The human body is a very complex system, and a foreign pathogen can wreak havoc in it. The most common way for the pathogens to enter is through contaminated food. Even though they are present everywhere, when the food is handled correctly, the pathogens have no way to enter (or survive) in the food and remain fit for consumption.
Hence, in the restaurant and hospitality industry, your business’s success depends heavily on the food handlers you have in your team. Clients trust their food with the food handlers and assume that they are being prepared and handled with care. To maintain the level of trust, it is essential to hire people with appropriate knowledge and credentials. this is why it is mandatory to have a ‘Food Handlers Permit’ before working in a restaurant or offering professional food handling services. Establishments have been fined or even closed under the pretext of improper food handling practices and lack of the correct documentation.
What is a Food Handlers Permit?
Different states and municipalities call it by different names. Still, if a restaurant asks for any of the following documents, they are looking for a document that confirms that they are skilled and knowledgeable in food handling.:
- Food Handlers Card
- Food Handlers Certificate
- Food Handlers Permit
In a nutshell, a Food Handlers Permit denotes that the holder has undertaken training in food handling and it is aware of the different precautions to take while working with food. To get your food handlers to permit, you need to take a course and pass an exam based on it. The certification can be availed from private training academies or public bodies.
Recommended: The Danger Zone: This Is What Happens When Food Is Kept At The Wrong Temperatures
Who should get a Food Handler Permit?
Ideally, every staff, working in a restaurant needs to get their food handler permits. Food regulation laws in most U.S. states require at least one certified staff member present on-site at all times, whereas, in Utah, it is important for all the staff to need to have a permit. People coming in direct or indirect contact with the food at any stage of its preparation cycle should have a food handlers permit.
How would attending a Food Handler Course help me take the test?
From the production stage, i.e., procurement of raw ingredients to processing, packaging, transportation, cooking, and serving it on the customer’s table, food can undergo chemical changes that allow pathogens to enter the food and multiply rapidly. A Food handler course offers online training, additional resources that explains in detail about:
- An overview of food safety
- Various hygiene-related practices
- Brief about the ‘Danger Zone’ & the Importance of food temperature
- A breakdown of different illnesses and the pathogens causing them
- A list of different allergens triggered by certain ingredients
Most food handler courses are 90-120 mins long, and the exam is about 45 questions long. You need to score at least 75% to be certified. Different states have different criteria related to the time period after employment to become certified. Check with your local authorities to understand the time period in your state.
Once you have been certified, Congratulations! You are a professional who has acquired enough knowledge about contact with food and food handling in general. Another point to remember when it comes to getting your food handler permit is that the certification has a time validity of 3-5 years, after which you need to renew by giving the exam again.
Why choose Easy Food Handlers for Getting your Food Handler Permit?
Easy Food Handlers, LLC is a Utah-based company with innumerous years of experience in the field of food safety and food handling. Our food handling course is a 75-minute long video divided into four sections with a quiz after each section. We included examples from real-life incidents in a restaurant. Get 75% or above in our 40 questions quiz at the end of the video viewing to become a certified Food handler. You get two tries to pass the exam within a week of taking the test if you fail in your first attempt.
Your temporary permit is ready to download while we submit your information to the local health department. Within 30 days of your test, you shall receive your Food Handler Permit via US Mail that is valid for three years.
In a nutshell,
- 75-minute video divided into 4 section
- A quiz after each section
- 40 question quiz at the end of the session
- Total three tries for passing the exam
Wrapping Up
As you may have learned by now, the food handler permit you receive is recognized by the state authorities to indicate that you have received training and are now capable enough to handle food professionally. As long as you periodically renew your certification, you can lay assured that you will not worry about serving contaminated food to your customers.
