The food industry has a great demand for workers. In the United States, there are tens of thousands of job openings. The demand far exceeds applications and retail food operators are adjusting their hours of operations due to the lack of workers.
One solution is to hire well-trained people that are taught proven food safety practices that can jump in and be productive quickly. Being a food handler is a way to get started in the food industry and work your way up. But, there are things you need to consider first before becoming one.
It's best to know some things to ensure your product’s quality and safety. Do you want to know what it takes to become a food handler? Read this article and learn more about safe food handling.
What Is a Food Handler?
A food handler or food worker is any person that works in the food industry. As a food worker, your job ranges from preparing, cooking, serving, or transporting food.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food preparation and serving occupations will grow by 20 percent or 2.3 million jobs over the next several years and that does not include all of the current job openings.
Requirements to Be a Food Handler
To become a worker in the food industry, you need to make sure that you follow state requirements. You need to have a proper food handler certificate and even better you could obtain a manager certification.
Training
Proper food safety training is necessary to protect public health. If you fail to do this, you may expose people to risks like:
- Foodborne illness
- Food Allergies
- Toxins
- Parasites
- Viruses
Food safety training can help you avoid acquiring diseases. It can prevent cross-contamination, and cross-contact, and inform you about developing standard operating procedures to protect those whom you serve.
A food handling course is available both live and online. In general, training programs teach:
- Personal hygiene
- Prevent food-borne diseases
- Food Allergens
- Proper food storage
- Proper cleaning and sanitizing
- Cooking temperatures
- The flow of food steps
If there is a violation of food safety regulations, it endangers the people you serve and the business. According to WHO, food safety is a global burden. It results in large financial losses and worse, millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths each year.
Certificates
A food handler certificate proves that you have undergone training and understand food safety principles. It also demonstrates that you passed a food handler test and are ready for work.
Some state or county regulations require food handlers to have a certificate or a license to work. During health inspections, food safety officers may ask you to present it. If you fail to show a certificate, the owner will get a violation on their inspection and could incur penalties and fines.
Each state has different rules for getting a safe food handling certificate. Some states may order all staff to have a certificate.
Other states may only ask for certification for food managers. It's best if you check your state requirements first regarding their requirements.
Importance of Food Handler Training
Failing to have proper food handler training certificates or manager certifications can harm the business's reputation. It can damage the product’s brand and even cause you to be jobless.
In extreme cases, there could be a lawsuit for getting someone ill. A food handler that is knowledgeable and well-equipped to handle food safely assures the business’s success.
If you are looking for training programs and food safety courses, Paster Training is the one for you. Contact us now! We offer excellent training to all food industry members.