The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, which regulates this particular portion of the industry, recommends that foot be stored at a minimum of six total inches off of a floor to avoid contamination, though local health agencies often will extend this number to reach a full foot. The agency and others also say that there is a real danger zone that exists with foods that are perishable, which exists when these foods are anywhere between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the range at which bacteria that is very harmful is most prone to developing quality. These are but small portions of what the FDA and other federal agencies recommend, which is why a food safety course is of such importance to food handling and serving professionals.
A food safety course covers these recommendations and other requirements that are aimed at ensuring all food is kept safe and free from harming people. With a food safety course, so much can be learned and explored that it cannot possibly fit into one article or even into one course on this subject. Because there are so many considerations that exist within the food industry, and because the average American household spend $2,620 in 2011 on food that was eaten outside of the home, restaurants are smart for participating in these food and sanitation courses. Otherwise, they could be part of the $48 million in violations from health codes that cities like New York had to endure in 2012, according to the city’s health department.
By participating in a food safety course and in obtaining a food handling certificate in person or via the web, these restaurant operators and food handlers can practice more safety with their own staffs and in their own kitchens. They can avoid handling food at the wrong temperatures and can have interesting tidbits scattered across their kitchens, like the idea that bacteria will lay dormant and will not reproduce when it is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and when food approaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit the bacteria actually are killed. This is especially simple to do in getting a food handlers permit online, which is easily obtained by taking part in a food safety course. More specifically, a food and hygiene course will keep kitchens protected and diners protected too. This is why a food protection certificate is so special and so necessary across the industry.