While Minnesota food manager certification is required by many restaurants and institutional facilities, there is often some confusion as to the differences between NRFSP certification, ServSafe training, and the standard food workers permit classes. At Safe Food Training, we specialize in offering the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals -NRFSP food manager certification. While we are able to offer other certification classes upon request, we feel that there are certain advantages to the current NRFSP curriculum:
- National recognition
- More in-depth education concerning contaminates
- Allergen awareness is included in most courses
The certification classes that we offer are endorsed by NRFSP and recognized by the MN Department of Health. This dual recognition means the training that meets Minnesota standards will still have value if you move to a different jurisdiction. There may be some states that require you to retake the certification test locally, but many employers will see your training as an attractive asset on your resume.
The next item on our list can be a valuable addition to your knowledge of food-borne illnesses. The basic food workers training teaches that food-borne illness can be traced to bacteria. During food manager certification training, however, you will be taught about the different types of contaminates and where they come from. This information will help you more fully understand why bacteria spreads in certain food products and give you a better insight into the consequences of improperly prepared food.
With a rise in food allergy awareness, it’s also important to understand how to prevent guests who are sensitive to certain food groups from becoming affected by cross contamination. The current training sessions will cover food allergens and biological toxins that exist in certain foods such as shellfish. This heightened awareness of how to handle common allergy risks will help you keep guests from having a reaction to these food groups.
There are two ways that you can gain your certification from Safe Food Training. It’s possible to take an instructor lead class where you’ll have access to an educated and engaging teacher to answer any questions during the training, or you can take online food safety training if you prefer independent study.
With multiple endorsements available, we’d like to know your thoughts as to which certification classes have benefited you the most. Are there any training sessions that you have found to be more informative that others? We’d love to hear your stories.
