With the recent outbreaks of foodborne disease and illnesses, it is even more important that individuals employed within the food and restaurant industries understand and are certified in how to safely handle foods when they are preparing it to be served to the public. When an individual has successfully completed and received Food Manager Certification by Servsafe, they are qualified in food safety practices.
The majority of Americans reported they are very concerned about food safety in a study by the Food Safety Policy Center for Michigan State University, according to United Press International. Improper food preparation, cleaning, or cooking results in many food-borne illnesses which could have been prevented if handled correctly. ServSafe, a food safety handling certification and training program helps train food service workers on how to properly handle, store, prepare, and serve food.
The American National Standards Institute recognizes ServeSafe certification programs which means these programs provides their students with the credentials to get jobs anywhere within the United States. The American National Standards Institutes is responsible for the regulatory standards for all U.S. food service and other businesses, in addition to the Conference for Food Protection which is a non-profit organization which promotes food safety practices.
Purpose
The training provided by ServSafe complies completely with the guidelines and standards for food standards enforced by the National Restaurant Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the local state health departments. More than three million food service employees have been granted ServeSafe certifications.
ServSafe programs education food service workers on the prevention, effects, and causes of food contamination, and food-borne illnesses. Business also like the programs because they teach the employees good business practices. The certificates can be openly displayed in groceries, restaurants, and bakeries reassuring health inspectors and customers that employees know about good food safety practices.
Programs
The programs offered by ServSafe include both food safety and alcohol safety. The food safety course is focused on teaching restaurant owners, chefs, managers, servers, grocery store workers, bakers, and other employees in food related businesses good food safety practices. The ServSafe alcohol safety course teaches individuals working in the restaurant and bar business more about risk management. This course is designed for servers, bartenders, and security personnel.
Course Features
Each course is a full day, requiring attendees to attend the entire day. The course is taught by an instructor trained in the subject matter. There is an examination at the end of the day which each attendee must pass before receiving their ServeSafe certification.
The food safety course covers a wide range of topics in detail, including bacteria, food-borne illnesses, microorganisms, food storage, food allergies, food preparation, sanitation, food service, government guidelines and regulations, and pest management.
The alcohol safety course covers similar topics,
including risk assessment, serving guidelines, and managing difficult behavior situations. The final test for both courses is an eighty-question test, with multiple choice questions covering the most important subjects. Attendees must score at least 75% to receive certification.
Taking ServSafe training and certification is important, especially in the food service business. Everything can be done online so it is easy and very accessible. Having a ServSafe certification can really help when trying to get a job in the hospitality industry.
