Food Certification MN Training Archives

November 19, 2018November 12, 2018

Online Food Training for Special Food Preparation Processes

Sometimes there are food preparation processes that are not covered by online food training or specifically detailed under Minnesota food code regulations. So what should a food safety manager do if they cannot find a specific guideline for their unique food preparation technique?

Unique Food Preparation Processes

If you have a food preparation process that you’re unsure about or cannot find any rule that addresses your situation, you may be required to obtain a variance from your local health inspector. There are too many cooking and storing processes to name in one article, but some situations that may require a variance include:

Smoking or Curing
Sprouting Seeds or Beans
Preserving
Custom Animal Processing
Reduced Oxygen Packaging

These five items are just examples of food preparation techniques that may require a variance from the health department. If your methods are not covered under the health code, or if you’re unsure, we advise you to contact your local health department.

Using the health department as a resource in situations of uncertainty helps keep the food you serve safe. Online food training and thumbing through the food code is a great start, but it’s best not to proceed until you ensure that your process produces safe to eat foods.

Obtaining a variance from the department of health is not as complicated as you may think. A local health inspector will need to come to your facility and observe your food preparation method. This is a great opportunity to discuss your cooking methods and potentially learn safer ways to prepare your food under these special circumstances. During the health inspector’s observation, they will let you know whether or not they approve of your methods. If they decide not to grant your procedure a variance, ask questions and seek advice from these professionals on how to prepare these items safely.

Do you have a cooking procedure/food preparation processes that does not seem to fall under standard health code rules?

October 29, 2018October 5, 2018

New Certified Food Protection Manager Vomit Cleanup Regulations

Vomit and feces cleanup may not be a subject that most people want to talk about, but it’s an important topic for food safety managers to understand. The Minnesota Food Code will soon be changing, and among those changes are new procedures for cleaning up vomit and feces after an incident. We’ll explore Certified Food Protection Manager Vomit Cleanup Guidelines.

Certified Food Protection Manager Vomit Cleanup Guidelines

Hopefully it’s not a common occurrence, but there may be an incident that requires a food safety manager to monitor or perform the cleanup of vomit or diarrhea in their facility. The new language in the food code states that food safety managers must establish procedures for employees to follow in the event of a vomit or diarrhea incident. These procedures should be well defined and understood by all members of your staff. Your established procedures should look something like this:

Act fast
Wear gloves
Contain the contamination
Properly clean and sanitize the affected area
Thoroughly wash contaminated plateware and utensils
Properly wash your hands after cleaning up

Containing the incident right way stops the spread of particles that could end up in a guest’s food. Allowing vomit or feces to remain where it is for any length of time gives bacteria ample opportunity to multiply and spread to other sections of your facility.

Wearing rubber gloves, preferable elbow length gloves, will prevent any fecal matter or vomit from touching an employee’s skin. Wearing protective gloves, make sure every surface has been cleaned from visible matter, and then sanitize. Just because there are no visible signs of bacteria, it doesn’t mean that all traces have been removed. Liberally sanitize the areas where the incident occurred, and make sure to extend your sanitation range well beyond the location where visible contaminates are located. Invisible bacteria can be ejected quite a distance from the affected area.

Finally, dispose of any soiled items that are not salvageable and wash all linens, plates, cups and any other utensils in the affected area. Be safe and wash everything within a decent radius of the incident. The possibility remains that unseen bacteria has contaminated nearby utensils.

Do you already have a Certified Food Protection Manager Vomit Cleanup procedure posted for employees?

April 9, 2018April 11, 2018

Retaking the Food Safety Certification Exam

At Safe Food Training, we pride ourselves on the high success rate our students have when taking their food safety certification exam, but there are times when we have a student who must take a second test in order to gain their food manager certification. This week, we’d like to offer tips and suggestions on what to do if you do not pass the test the first time.

Food Safety Certification Exam Retake Tips

If you end up in a situation where you must retake your food safety certification exam, we recommend you prepare by following these steps:

Review the material as soon as possible
Plan on retaking the class before the exam
Schedule a retake as soon as you are able

Reviewing the material and retaking the exam shortly after the first test helps keep the information fresh in your mind. It will also reinforce the material that you may not have understood completely by allowing you to remember which sections of the exam that were a struggle.

When the day for your retake session arrives, come prepared. Be ready to take notes, engage with the instructor and ask questions when you are unsure about the discussion. We’ve found that students who ask questions and are active participants achieve better results on the test.

Finally, don’t dwell on your past results when the time comes to retake the exam. Remain calm and confident. If you’ve prepared properly, the second time should result in a much better outcome.

If you’ve recently taken the food safety certification exam, but the results did not go as planned, contact us for information about scheduling a retake.

March 26, 2018March 10, 2018

The Benefit of Taking MN Food Manager Recertification Class

When the time comes for food service supervisors to renew their certifications, many opt simply to study and take the online course without enrolling in a full MN food manager recertification class. We think only positive things come out of taking the full course rather than skipping it during certification renewal.

The-Benefit-of-Taking-MN-Food-Manager-Recertification-Class — Image Credit: mayushka

Nothing beats interacting and engaging with an experienced food safety instructor and getting together with fellow food service professionals during training. MN food manager recertification classes sometimes bring up food safety issues you may have forgotten or may not be aware of. Interacting with fellow professionals and a trained teacher help brings solutions and answers questions about unclear topics.

There is a common misconception that a MN food manager recertification class will cost just as much as the initial food safety certification class and taking the course online can save money. Actually, the fees for instructor-led classes are the same as online recertification. With costs being similar, it makes sense to take advantage of an environment where you have the opportunity to ask questions and receive insights from a food safety expert.

Finally, taking the courses at home runs the risk of distraction. Taking the class in person keeps students focused and engaged in the material. Many students struggle to focus when given the opportunity to pause the training and become sidetracked by other tasks. Completing your recertification in one sitting during a scheduled class and testing session will reduce the chances you’ll lose focus while at home.

How do you prefer to handle recertification when you must renew? We offer both classroom and online instruction to meet all of our clients needs. We hope to see you when the time comes to renew your certification.