SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for Bexar County will offer its next food manager certification training course Oct. 29 at the AgriLife Extension office in Suite 208 of the Conroy Square complex, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive in San Antonio.
The course will be from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., with a certification exam given after the completion of the classroom instruction, said Dr. Connie Sheppard, AgriLife Extension family and consumer sciences agent, Bexar County.
“The Texas Department of State Health Services requires every food establishment to have one certified food manager on site,” Sheppard said.
Cost is $115 and includes training, the “Food Safety: It’s Our Business” course book and Certified Professional Food Manager examination. Certification is valid for five years.
The “Food Safety: It’s Our Business” program is designed to prepare food service managers to pass the certification examination and provide valuable education regarding the safe handling of food, Sheppard said. During the training, food-service managers will learn about:
– Identifying potentially hazardous foods and common errors in food handling.
– Preventing contamination and cross-contamination of food.
– Teaching and encouraging personal hygiene for employees.
– Complying with government regulations.
– Maintaining clean utensils, equipment and surroundings.
– Controlling pests.
“Other benefits of the training include increased customer satisfaction, improved relationships with health officials, and prevention of bad publicity and lawsuits due to foodborne illness,” Sheppard said.
She added that participants must bring photo identification to take the exam. A registration form can be found at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/ under the Family and Consumer Sciences tab.
Checks or money orders should be made to: Food Protection Management Training Acct.# 230202. Mail completed registration form and check or money order to: FPM, 114C Kleberg 2253 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2253.
For more information on the course, go to http://foodsafety.tamu.edu/ or contact Sheppard at 210-467-6575 or c-sheppard@tamu.edu .
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