- 2026-08-22 18:29:51 by Irenia Jastisia
SoyBeaN Indonesia Strengthens Food Safety Awareness through Personal Hygiene and Employee Health Training
SoyBeaN Indonesia strengthens food safety awareness in the soy-based food and beverage industry through a training program on personal hygiene, employee health, and fitness to work.
Jakarta, 22 August 2026 
As part of its commitment to strengthening food safety awareness across the soyfood industry, SoyBeaN Indonesia invited Dr. Hendry Noer Fadlillah, S.T.P., M.P., a lecturer of Food Technology at International University Liaison Indonesia (IULI), to serve as one of the speakers. In his session, Dr. Hendry delivered a comprehensive presentation entitled “Employee Health and Fitness to Work,” focusing on the critical role of employee health in preventing food contamination and foodborne disease outbreaks..
Healthy Employees as the First Line of Food Safety.
Dr. Hendry emphasized that food handlers can become an important pathway for the transmission of pathogens to food, particularly through direct contact. Poor employee health and inadequate hygiene practices can therefore increase the risk of food contamination and foodborne disease outbreaks..
“Food safety is not only about the ingredients, equipment, facilities, and processing procedures. It also begins with the people who handle the food,” was the key message reflected throughout his presentation..
He highlighted three important reasons why employee health deserves particular attention: food handlers can act as a transmission route for pathogens, poor employee health can contribute to the risk of foodborne disease outbreaks, and consumer confidence in food products depends fundamentally on the ability of food businesses to consistently produce safe products..
The presentation also highlighted evidence linking hygienic behavior with the presence of Escherichia coli in food. Another case discussed during the training involved 10 people who experienced food poisoning, with Staphylococcus aureus identified as originating from contamination by the hands of an employee who had a wound..
Understanding Fitness to Work
One of the central topics discussed was the concept of Fitness to Work, emphasizing that food handlers should be in an appropriate health condition before and during their work..
According to the material presented, important considerations include the employee's general health status, the absence of critical clinical symptoms, proper skin and hand conditions, laboratory considerations where indicated, and complete medical documentation. Employees should not have conditions that could result in food contamination.
Dr. Hendry also explained that food handlers should be alert to symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, jaundice, fever, sore throat accompanied by fever, abnormal discharge from the ear, red or infected eyes, and other symptoms that may indicate a potential risk to food safety..
Particular attention was given to wounds and skin conditions. Open or infected wounds on exposed areas of the body can become potential sources of contamination. When a wound occurs on the hand, it should be properly covered with a waterproof dressing and, where appropriate, protected further with a disposable glove..
Recognizing Critical Foodborne Pathogens.
The training also introduced participants to several important pathogens associated with transmission through food handlers, including Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and non-typhoidal Salmonella..
Participants were reminded that food handlers have an important responsibility to report specific symptoms immediately, particularly vomiting and diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat accompanied by fever, and infected wounds or pus-filled boils on exposed areas such as the hands and arms..
Building a Culture of Transparency.
Beyond technical requirements, Dr. Hendry emphasized the importance of creating a culture of transparency within food businesses..
Employees should report relevant symptoms, diagnoses, or exposure histories to management before starting work. At the same time, management and designated personnel should conduct appropriate health interviews and ensure that employees understand the reporting procedures. Importantly, employee health information must be handled in accordance with medical privacy requirements..
This approach positions employee health reporting not as a form of punishment, but as an essential component of preventive food safety management..
Exclusion and Restriction: Managing Sick Employees.
A significant part of the session addressed how food businesses should manage employees who become ill..
Dr. Hendry introduced two important risk-management approaches: exclusion and restriction..
Exclusion involves preventing an employee from entering food production facilities when the risk is considered high, particularly in cases involving active vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice. The exclusion may cover operational areas ranging from receiving and preparation to storage, packaging, serving, transportation, and food purchasing areas..
Meanwhile, restriction involves limiting an employee's duties so that they do not have direct contact with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linen, or unpackaged disposable items. Depending on the risk, employees may be assigned alternative tasks such as cashier duties, customer reception, or non-food cleaning and maintenance activities..
This distinction provides food businesses with a practical framework for responding to employee health conditions while maintaining appropriate food safety controls..
Regular Medical Examinations and Return-to-Work Procedures.
The presentation also highlighted the importance of periodic medical examinations. Health examinations should be conducted when employees begin working and periodically thereafter, with the material recommending at least once a year or more frequently when determined by risk, medical needs, or company policy..
The examination may include general physical assessment, screening for infectious diseases, and laboratory testing for carrier status when indicated. The presentation specifically discussed rectal swab testing as a method for detecting carriers of gastrointestinal pathogens, emphasizing that laboratory findings should be appropriately validated..
Equally important is the return-to-work process. Employees should only resume food handling based on factors such as resolution of symptoms, type of illness, contamination risk, applicable requirements, and, when necessary, medical clearance. For certain conditions, including jaundice or confirmed pathogen-related illness, written clearance from a physician or health authority may be required before exclusion status is lifted..
From Personal Responsibility to Food Safety Culture.
Closing his presentation, Dr. Hendry underlined that employee health should be viewed not merely as an administrative requirement, but as an investment in food safety..
The key to preventing contamination lies in consistent reporting, appropriate health examinations, disciplined implementation of food safety procedures, and—most importantly—a workplace culture in which employees are encouraged to be honest about their health conditions..
“Food safety culture starts with honesty about one's own health,” is the core message of the presentation's conclusion..
For Indonesia's growing soy-based food and beverage industry, the training provided an important reminder that producing safe and high-quality products requires more than good processing technology. Healthy employees, effective personal hygiene, responsible health reporting, and appropriate fitness-to-work management are integral components of a robust food safety system..
Through initiatives such as this training, SoyBeaN Indonesia continues to provide a platform for knowledge sharing and capacity building among stakeholders in the soyfood and beverage sector, supporting the industry's efforts to strengthen consumer confidence and advance food safety excellence..
Written by: Dr. Hendry Noer Fadlillah
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