Every day and night millions of Americans elect to spend more on the experience and convenience of dining out, and every day and night those millions of patrons put faith in the establishment’s adherence to proper food handling. It might even be suggested that diners have simply come to take it for granted. It’s not until some food borne illness results that food handling concerns are brought to mind.
Most diners have a food borne illness memory and it can often be a severe experience. However, as it goes with life, those memories fade and old dining habits fall back into place. Rarely do diners consider the fact that every time they eat out, they are relying entirely on the training and responsibilities of complete strangers. This calls into question, is proper food handling a civic duty for professionals in the food industry given the responsibility and gravity of consequence?
The Cultural Significance of Proper Food Handling
Anyone can throw together a sandwich or a burger but without proper training and preparation this also means that anyone can inadvertently poison or hospitalize a guest, friends or family members. This is why improper food handling often goes from being rarely thought of to top of mind. So, yes, it could easily be suggested that food handling means caring about your fellow Americans and that means, as a food handler, it’s your civic duty to know how to properly prepare food.
When it comes to industry personnel, it’s not just about securing a brand and reputation for your business or venue. It’s about building a sense of trust in one’s community and accepting responsibility for the food that comes out of one’s kitchen. Whether you’re serving in a Michelin-rated restaurant or from the convenience store hot dog rotisserie, providing your guests with the best, safest dining experience possible should always be the goal.
In fact, you might be surprised to know that convenience stores take food handling very seriously. In 2022 the National Association of Convenience Stores created the “Food Safety Forum” with this in mind. According to NACS Magazine, convenience store owners are realizing that food service is one of the fastest growing segments in their generalized industry. It only makes sense then to put a very strong focus on proper food handling for that customer base.
A Food Handling Certificate is for Your Good and the Common Good
Caring for the health and well-being of your patrons should always be a top priority for food establishments and servers. It’s only too easy to prepare with safety in mind. A certified food handler knows how to avoid cross-contamination and understands the importance of temperature control and food storage. Personal hygiene along with food and surface sanitation are also key elements when it comes to protecting your patrons from potential contaminants that come about as a result of improper food handling.
You’re in the right place to secure your food handler permit for a growing list of states. Our courses can be completed in just a matter of hours. Once the course is finished, your food safety certification will be available for download. After that, all you have to do is print and display so that your patrons know that you, too, work hard with their well-being in mind and, yes, uphold your civic duty of proper food handling.
