On 7 June 2026, a training session for small-scale milk processors entitled “Practical Implementation and Ensuring Compliance with the Approved Guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practices and Hygiene for Micro- and Small Food Business Operators” took place in Kyiv. The event brought together representatives of artisanal cheese dairies and small milk processing enterprises from various regions of Ukraine, who are keen to improve the level of compliance of their production with food safety legislation.
The training was opened by Iryna Vysotska, Deputy Local Manager, Dairy Sector Component Coordinator of the Swiss-Ukrainian QFTP Programme, who familiarised participants with the approved Guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practices and Hygiene for Micro- and Small Food Business Operators (the Guidelines). Each cheese maker received a printed copy of the Guidelines, the text of which is available via the link (in Ukrainian only).
During the theoretical part, Yuriy Ohlashennyy, QFTP’s Senior Consultant, presented practical approaches to applying the Guidelines for implementing food safety legislation and specific food quality indicators at small-scale establishments.
Tetiana Garkavenko, Senior Advisor for the Dairy Sector Component, spoke about the monitoring of microbiological criteria for raw milk and dairy products, emphasising key aspects of ensuring product quality and safety.
Following the completion of the theoretical module, the participants visited the “Syroman” small dairy processing plant, where they learnt about the practical aspects of implementing good manufacturing and hygiene practices. During the field trip, topics covered included product traceability, the organisation of documentation and records, the layout of premises and production processes, the placement and maintenance of equipment, utilities management, staff hygiene, cleaning procedures and temperature control.
Representatives from 16 small dairy processing enterprises and artisanal cheese dairies from eight regions of Ukraine took part in the training. The largest number of participants came from the Kyiv region, as well as the Rivne, Zakarpattia, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions.
Among the participants were representatives of cheese dairies that are members of the Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine, which acted as information partners for the event.
The training session provided a valuable platform for exchanging practical experience and enhancing the capacity of small food business operators to implement modern approaches to ensuring food safety, which will help to strengthen consumer confidence and further develop artisanal and small-scale dairy processing in Ukraine.
The event was organised with the support of Switzerland within the framework of the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland).
