food safety certification MN training sessions Archives

July 18, 2017July 7, 2017

Online Food Safety Course Guide to Restaurant Grease Traps

We learn in online food safety courses that grease causes health risks by attracting pests such as rodents, cockroaches and fruit flies, and greasy areas in your restaurant breed bacteria that potentially finds its way into prepared dishes. While wiping down counters and keeping grease traps empty in deep fryers and grills goes a long way towards reducing risk, there is an often overlooked part of grease control that must be taken care of.

Proper Maintenance of Restaurant Grease Traps

Many food production facilities have a grease trap located out of sight that prevents grease from entering the waste water system. It is important to make sure that it is properly cleaned and maintained. Ignoring this safety device can cause hazards such as:

Sewage backups
Slow drainage
Pest infestations

An improperly maintained grease trap eventually prevents wastewater from entering the sewage system. This causes your drain to run slowly, and could cause contaminated water to back up into your facility. A sewage backup digs into your profit margin as a plumber must be called in, product exposed to contaminated wastewater must be disposed of and you might be forced to close your doors while the problem is resolved.

Excess grease increases the risk that insects and other unsanitary pests find their way into your facility, and if your grease trap becomes clogged, fruit flies could propagate in your drainage system before you’re even aware of a problem.

We need to note that grease that collects in these traps must be disposed of properly. Many local sources offer grease collection services. They properly recycle collected grease for you, and some companies may even pay you for the grease you collect over time depending on the amount and quality of your grease.

Grease control is only one topic covered in an online food safety course. Are there any other topic that you’d like us to expand on in the future?

June 14, 2017June 11, 2017

Food Training to Prevent Knife Injuries from Avocado Prep

It recently came to our attention that an increased number of people are injuring themselves while cutting avocados. With summer upon us, avocados are frequenting menu items such as salads, and guacamole production is in full swing at local restaurants. We feel that food training should go beyond keeping your food safe, but also keeping your staff safe as well, so this week we explore the proper way to prepare this popular ingredient.

Safe Food Training on the Way to Cut an Avocado

The way many professionals cut and prepare an avocado poses a great risk for a sliced finger or even a puncture wound to the hand. The main reason for injury is due to the fact that most people cut an avocado while cradling it in their palm. This can cause the tip of the knife to slip through the avocado skin and slice a finger or a thumb when cutting it in half.

The most serious injuries occur when removing the pit. The common method for this procedure is holding the avocado face up and slamming the blade into the pit in order to twist it out of the center. The pit cracks if it is overripe or if too much force is used and the knife can go directly through the entire avocado and create a potentially gruesome cut.

The safe food training solution takes a few seconds more per avocado, but a few seconds versus time at the emergency room can be the best decision. It is important to rest the avocado on a cutting board rather than the palm of your hand, this way a slip up with the knife results in no physical damage to yourself. With the avocado resting on the board, grip it firmly from the side and slice from the top to bottom until you have reached the pit. Remove the knife and repeat with the other side.

Now, simply twist the two halves apart and use a paring knife to cut around the pit and take it out with a spoon. Next, remove the flesh with a spoon, and slice or dice as you see fit.

At Safe Food Training, we endeavor to provide information that keeps your food and staff safe. Are there any kitchen safety issues you’d like to see us cover?

May 30, 2017May 14, 2017

The Purpose of Food Safety Certification Exams

Whether in person or online, we’ve proctored thousands of food safety certification exams and occasionally we have a student raise their hand at a key point and ask: “Will this be on the test?” That’s not a question we can answer, because honestly, the instructors don’t know what will be on the test. This gives us the opportunity to teach our students how to be the best certified food managers they can be.

Food Safety Certification Exams Preparation’s Ultimate Goal

While it’s required for food service supervisors to obtain certifications in order to do their job, our aim isn’t to hand out as many certifications as we can. Our focus will be on giving you the tools to keep your guests safe from food-borne illnesses.

When you enroll in our food safety certification classes, we recommend that you come prepared to absorb the material and be ready to engage with your instructor and classmates. We find that students who’s objective is simply to pass the test tend to overlook important information while searching for bullet points and possible answers. Coming to class relaxed and eager to learn will give you a great opportunity to gain your certificate and benefit you in the long term.

The good news is that our method of teaching you how to keep your food safe rather than coaching you how to pass the exam results in an over 90 percent first-time pass rate. If you review the pre-course material and arrive ready to learn, you should achieve successful results.

A good portion of our success rates comes from student input. After you’ve finished our course, let us know how the material not only helped you become certified, but also how our training has improved how your facility handles food safety.

February 15, 2017February 15, 2017

How to Become Food Safety Certified in MN

In a recent article, we covered what types of businesses need to be aware of food manager certification rules in Minnesota. If you have opened a new food business or read our blog and discovered that you need to have an employee certified, we’re ready to let you know how to go about the process of being compliant with state regulations.

How to Become Food Safety Certified

You first need to decide which employee to designate as your food manager. You should select your kitchen manager, head chef or floor manager. Whoever you choose, they must be a full-time employee who controls food preparation at your outlet.

You must next select which certification your manager will obtain. The state of Minnesota accepts the following courses:

ServSafe
Certified Food Safety Manager
Certified Professional Food Manager
Learn2Serve Food Protection Manager

Before signing up for any classes or certification exams, check with the owner of your business to see if they require specific training courses. Many national and regional chains restrict which certifications they like their managers to obtain.

Many of these classes and food safety certification exams can be taken online or in instructor-led sessions. While online classes offer convenience, in-person training gives students the opportunity to engage with an instructor and have questions answered right away.

Finally, apply for the correct paperwork with the health department. It is not enough to pass an online food manager certificate exam. You must apply for certification with the state. The Minnesota Department of Health provides access to these applications online.

Once you receive your certification from the proper authorities, you must post it in a visible and easily accessible location.

Whether you are a first time manager or you need to renew your food manager certification, we can help provide the proper class for any jurisdiction in Minnesota. If you have any questions about certification that we did not cover or would like to know how to become food safety certified, please visit our homepage for more information.