Category: Food Manager Certification Training

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Valuable New Certified Food Protection Manager Cleaning Schedule Design

Valuable New Certified Food Protection Manager Cleaning Schedule Design

Certified food protection managers have a lot on their plate with the day-to-day operation of their food business, so it’s important to have systems in place to streamline their operation. Designing a facility cleaning and sanitation schedule can free up time for other managerial tasks while your staff knows how to maintain a safe environment for food production. While a plan will look different based on your operation, we can give every Minnesota certified food protection manager a head start designing a custom sanitation and cleaning schedule.

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Food Cleaning and Sanitation Schedule Template for Every Certified Food Protection Manager

A certified food protection manager who are creating a cleaning and sanitation schedule, you should break it into sections based on frequency. You should consider which cleaning tasks occur:

  • Frequently
  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Monthly

Immediate cleaning tasks include sanitizing prep surfaces after use, washing soiled utensils and changing sanitation solutions. These tasks should be easy to identify and your staff should be trained to do them habitually, but it never hurts to have a written plan identifying frequent food safety sanitation jobs.

Daily tasks can include sanitizing backsplashes in the dishwashing area, mopping floors and washing kitchen mats. You may also want to include inspecting raw food storage areas and refrigeration units for containers that need cleaning or spilled product that must to be thrown away. Daily tasks also can become routine, and a written record of these jobs makes training easier and ensure nothing becomes overlooked or neglected.

Weekly and monthly cleaning jobs are the most ignored unless there’s a written plan for these large projects. Weekly tasks may include cleaning storage racks in walk-in refrigerators, mopping infrequently used areas and washing garbage cans. Monthly sanitation projects might be a little harder to identify, and could be very specific based on the type of food business you operate, but these could include inspecting outdoor areas for pests, cleaning behind equipment and thorough hoof vent cleaning.

Are you a certified food protection manager that utilizes a cleaning and sanitation schedule?

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A New Revealing Cafeteria Food Safety Training Guide

Revealing Cafeteria Food Safety Training Guide

It’s the time of year many kids dread; back to school. While parents rejoice as their kids are finally out of the house after a long year of remote and hybrid learning, teachers, coaches and cafeteria workers are preparing to welcome our students back to something resembling normalcy. Since it may have been a while for some, it is probably a prudent time for a quick back to school review on cafeteria food safety training and common allergens.

Revealing Cafeteria Food Safety Training Guide
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Food Safety Training for Allergens in School Cafeterias

Many of our students, and even teachers, suffer from severe allergies. Some foods may even cause a life-threatening situation if accidentally ingested. The eight big allergens you need to be aware of are:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts
  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Wheat
  • Soy
  • Fish
  • Shellfish

That’s quite an extensive list, but this cafeteria food safety training guide can breakdown some easy steps you can take in order to prevent serving any students something that may endanger their health.

Peanuts can cause some of the most extreme reactions to those that are allergic, even without actually ingesting peanuts themselves. Some students can suffer reactions just by being in close proximity with another student eating peanuts. We’d strongly urge you not to serve any food items that contain peanuts. While not as severe, tree nuts can also cause health hazards to those allergic, so we’d also suggest treating tree nuts the same as you would peanuts to prevent an allergic incident.

Dairy, eggs, wheat and soy are ingredients in many different food items and products, so it’s a little more difficult to simply ban them from the cafeteria. When it comes to these ingredients, make sure that items containing these are clearly labeled. It may also be beneficial to start and email group for parents with students who are susceptible to allergens to make them aware of foods being served that may contain these ingredients. This will give them advanced notice to warn their students before they arrive at school.

Fish and shellfish are rare in school cafeterias. We’d suggest not serving shellfish and treat fish as you would dairy, eggs, soy and wheat by providing a warning.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, try to serve lunches that contain none of these eight allergens. Hunger affects those with or without allergies, so no student should skip a meal just because there’s no allergy friendly selection.

