Foodborne illness continues to be a public health issue. Each year in the United States, there are an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illness that result in an estimated 5,000 deaths. Mishandling of food, such as improper temperature control and poor sanitation, causes about 95 percent of all foodborne illnesses. Experts believe that the way to reduce foodborne illnesses is to educate food handlers.
The recent Pennsylvania Food Employee Certification Act will mandate that at least one person in a managerial position in every licensed food establishment in the Commonwealth be trained in food safety. The state Department of Agriculture will be responsible for enforcement.

Using ServSafe®, a curriculum developed by the National Restaurant Association, Penn State Cooperative Extension educators provided education and training for food handlers in the retail, food service and bakery sectors to meet Pennsylvania’s new food certification requirements. ServSafe® is a nationally recognized food safety certification program.

The sixteen-hour training offered at the Comfort Inn, Newfoundland, included 16 participants. Ninety-four percent of participants passed the final exam, and all said their level of competence was increased as a result of attending the training. Eighty-eight percent said they found the classes to be very helpful. The training course included topics such as contamination and foodborne illness; storage, preparation and serving; food safety regulations and standards; and HACCP.

Many said they would recommend the course to others, and Cooperative Extension has plans to repeat the training in the future.