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When people say "ServSafe" they are commonly referring to a certification in food safety earned by passing the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Exam. This certification is considered a 'Food Manager' certification and is required by many states and counties.
ServSafe is like Kleenex
ServSafe itself is not a standard, nor is ServSafe an accreditation body. ServSafe is simply a company that has been approved to provide the Food Manager exam by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). There are two other companies - Prometric and the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) - that have also been granted approval by ANSI to provide equivalent Food Manager exams. Because ServSafe has a heavy lobbying and marketing arm, people often believe that they are required to have a 'ServSafe Certificate' when in fact what they mean is that they need a 'Food Manager's Certificate'. In effect, ServSafe is like Kleenex®. There are many other forms of tissue that you can use to blow your nose, however the Kimberly-Clark corporation, which owns Kleenex®, has done a remarkable job marketing their product to be ubiquitous with the product name.
Food Manager's Certificate Not For Manager's Only
In most states, any establishment serving food - which ranges from hotdog vendors, to airplanes, to concession stands to restaurants - is required to have at least one person on staff who has received their certificate. Despite the name of the certificate, this person does not have to be a manager. Many operators prefer that multiple people on staff have this certificate as the training prepares their staff to protect the operation from the spread of food borne illness and outbreaks.
Do I Need A Food Manager's Certificate?
The short answer is yes.
There are two formats for earning your certificate. You can call your local health department and ask them for a schedule of local, in-person classes in your area, or you can learn through an online study program. Most people opt for online study as taking an in-person class requires a full day commitment and is typically double the price of an online program. www.foodsafetyadmin.com is one of the leading providers for the training required to earn the ServSafe / Food Manager's certificate. There are other companies offering online training, however foodsafetyadmin.com is one of the few that are actually approved in all 50 states.
ServSafe is like Kleenex
ServSafe itself is not a standard, nor is ServSafe an accreditation body. ServSafe is simply a company that has been approved to provide the Food Manager exam by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). There are two other companies - Prometric and the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) - that have also been granted approval by ANSI to provide equivalent Food Manager exams. Because ServSafe has a heavy lobbying and marketing arm, people often believe that they are required to have a 'ServSafe Certificate' when in fact what they mean is that they need a 'Food Manager's Certificate'. In effect, ServSafe is like Kleenex®. There are many other forms of tissue that you can use to blow your nose, however the Kimberly-Clark corporation, which owns Kleenex®, has done a remarkable job marketing their product to be ubiquitous with the product name.
Food Manager's Certificate Not For Manager's Only
In most states, any establishment serving food - which ranges from hotdog vendors, to airplanes, to concession stands to restaurants - is required to have at least one person on staff who has received their certificate. Despite the name of the certificate, this person does not have to be a manager. Many operators prefer that multiple people on staff have this certificate as the training prepares their staff to protect the operation from the spread of food borne illness and outbreaks.
Do I Need A Food Manager's Certificate?
The short answer is yes.
- If you are looking for a job in the food service industry, having this certification is a leg-up over competing applicants
- If you are an operator, ensuring your staff has had the proper training to reduce the risk of food borne disease can save your business
- If you are a baby sitter or parent watching after young children, you would do well to learn about the prevention methods that could save a life
- Every year more than 5,000 people in the U.S. die of a food related outbreak. Every one of those deaths is preventable, and developing better knowledge in this field is the best way to bolster that prevention.
There are two formats for earning your certificate. You can call your local health department and ask them for a schedule of local, in-person classes in your area, or you can learn through an online study program. Most people opt for online study as taking an in-person class requires a full day commitment and is typically double the price of an online program. www.foodsafetyadmin.com is one of the leading providers for the training required to earn the ServSafe / Food Manager's certificate. There are other companies offering online training, however foodsafetyadmin.com is one of the few that are actually approved in all 50 states.
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