You probably know how important safe food handling is as a food business owner or as someone who works in this industry. But while you can learn many of the best food handling practices from various resources online, attending a safe food handling course is highly recommended because the law requires such training. By enrolling in a course, you can get certified—which means that you will have proof of compliance.

You don’t have to attend classes or institutions personally because there are many nationally accredited courses online that you can take instead. However, you need to complete the course and pass the exam to get your safe food handling certificate. You have to learn about the basic practices of safe food handling as well as the other techniques. Here’s a brief list of the topics that will be covered in the course.

• Food safety laws and regulations in Canada and responsibilities
• Causes of food-borne illness and ways to prevent them
• Personal hygiene & workplace behaviour
• Proper food handling methods
• Industry-standard cleaning and sanitizing methods in the workplace
• Best practices for effective food premise maintenance and pest control methods
• Safe and proper purchasing, receiving, and storing of food
• Proper serving and dispensing of food

The advantage of online courses is that you enjoy the flexibility to learn anytime and anywhere at your own pace. The provider will give you 24/7 access to the course and learning materials, usually for 30 to 60 days.

One of the most common benefits of opting for online food safety training is the consistency of the message and the ability to learn at your own pace. You will have access to the material available online and you can adjust the course content from one session to another.

Food safety training is a comprehensive online training program that is designed for working professionals in the food industry. The training program provides basic need-to-know safe food manufacturing and handling methods and practices for working professionals, freshers as well as experienced professionals. With a food safety training, one can learn about various topics that include;

• Preventing foodborne illness
• Food temperature control
• Personal hygiene
• Preventing cross-contamination
• Preparing/serving food safely
• Cleaning and sanitizing

Is a Food Safety course mandatory for food handlers?

In Canada, all restaurants and food manufacturing businesses are required to have a food handler’s certificate, but the need to obtain a certificate may vary from state to state. So, it is important to check the requirement with your local authorities or health department. When you are found running a food business without a food handler certificate, the local health department can impose a fine.

Of course, you want to ensure that the safe food handling certificate you will get will be accepted and recognized by health units across Canada. To do this, you have to look for credible providers. Before enrolling, check if the provider is accredited by health inspectors, health departments, and other relevant organizations.