Do you have alternative lunches available for students with allergies? Does this cafeteria food safety training tip sheet help?

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Targeted Advice For Certified Food Manager Training And Testing

MN Certified food manager training and testing

With business returning to normal in the foodservice industry, we’re seeing an influx of certified food manager candidates taking the training courses for the first time. Whether you took an online food manager training course during COVID-19 and have yet to experience in-person training or are a fresh face, it’s sometimes a stress reliever to know what to expect when you attend certified food manager training and prepare for the certification exam. As a precursor to your upcoming class, we’d like to break down what you should expect from certified food manager training and testing.

MN Certified Food Manager Training And Testing by Safe Food Training
Image credit: Safe Food Training

A Certified Food Manager Training and Testing Prep Guide

Our certified food manager training sessions are not like your typical class. In fact, our goal is to make sure that you absorb the material and have a good time while doing it. We don’t expect students to just sit quietly and listen while taking frantic notes for hours on end. Our classes are meant to be engaging and enlightening. We realize there’s a lot of information to learn in one day, that’s why we promote discussion, questions and conversations with your fellow future certified food managers. Here are a few tips that can help you be ready for success when you take a certified food manager class and exam:

  • Review the pre-study material ahead of time
  • Get a good night’s sleep the night before
  • Make notes of specific questions and topics you would like more information about
  • Don’t be afraid to engage in discussions or ask for clarification

If you do these things, you should be relaxed, prepared, and set up for success when it comes time to take the exam. During the exam, don’t rush because you’ll have plenty of time. Remember, if you’ve reviewed the materials, engaged in the discussion and taken quality notes all the information you need to pass should be in your head.

Are you preparing to take the certified food manager training and testing for the first time?

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How to Serve Expectant Mothers Utilizing Food Manager Safety Standards

How to Serve Expectant Mothers Utilizing Food Manager Safety Standards

During a recent food manager safety training and certification class, we were having a discussion on cooking temperatures and time control and how you must include a menu advisory should customers wish to order undercooked proteins such as over-easy eggs or a medium-rare steak. It just so happened that we had an expectant mother attending the session, and she brought up the point that pregnant women need to follow stricter food safety standards when it comes to the foods they consume. With that in mind, it’s important to take a look at food manager safety standards in the event you have a pregnant guest who has questions concerning your menu items.

How to Serve Expectant Mothers Utilizing Food Manager Safety Standards
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Food Manager Safety and Pregnant Women

Bacteria and pathogens that may not affect the mother may have dire consequences to the young life growing inside her. This is why you must be careful when preparing food for women that may be pregnant.

All food prepared for expectant mothers must be served hot enough to have killed common pathogens. Undercooked proteins could still contain bacteria. Fish is a great source of protein for a growing baby, but can contain parasites, bacteria or viruses, so food manager safety standards recommend special caution to ensure all seafood is cooked thoroughly. Sushi, sashimi, ceviche and raw shellfish should never be served to pregnant guests.

Some foods commonly thought of as ready to eat may not be safe for pregnant mothers and their future child. Cured deli meats, lox, smoked fish and jerky may pose some sort of health risk due to not being fully heated during the curing process.

Certain dairy products also pose a threat. Food manager safety standards suggest CFPMs be aware that soft cheeses like gorgonzola, brie or feta can spread small amounts of salmonella, E.coli or campylobacter to a growing fetus. Any unpasteurized dairy products can cause harm and should never make their way to a pregnant mother’s plate.

Finally, undercooked eggs also could contain salmonella that might endanger a developing child. Besides the obvious undercooked eggs, there are quite a few common menu items that contain undercooked eggs.

  • Caesar salad dressing and other creamy dressings
  • Hollandaise sauce
  • Custards

When serving products that contain eggs, assume any items that do not reach 155-degrees during the cooking process as unsafe for expectant mothers.

Do you feel prepared to serve expectant mothers according to food manager safely standards when they choose your establishment?