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What Does 2021 Hold For Certified Food Protection Managers

What Does 2021 Hold For Certified Food Protection Managers

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2020 is over, and we see hope on the horizon. The food industry will survive, rebound and thrive once again. Here’s some great news we see in 2021 for certified food protection managers and the food business community:

There’s no way of sugar-coating it. 2020 was a complete disaster. Analogies of dumpster fires, train wrecks, the Titanic and dumpster fires on train wrecks on the Titanic just don’t seem to cut it.

What Does 2021 Hold For Certified Food Protection Managers
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While many industries took a severe hit, the food industry may have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions put in place in order to try to stem the tide of the virus. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t know certified food protection managers who had been laid off, restaurants that have shuttered their doors temporarily or food sector businesses that have been forced to close for good. Many have persevered through government PPP loans, while some have just given up on the process.

4 Indicators Of Better Times for Certified Food Protection Managers in 2021

  • Vaccines should improve herd immunity
  • Dining rooms will reopen
  • In-person food safety training will return
  • Diners are anxious to return to their favorite local restaurants

With the gradual roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, we should see the eventual development of herd immunity. Once this state is reached, cases should begin to plummet.

The general public is anxious to return to normal, and there’s a huge urge for diners to go sit in the dining rooms of their favorite restaurants. Takeout is great, but nothing beats the experience of sitting down and enjoying local cuisine with friends and family. We predict restaurants will eventually open at full capacity and demand will be great. Dining rooms will fill up, shuttered restaurants will reopen and chefs will open exciting new eateries.

Low cases will also lead to the loosening of restrictions that have prevented CFPMs from completing their food safety management training. Classrooms will open for in-person sessions allowing students to interact with food safety trainers rather than rely on web-based classes. Testing sessions can hold more students allowing managers who have been waiting months for certification and recertification to take the exams in a timely manner.

While there is hope, the rollout of the vaccine and the defeat of coronavirus won’t happen overnight. Remain vigilant. Wear masks, follow social distancing guidelines and hang in there. Hope is around the corner for certified food protection managers in 2021!

Food Safety Certification Exam

Food Safety Certification Exams For Non-English Speakers

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Minnesota has a rather diverse food community, and many food service workers and certified food protection managers have learned English as their second language. If you’ve had the experience of taking a test or reviewing course materials in a language you’re not fluent in, you’ll know how frustrating it can be to fear misunderstanding test questions. The good news is, that at Safe Food Training, we can help you with food safety certification exams in a few different languages.

Food Safety Certification Exam
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Food Safety Certification Exam Language Options Beyond English

If English isn’t your first language, you might benefit from an online food safety course. The online course can be taken at a slower pace and give you a little more time to understand the material. We currently have online food safety courses available in English and Spanish. For the many fluent Spanish speakers in the Minnesota food community, this offers a the advantage of taking the course in their native language rather than one they may not be 100-percent fluent in.

What about other languages? While courses are currently limited to English and Spanish, we do have food safety certification exams available for those whose native tongue is something other than English or Spanish. We offer food safety certification testing in:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Chinese
  • Korean

While the courses themselves may not be available in Chinese and Korean, you have the option to take the food safety certification tests in your native tongue should you speak one of these languages more fluently than English.

Could you or your staff benefit from testing or training in languages other than English? Let us know how we can help.

Minnesota Food Managers Guide to Labeling Retail Products

Minnesota Food Manager’s Guide to Labeling Retail Products

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If you’re a Minnesota food manager who works at a facility that prepares ready-to-eat foods for retail sale or creates food items consumers will purchase and cook at home, you should be aware of the proper procedures for labeling your packaged products. The Minnesota food code has a few labeling requirements for prepackaged foods that must be adhered to.

