Food safety is a serious aspect of training for many occupations in the food industry.
Those who work in a restaurant or an allied field in the food industry where they are cooking or serving food to the public will find that food safety training is a critical component of their jobs. Managers, food service workers, inspectors and even the public can benefit from courses, workshops and supplemental literature offered by their local health departments and the FDA. Each state has different requirements specifying the level of training needed for various employees. Employers who are interested in developing training programs would do well to consult the educational options provided by their local overseeing agencies.
Instructions
1. Get certified as a manager. Depending on your state and variances within each state's rules, food establishments may be required to have at least one certified food manager. For example, in Michigan, becoming certified as a food manager requires that you take an ANSI/CFP nationally accredited exam once every five years. Three different exams are administered and you may study using a course, trainer or textbooks. Contact your local health department and inquire about certification classes offered at nearby university extension programs. The test is either taken at an approved testing site or at the end of a course by an approved instructor.
2. Obtain mandatory food handler's training. In some states and municipalities, getting a license or worker card as a food handler or other worker in food service or food processing operations will necessitate taking an exam. For example, in Maricopa County in Arizona, new workers are required to get a worker card within 30 days. You can choose to take a written exam based on a provided study booklet at one of the Environmental Services Department's offices or online. Cards are good for three years and can be renewed by retesting. The fee for the test is $10 per attempt, and the fee for the card is $5.
3. Supplement your studies with optional tools like instructional videos. Find out what sorts of food industry training workshops and videos are available through your local health department. The California Department of Public Health offers videos you can order such as "Safer Processing of Fresh Cut Produce," as well as other videos on processing fruit and sprouts. They also offer a post-harvest food safety video library which you can access online.
4. Take an ORAU class if you are a food regulator. If you work for the FDA or are a state, local or tribal regulatory partner of the FDA, you may take free online training courses through their ORAU continuing education system. The Office of Regulatory Affairs' University offers online and classroom training in such topics as food and drug law, food microbiology, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and foodborne illnesses for a total of over 100 web classes. Course modules are reinforced by quizzes, and at the end of the course, you may print a Certificate of Completion.
5. Follow the handbook. When in doubt, look it up. For those who work in the retail sector of the food industry, the Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook can come in handy if you need quick guidance on issues such as employee illnesses and food handling. A variety of charts, forms and decision trees can help you and your employer navigate what to do in hypothetical and real scenarios. Other useful references include posters and storyboards that illustrate food safety practices pictorially.
Tags: food industry, food safety, local health, certified food, certified food manager