Each employee plays a part in making every bite delicious and safe to eat. That’s why it’s important to have a ServSafe certification. It helps employees learn how to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Here’s how the food handler certificate can help food businesses build a safe dining experience.
Impact of Food Poisoning
Food poisoning, or foodborne illness, is a public health issue affecting millions. In fact, the CDC estimates that 48 million US people get sick from this every year. The main culprit is food containing harmful germs, parasites, or toxins. A major concern about food poisoning is that the symptoms can lead to dehydration and even death. In addition, it can also result in:
Legal Issues
These outbreaks can have serious legal consequences. Litigation from affected people seeking compensation for medical expenses could be brought against your business. In addition, businesses may receive fines from regulatory bodies for violations.
Damage to Reputation
A single food poisoning case can cause great harm to a brand’s reputation. This is because this information can spread rapidly in today’s age of social media and online reviews. It can even become viral as more people start posting about it. Even if the business takes immediate action, the damage to its reputation may linger.
Economic Loss
Dealing with a foodborne illness outbreak involves additional costs beyond potential legal repercussions. These include:
- Investigation and Corrective Action: Identifying the source and executing measures to prevent future outbreaks can be expensive. This may involve product recalls, disposal, and new procedures.
- Loss of Productivity: Staff with illness may be absent from work, increasing the workload for others. This could impact service and efficiency.
- Reputational Repair Efforts: Beyond the loss of revenue from a smeared reputation, reducing the damage to the business’s reputation involves public apologies, customer outreach, and marketing. All of these efforts can add to the total expenses.
ServSafe Certification
ServSafe is a nationally recognized food safety certification. The program developed by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) trains people on basic food safety, hygiene, allergens, and sanitization. The Food Handler course gives covers five key areas:
- Basic Food Safety
- Personal Hygeine
- Cross-Contamination & Allergens
- Time and Temperature
- Cleaning and Sanitation
A food handler certification shows your establishment’s dedication to providing a safe dining experience. If you’re looking for ServSafe training for food handlers, you can reach out to TSC Associates. We can provide the training to help your staff gain the skills to maintain the highest food safety standards. Contact us today to take the first step toward comprehensive food safety!
