysis • How to identify possible testing irregularities • Calculating your amino acid quality and serving size |
| Food labelling claims |
4 hours |
• Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers • Packaging Specialists & designers • Marketing |
• Regulatory framework as it relates to claims • Product names as claims • When ingredients infer claims • What claims are permitted and prohibited • Endorsements • Potential risks related to making claims |
| Food additives |
3 hours |
• Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers |
• Which regulations relate to additive permissibility in SA • Overview of each regulation • How to navigate the Codex General Standard for Food Additives |
| DALRRD regulations (these include, but are not limited to: fruit juice, processed meat, poultry, fat spreads, dairy and imitation dairy) |
3 hours |
• Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers • Packaging Specialists & designers • Marketing |
In-depth training for a specific regulation (of your choice) relating to: • Compositional requirements • Labelling requirements • Testing requirements |
| DTIC regulations, standards and specifications |
2 hours |
• Food Scientists • Food Quality Managers • NPD • R&D Specialists/Managers • Technical Managers • Packaging Specialists & designers • Marketing |
In-depth training for a specific standard (of your choice) relating to: • Compositional requirements covered in the specific standard • Labelling requirements |
| Vegan product integrity labelling | ±4.5 hours or equivalent | • New Product Developers • R&D teams • Regulatory teams • Food safety teams & managers • Quality assurance teams • Brand Managers |
• Plant-based diets and nutrition • South African and global consumer markets • Regulatory framework and requirements • Regulatory limitations and considerations • Vegan organisations and certification • Product vulnerabilities • Vegan product testing • Food Integrity culture |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do we need a fully equipped training room?
No; FACTS can supply a data projector, screen and sound equipment, and will arrange a training room if necessary.
Do you supply training in other languages apart from English?
Yes; allergen awareness training can be facilitated in Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans.
Are the workshops SETA-accredited?
No, unfortunately not. Our training is specialised for our food industry clients, and developed according to the needs of the industry.