Minnesota Food Managers Guide to Labeling Retail Products
Image credit: Flickr – Michael Steeber

Packaged Product Labeling for Minnesota Food Managers

Prepared foods packaged for retail sale require labels that alert purchasers of the contents inside the package. These labels are required to protect consumers and help them make nutrition judgments about the foods they consider purchasing. Some key elements you must print on your label include:

  • Identity or name of product
  • Net quantity of contents
  • Ingredient list
  • List of major food allergens
  • Name and address of producer
  • Nutritional information

All of these items must be clearly labeled. Your potential customers should understand exactly what it is they are buying, how much is included in the package and what ingredients are included in the food product. Not only are these details informative to the consumer, they’ll actually help you sell and market your product. If you can’t adequately identify the contents of your product, how’s the general public going to identify what they’re purchasing? Misleading or confusing labels may cause potential customers to choose a different product.

Beyond ingredients, you must clearly identify major allergens. This is a must. Not only must you list allergens in your product, you should do so in a clear manner where those afflicted with allergies will clearly see if there are any ingredients they cannot consume. We suggest listing allergens in your ingredient list as well as including a clearly visible second list of allergens and potential allergens your product may have come in contact with. The allergens that must be listed are:

  • Milk and dairy
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Shellfish
  • Tree nuts
  • Peanuts
  • Soy
  • Wheat and flour

Depending on the size of your business, you may also be required to post nutritional information on your label. Some products packaged by small businesses may be exempt. For more information on exemptions, check out the FDA guidelines for nutritional fact labeling exemptions.

Finally, food managers must include the name and address of your business on the labeling of packaged products. This not only helps customers recognize your brand name so they can purchase your product again, but it’s also required to identify the source of contamination in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak.

Are you a Minnesota food manager that specializes in retail sales? If so, what food safety topic would you like to see us pay closer attention to?

Certified Food Protection Manager Fire Procedures

Certified Food Protection Manager Procedures for Fires

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Fires are something we never like to think about, but something we should prepare for. The kitchen is a hot place, there’s plenty of open flame, electrical systems running at full capacity and other risks that may result in a fire that causes damage to your kitchen or other parts of your restaurant. So what procedures should a certified food protection manager put in place to address a fire in the kitchen?

Certified Food Protection Manager Fire Procedures
Image credit: cc-by-sa/2.0 – © M J Richardson – geograph.org.uk/p/6181023

Fire Procedures for Certified Food Protection Managers

Certified food protection managers should have a protocol for dealing with fires. If you don’t already have clear procedures for what to do in the event of a fire, sit down with your staff and develop a plan. Your plan should answer the following questions:

  • Is the fire containable?
  • Should I extinguish or evacuate?
  • When is it safe to reopen?
  • What product is salvageable?

If you do have a fire, chances are it won’t be as devastating as the worst-case scenario, but you should still remain calm and take action. If your fire is easily extinguishable, make sure you use a non-water based extinguisher. Oil and grease are common factors in kitchen fires, and water will cause the fire to spread. If you need help developing a plan for what to do in the event of a fire, contact your insurance agent or local fire department. In many cases, a representative from one of these agencies will gladly provide an on-site inspection and offer advice.

After your fire is out, determine whether it is prudent to continue operations. If you’ve had a fire which requires the use of your fire-suppression system or assistance from the fire department, you may need clearance from the local fire marshal and health department to resume operations.

Before you begin operations once again, food safety must be at the forefront of your decision. Take the following steps before returning to normal operating procedures:

  • Inspect containers for fire damage
  • Dispose of food in storage and refrigeration close to active fires
  • Dispose of product left in the danger zone
  • Clean and sanitize all utensils and surfaces affected by smoke

Cans heated by fire should be thrown away. Food inside cans may begin to cook at low temperatures causing bacteria to grow. Open produce and other product in storage areas that have seen smoke should also be disposed of, including the insides of refrigerators. Many industrial refrigeration units are not air tight, so product inside can become contaminated by smoke. If you lose electricity or food becomes warmed by the fire, it must be disposed of. If any product spends excessive time between 41 and 135 degrees, it must be disposed of. The old adage should apply here: When in doubt, throw it out.

Do you have a plan in the event of a fire?