Food safety is one of the most important requirements all food establishments should make sure they have. The public health act on food establishment regulation doesn’t require a specific number of employees to be trained in FOODSAFE in Kelowna, but they do require at least one employee who is trained in food safety to be present for every shift at the premises. The employee can be a food service worker (frontline handlers) or a member of the management staff.
To all food service workers looking for food safety training and certificate, we have FOODSAFE training available at Kelowna first Aid, along with refresher courses for food service workers with existing certificates.
Signing up at Kelowna First Aid
Kelowna First Aid wants to make the enrollment process very easy for all our students, so we have made four enrollment methods available to them. The traditional enrollment in person is available during regular business hours, along with telephone enrollment and inquiries. You may also enroll online, via e-mail or our website. The website has an application (avaialble 24/7) that you can fill out. All of these methods are available to ensure that you can enroll in the method most convenient to you.
FOODSAFE courses Kelowna
The FOODSAFE course is based on one main concept – food safety in the entire process of food handling. That means skills and concepts in storage, preparation, serving, and sanitation in the food establishment. The course is designed to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness Food safety is not only present in restaurants but also in places that sell food products, such as groceries and delis. These places are all covered by the British Columbia public health act for food premises regulation.
The FOODSAFE program divides into two levels (the first is a prerequisite of the second). The first levels is for food service workers who handle food and the second level is for the management staff. That makes first level training more skill-oriented and the second level more planning-oriented.
- FOODSAFE 1 – 8 hrs., $110
- FOODSAFE 2 – 12 hrs., $165
- Refresher – 3 hrs.
- Correspondence training – $85 (plus $25 for a 2-month extension)
Training by correspondence is very popular among our working students, because it deviates from the traditional classroom set-up. We merely require students who train by correspondence to finish the program in six months (or eight, if they decide to get an extension).
Introduction to foodborne diseases
Foodborne illness can be caused by one of two things: pathogens or chemical substances. There are currently 31 known foodborne pathogens. Chemical substances fall under unspecified agents, or agents other than pathogens that cause foodborne illness or similar gastrointestinal symptoms. The top five pathogens that cause FBI are (1) norovirus, (2) salmonella typhi, (3) clostridium perfringens, (4) Campylobacter spp., and (5) Staphylococcus aureus.
Facts:
- There are more than 250 FBIs that are caused by pathogens and substances. They are typically infections caused by virus, bacteria, and parasites that inhabit or contaminate food.
- Symptoms will usually include vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps or pain.
- E. coli is also a common cause of FBIs (that result in hospitalizations) and can be transmitted not only through food but through drinking water, swimming water, and between humans.