Taking a food safety course is a good idea for anyone working in the restaurant industry. This includes servers, cooks, kitchen staff, managers, and owners. Learning the techniques to handle food properly reduces the chance of foods becoming contaminated, which can lead to illness.
The course should include instruction about safety procedures to follow when preparing different kinds of foods. Students learn about the proper refrigeration of foods and cooking items that are frozen. When cooking meat products, care must be taken to ensure that the food is cooked thoroughly. Meat thermometers may be used to ensure that the food is fully cooked before serving.
Another component that a food safety course should cover is proper storage of food items. Meats, dairy products, and vegetables should be stored in this manner. The items delivered first should be used first to reduce the risk of spoilage. This strategy also saves money for the restaurant owner, since there is less inventory being disposed of for being on the premises after its "Best Before" date.
Dry goods should be labeled and stored appropriately as well. These products should be stored in containers or the original packaging. The date of purchase should be noted as well as the contents. As in the case of refrigerated foods, the older items should be used before newer stock.
Students taking a food safety course will also learn about the dangers of cross contamination. Bowls, plates, platters, cutting boards, and utensils used to prepare foods should be cleaned and sanitized between uses. Some foods present a higher level of risk of food poisoning, such as raw meat, poultry, or shellfish, and students learn how to avoid contaminating other foods when working with them.
Personal hygiene is important for employees who handle, prepare, and serve food as part of their job duties. The food safety course will stress the importance of regular hand washing as a way to prevent food contamination. Employees need to wash their hands before handling food and after they use the washroom.
If you are already working in a restaurant, your employer may offer a course as part of your initial or ongoing training. People interested in working in the restaurant industry and who want to take a food safety course can find them online. With this option, you study the material from anywhere you can get an Internet connection. Community colleges, universities, and private companies also offer courses.