Applied Food Service Sanitation/ServSafe

Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Department of Health co-sponsor a ServSafe Food Sanitation course.  This 16 hour management course was developed by The Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.  The text, ServSafe Essentials, is part of the foundation’s food safety program.  Participants take a one-hour certification exam developed by The Educational Foundation.  The course includes instruction on:  harmful bacteria, contamination and food-borne illness, purchasing and receiving safe foods, food storage, protecting food in preparation and service, employee hygiene, principles of a HACCP system and much more.

The ServSafe® Food Safety Certification program is recognized by more jurisdictions than any other manager food safety program – the most widely accepted food safety program among local, state and federal health departments!!!

 The course is for:  managers of food service operations for hotels, restaurants, schools, clubs, institutions; food and beverage managers; catering managers; chefs and cooks; and dietary managers.

This course is recommended for people working with food.  Incidence of food borne illness is not declining.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that food borne diseases cause 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths annually.  The Commonwealth of Virginia Food Service Regulations Governing Restaurants now requires that each food service establishment have a “person in charge” at all times that knows food safety.  Passing this course is one way to demonstrate your food safety knowledge.