Introduction to FOODSAFE in Surrey
Laws governing health are very strict in Canada. Public health authorities in British Columbia require a certain number of employees in food establishments to be trained in a program called FOODSAFE in Surrey. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Development funded the creation of the training program, with provincial regulation handled by the BC Center for Disease Control and BC Health Authorities.
The FOODSAFE program is offered in Surrey in two levels. Level 1 targets staff members who directly handle food while level 2 targets staff members who deal with management. The program generally deals with concepts of safe food storage, prep, service, and sanitation – overall food and work safety. The main difference between the two levels is that the first mainly deals with skill development while the second focuses on planning and management.
Surrey First Aid food safety courses
We also offer two FOODSAFE courses in Surrey First Aid, in accordance with the BS health authorities in Surrey.
- Level 1 of FOODSAFE – Eight hours, 110 dollars
- Level 2 of FOODSAFE – Twelve hours, 165 dollars
- FOODSAFE correspondence – 85 dollars (plus 25 dollars for a two month extension)
- Refresher class – Three hours, price upon request
Training by correspondence
Training by correspondence has become very popular in recent years, especially among working students who have no time for classroom courses (in person or online). When you take a course by correspondence you are not bound by strict schedules and deadlines. You learn the material and submit the requirements at your own pace, as long as you finish FOODSAFE training in 6 months. Students can request an extension of 2 months by paying additional fees.
FOODSAFE training certificates in Surrey
FOODSAFE training certificates remain valid for a 5-year period. After that, they expire and have to be renewed. Food service workers who have expiring/expired FOODSAFE credentials can sign up for a refresher course to get a new certificate. Refreshers are update courses that teach students about new information and skills in food safety.
Note: You don’t have to have an expiring/expired certificate to sign up for refresher classes! If you feel that you need additional/updated training, go ahead!
Why study food safety in the first place?
When food is unsafe because of poor food preparation, storage, and overall handling, it can cause the spread of foodborne illnesses among consumers. Pathogens (infectious microorganisms) and chemicals can contaminate food that is not safely handled. When consumers ingest this food, it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting which in turn causes severe dehydration.
Dehydration in the very young and very old is dangerous, because replenishing lost fluids and electrolytes is much more difficult for them. Infants and young children are largely made up of water while older persons have decreased amounts of water in their bodies. These facts place them at great risk for dehydration.
With proper food safety training, products in food establishments become safe for public consumption because they were handled properly. The food service workers at these establishments aware of infection control and food sanitation – leading to the safer production of food and food service.