Loss Control Corner - ServSafe Training

ServSafe Training – What is it all about?

Grey Cobb

Nationwide Insurance Senior Loss Control Representative - Mississippi

ServSafe training is a nationally accepted program sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. The training introduces food preparation employees to the basic information they will need to know to serve food safely. The ServSafe program will introduce you to those health related risks and help to reduce general liability claims from occurring with your food service accounts.

The ServSafe training and certification program provides food handling employees with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do their job safely. The program was created by the foodservice industry and helps to set the standard for providing the needed training for food handling employees.

ServSafe training is offered by most Community colleges. The training involves a 14 chapter study manual that you are advised to spend a minimum of two weeks studying. You are required to attend a one day class in which the manual is reviewed and training tapes are shown and topics are discussed. The test is given at the end of the class and you must achieve a grade of 75% or better to pass. The cost for the program is around $125.00. The certification is good for four years.

Below are just a few interesting food preparation standards covered in the ServSafe training program:

 

1. Food borne illnesses involve pathogens such as viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria and present the greatest threat to food safety.

 

 

2. Cross contamination of foods can occur when a preparer touches one food with his bare hands and then touches another food without washing his hands or uses the same utensil to prepare each food without proper washing.

 

 

3. There is a set order in which foods should be stored on shelving within coolers.

 

 

4. A food borne illness is considered an "outbreak" when a minimum of two people experience an illness after eating the same food.

 

 

5. The Temperature Danger Zone is the temperature range at which pathogens grow best on foods. This range is between 41 degrees and 135 degrees.

 

 

6. Personal hygiene is an important concern for employees. Proper hand washing involves washing the hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds under 100 degree running water. Employees that are sick should not be allowed to handle or prepare foods and should be advised to stay home. Employees should not sneeze or cough on foods, or touch or scratch wounds and then touch foods.
is an important concern for employees. Proper hand washing involves washing the hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds under 100 degree running water. Employees that are sick should not be allowed to handle or prepare foods and should be advised to stay home. Employees should not sneeze or cough on foods, or touch or scratch wounds and then touch foods.

 

 

7. Three keys to practicing good food safety are practicing good personal hygiene, preventing cross-contamination, and time temperature control.

    

 

8. Dry storage rooms should be kept at 50 degrees.

 

 

9. Cooked foods must be cooled down from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within less than 6 hours to prevent contamination.

 

 

10. When reheating cooked foods, you must heat the food to a temperature of 165 degrees within 2 hours to prevent contamination.