Finding the Food Safety Training Program that is Right for You
Back in October of 2021, I highlighted the different food safety training programs available for you to use to train employees. I thought it might be pertinent to refresh this list again during National Food Safety Education month.
One of the first questions I always get about the training requirement in the food code is, “do I have to pass a certified exam”? The answer is no, you don’t. To be more specific, knowledge and certification requirements are spelled out in the 2022 FDA Model Food Code. Section 2-102.11 mandates the knowledge requirement for the person in charge, which can be satisfied by one of three different methods: having no priority violations during the current inspection; being a certified food protection manager, having passed a test as part of an accredited program; or responding to the inspector’s questions about a variety of identified food safety topics.
… if my business were ever the source of a foodborne illness outbreak, I would certainly want to know that I had done everything in my power to protect my guests and having trained my employees who work on the front lines with the food I serve in my business would be the very least that I could do.
However, I don’t know about you, but if my business were ever the source of a foodborne illness outbreak, I would certainly want to know that I had done everything in my power to protect my guests and having trained my employees who work on the front lines with the food I serve in my business would be the very least that I could do.
Thus, below is a list of all organizations who are currently certified to offer the food safety certification exam and some basic information about the program.
Accredited Food Manager Examinations[1]
Training: online
Exam: In-person or online, remote proctoring available
Training & Exam: $78.00[2] + proctor fee (varies, usually around $50)
Training only: $65.00
Exam only: $28.00 plus proctor fee (varies, usually around $50)
If you fail the exam, you must repurchase a new exam, however the course remains free. Examinee must repurchase the exam and register for an exam session for each attempted retake.
Training: It appears this is designed for in-person training, but self-study options are allowed. There is an affiliate network that provides online training for an additional cost.
Exam: Online or in-person
Training & Exam: $70.95
Self-Study Training Materials: $23.00-$103.95
Exam only: $80.00
Of accredited programs, this was the most complicated of the websites to navigate in order to determine what you needed to purchase to obtain the certification.
If you fail the exam, you must repurchase a new exam. The training is available, but only results in a “certificate”, not certification. There does not appear to be a combined training/exam package with a reduced rate.
Training: Online
Exam: Remote proctoring, cost included with both the training and exam package and the exam only option.
Training & Exam: $78.00 + Remote Proctor Fee of $48.00
Exam only: $28.00 + Remote Proctor Fee of $48.00
Students allowed two attempts to pass the exam with no additional cost.
As I noted last time I posted this list, I am sure there are several of you out there who would like me to tell you which program is the best for you, but it all depends on how you learn, how you’d like to take the exam, and your budget. Look into each and use your best judgement. I am not endorsing any of the programs, only noting that they are approved for your use. Whichever you decide, be sure to check with your local health department to make sure they also recognize the exam before you pay for it.
Have you had good or bad experiences with either of these training and exams that you’d like to share? If so, drop me a note. I’d love to hear about your experiences and may be able to use this in a future blog. Risk Nothing.[1] Information is current as of 9/26/2023
[2] Fee is specific to the state and, in some cases, the county. It appears that most are $78.00.
In our last blog, I talked about general produce safety. Today, I want to talk about some special products—melons, tomatoes, leafy greens, and sprouts. These are all foods that have a history of bacterial contamination leading to foodborne illness. I also want to discuss salad bars because they have some special risks.
One of the best things about the middle of summer is the wonderful variety of tasty fresh produce that is available. I hope you are enjoying the fruits of the harvest because it has great flavor and provides us with a variety of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber needed to maintain good health.
Welcome back! In the last blog I gave the low down on temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods and the temperature danger zone (TDZ). The focus of this blog is all about control of time and temperatures of foods in your operations. You might say we are discussing Control Issues! Kidding aside, knowing that temperature abuse is a leading cause of foodborne illness, it only makes sense to pay attention to the time that TCS foods are in the TDZ (remember, that is between 41° F and 135° F). FoodHandler® recently updated some useful time and temperature documentation tools.
Hi Everyone – Cathy here. Having written the SafeFood Blog for Iowa State University for over ten years, I am happy to have the opportunity to work with FoodHandler in my retirement. Jeannie and I share with FoodHandler a passion for making sure food served is safe.
