Training in food safety makes a difference for restaurants and other food service operations. Research in the Journal of Environmental Health showed that there are links between training, certification and food safety.

This research looked at 20 years of studies on how retail food service establishment policies and practices contribute to foodborne illness and outbreaks. One finding that stands out in my mind is that restaurants with certified food safety managers had fewer violations on their health inspections. They also had fewer norovirus outbreaks. The research showed that restaurants with managers trained in food safety used recommended cooking methods more often and had proper refrigerator temperatures. Workers in restaurants that provided food safety training washed their hands when they needed to more often.

When the Environmental Health Department inspectors go into a food service establishment, they want to know that someone has food safety knowledge. They ask questions of the Person-In-Charge (PIC) about food safety practices. They also look for a Food Safety Manager Certification of the PIC. Not being able to answer questions or not having a Food Safety Manager Certification can cost points on their inspection score.

Food safety knowledge isn’t just to have the certification on the wall. It’s to encourage the establishment to develop a good “food safety culture” by adopting procedures that minimize food safety risks, training staff on those procedures, and monitoring to ensure that these procedures are followed. These trainings help the PIC understand the “whys” of these policies.

Our NC Cooperative Extension here in Brunswick County can help with this food safety training for food service managers and supervisory staff in restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, childcare facilities, and other food-handling establishments. This is called Safe Plates for Food Safety Managers and will prepare students to take the Food Safety Manager Certification test.

The comprehensive Safe Plates for Food Safety Managers training will be held on September 14 and 21. The training will meet at the NC Cooperative Extension Training Center at the Government Center in Bolivia from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on each day. This two-day training is recommended for those who are new to food service or have not taken a certification exam before. It is recommended, but not required, that participants attend both days. The registration fee is $135 per person. This includes all instruction, materials and the exam. Participants are encouraged to bring their own snacks and beverages.

Safe Plates includes instruction on personal hygiene and employee health; purchasing and storage; eliminating cross contamination; handling allergens; pest control and facility design; cleaning and sanitizing and correct temperatures for storing, preparing and holding foods.

NC Safe Plates is a food safety certification course developed by North Carolina State University. Safe Plates for Food Managers is different than other food safety manager training, is taught through case studies, storytelling, activities and discussion. This class is interactive and encourages participants to engage with the material.

Participants successfully passing the certification test will receive a certificate to display in their operation which will verify to the local Environmental Health Department that they are in compliance with the need for food safety training. A certified person in charge (PIC) should be present at all times the establishment is in operation.

I will be teaching this class along with Avery Ashley, Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent with our NC Cooperative Extension here in Brunswick County. We are both Safe Plates Distinguished Educators in Food Safety with the NC Cooperative Extension Service. Staff members from the Brunswick County Environmental Health will also be on-hand to answer questions.

The class will be taught in English. The training book and the Food Safety Manager Certification exam is available in both English and Spanish. The exam is also available in Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Please let us know by September 1 if would like a language other than English.

Pre-registration is required and can be made on-line from the NC Cooperative Extension Service Brunswick County website. Seating is limited to the first 20 registered. For more information contact Avery Ashley arashley@ncsu.edu at Brunswick County Center of the N. C. Cooperative Extension 910-253-2610.

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at NC Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu