subject: A Servsafe Food Safety Certification Course Is A Good Idea [print this page] There are a lot of jobs in the service industry where employees are dealing with food. It is vitally important that such people are trained in the correct procedures for handling food. Without proper training then it is possible for someone to make an elementary mistake that could result in food poisoning. A servsafe food safety certification course is an easy way for employers to ensure that their staff are fully trained, and have the confidence to handle food products in the correct and safe manner.
Employers used to have to send their staff on courses, which meant that they would be unavailable to work for that day. Nowadays it is possible for staff to complete their training by doing an online course, which saves both time and money. This does not mean that the course is any less effective, just that it is a more efficient way of completing it. It is of course still possible to obtain this certification by attending a course if preferred.
The employee is able to study online, and is then asked to complete a questionnaire which is also online. Their results can then be assessed by the computer programme and the result calculated. The basic starter course is split into several sections, so that all aspects of food and hygiene are covered.
There is a basic food safety section and a section on the importance of personal hygiene. Later sections deal with allergens and cross contamination. Food products have to be properly stored so that no other food types can come into contact with them.
A time and temperature section covers the importance of storing the food at the correct temperature, and of cooling down food so that it can be refrigerated safely. A cleaning and sanitation section teaches the importance of these aspects of food safety. If food is not prepared in sanitary conditions then there is the chance that it could be contaminated by bacteria.
The course is easy to follow and employs real life scenarios to emphasize the importance of what is being learnt. The basic online course only takes a couple of hours to complete, and is followed by an assessment which takes about forty minutes. It is written in very easy language, and is available in both English and Spanish.
Once this course has successfully been completed, and the certificate issued, then some employees may wish to study a further course. There is one available that covers the responsible serving of alcohol, which could be very useful for those working in bars and restaurants. Employees can be thoroughly trained in food safety by completing a servsafe food safety certification course.