HACCP in Practice

On June 23, 2026, the informational session “HACCP in Practice” took place. Starting with specific questions from one of our members, we used this session to examine food safety and how to comply with regulations regarding the preparation, processing, and delivery of your wild food harvest.

From the perspective of a chef, a food processor, and a consulting firm that deals with these issues on a daily basis, the basics are explained, practical tips are provided, and questions are answered.

HACCP in Practice: Safely Processing Food Foraged from the Forest

You can watch the recording here.

The program

12:00 a.m. – Welcome by Food from the Forest Marieke Karssen
12:05 a.m. – Presentation by Dennis Timmer: “How Can I Ensure Consumers Don’t Get Sick from My (Food Forest) Products?”
12:21 a.m. – Questions from members about Dennis's presentation
12:34 a.m. – Presentation by Marieke van Thoor: “Basic Requirements for Supplying Food Forest Products to Processors”
May 1 – Questions from members about Marieke's presentation
01.14 – Presentation by Stijn Luppes & Rian Bast: “Food Safety Explained.”
1:45 a.m. – Questions about Stijn and Rian's presentation
February 2 – Closing Plenary Session

Dennis Timmer

Dennis began his career as a chef and worked in various professional kitchens for many years.
He has transitioned into education and is a nutrition teacher at Zone.college in Almelo; he is the driving force behind the Healthy School Cafeteria and is currently working with students to develop a food forest.

In his presentation, “How Can I Ensure My Products Don’t Make Consumers Sick?,” he explains the basics of food safety and HACCP and discusses how, as a chef, he prefers to have ingredients delivered.

Marieke Vanthoor

In 2022, she discovered the power of food forests, and drawing on her background in food technology, she launched Boslekker. The goal is to make products from food forests accessible to everyone.

Food forest and agroforestry farmers can deliver their harvests to Boslekker, which processes them into market-ready products known as the Boslekkernijen.

She is therefore involved on a daily basis with the delivery, processing, preparation, and sale of food forest products, and she delivers her presentation from this perspective: What are the basic requirements for delivery?

Stijn Luppes & Rian Bast

Rian is the founder and director of Bast Quality Management, and Stijn works there as a quality and food safety consultant, bringing a background in the hospitality industry and a vision that aligns with the food forest movement.

They advise and support both large and small companies in the food industry on a daily basis in the areas of quality, food safety, and sustainability, and are skilled at translating complex regulations and systems into practical,
workable solutions.

Their presentation, “Food Safety Explained,” focuses on food forests that want to start processing their own produce and provides an overview of the new landscape you’ll be entering. Topics such as legislation, packaging materials, food safety, how to deal with
pests, rules regarding fermentation, and many other subjects will be covered.