SB 303, known as the California Food Handler Law, requires certain food workers to receive California food handler training and a California food handler card from an approved provider.  The California food handler card is received after completing the required training and passing a 40-question assessment.

Food handler training is not a new thing.  For years, or even decades, some state or local regulations have required food handler training for all their food workers.  California is a little different.  In most areas, training programs are scrupulously reviewed and approved by state or local health officials.  This ensures the training content is accurate, according to the adopted version of the FDA food code.  In California, food handlers can receive a California food handler card only from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited body.  ANSI accredits the California food handler training program according to standards as set forth in SB 303 as well as ensures that appropriate business practices are being used. StateFoodSafety.com was the first training program to receive this ANSI certification and is currently the only ANSI-accredited program offering Food Handler Card training to Californians.

StateFoodSafety.com is pleased to present its high-quality and interactive Food Handler Card training to Californians seeking certification.  StateFoodSafety.com is a trusted training provider nationwide, having trained hundreds of thousands of food handlers across the country.

–Christian Pieper

StateFoodSafety.com is proud to offer a California Food Handler Card at a competitive price of only $12.25.  SFS is an industry leader in providing the highest quality training at the most affordable price.

The process is simple. In less than two hours, you can take the course, pass the test, and voila—you’re a certified food handler extraordinaire! Yes, with this certificate in hand, you will clearly be the talk of the party.  After all, what partygoer doesn’t want to know that ground beef must be cooked to an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds? Nothing’s more attractive to that secret crush than someone who knows how to use a three-compartment sink. Break out your white loafers, grab a refreshing beverage, and celebrate compliance with California’s new Food Handler Law!

We’ll lay out the steps so you can see just how easy this is.

1.  Register at StateFoodSafety.com.

2.  Next, complete the course, which has been fully customized to California Retail Food Code. Lots of online trainers will claim their course is customized, but what they mean is that they’ve taken the course for New Hampshire or New Mexico and just slapped a two-bit errata sheet at the end explaining California’s laws. Don’t settle for cut-rate training, when StateFoodSafety.com offers you a high-quality course, designed specifically with California in mind.

What will you learn in the course?  The California Food Handler Law requires that California food handlers demonstrate knowledge of the answers to these questions, among others:

• What is foodborne illness? What are the different germs that cause foodborne illness? What are the typical symptoms and effects of common foodborne illnesses?
• How do time and temperature affect food safety? To what temperature and for how long must one cook different types of food to make them safe to eat? What are the different types of thermometers and how should they be used?
• What is the relationship between personal hygiene and food safety? How does a food handler’s health and behavior influence food safety and the occurrence of foodborne illness?
• What are the proper procedures for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils?
• What are the potential problems and solutions associated with facility and equipment design, layout, and construction?
• What are the potential problems and solutions associated with temperature control, preventing cross-contamination, housekeeping, and maintenance?

Our instructionally sound course will cover all these topics in detail.

3.  After taking the course, you’ll need to successfully pass the assessment.  To pass the California Food Handler Assessment you’ll need a score of 70% or higher.  You’ll get two tries to pass the test, and if you pay close attention, you should be fine. Everything you’ll need to know is covered in the course

4.  Finally, print your certificate and give it to your employer.  Cut out your California food handler card and keep it in your wallet.

It’s as easy as that! The whole process doesn’t need to take you more than a couple hours, and our course uses fun, interactive elements and illustrations that will help the time speed by. Take StateFoodSafety.com’s online California Food Handler training course today by clicking here.

–Christian Pieper

Last year, California Senator Alex Padilla authored a bill, SB 602, that mandated food handler training to all those who serve food in California.  This bill, while intending to advocate food safety in California, sadly, was not designed in such a way to accomplish this admirable goal. Many concerned groups, including StateFoodSafety.com, reached out to the Senator to express their concerns and seek reform.

Refreshingly, Senator Padilla listened to those concerns and has vigorously advocated an amended bill, SB 303, which clarifies the approval process of training providers and ensures the citizens of California will receive high-quality training at affordable prices.

Legislators often have to make decisions based on an incomplete or imperfect understanding of an issue. All too often, they are unwilling to reevaluate those decisions, even when doing so is in the best interest of their constituents. In this case, Senator Padilla learned of a better option and acted on new understanding.  For that, he deserves the admiration and appreciation of all Californians.

The new food handler bill, SB 303, requires all training providers to receive an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation called ASTM e2659.  This accreditation is for certificate programs, like food handler training, and mandates a high proficiency in training delivery and business operations.  StateFoodSafety.com has been recommended for accreditation and goes before the committee on June 2, 2011.  If approved, StateFoodSafety.com will be the first food handler program to receive this distinction.

We are excited to announce that we are now offering our online food handler training in Maricopa County, Arizona!  Our audio/visual and interactive course is being offered for $9.50 in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.  We have customized our course to educate food workers on specific Maricopa County-required information  such as food allergens and hot-holding temperatures.  If you purchase our Maricopa County food handler course, please drop us an email to let us know what you thought.  We love food handler feedback!

Maricopa County food workers, please note that you will need to print your certificate of completion and present it at any of the four Environmental Services Department offices to obtain your photo ID Maricopa County Food Worker Card.

Click here to purchase now!

–Emilee Follett

Goodness we’ve been busy!  We have spent the last month implementing our NEW food safety course.  Former students will notice that our new course offers higher-quality images, more interactivity, and a variety of narrators to keep the content as engaging as possible.  Launching with our new course is the Salt Lake Valley Child Care & Preschool Food Safety Course which includes modules on food safety for babies and small children.  This new course is now standard throughout the States of Utah and Missouri.

In the last six months we have launched our course in the following locations:  Davis County, UT, Navajo County, AZ, Tulsa, OK, and Jackson County, Johnson County, Cass County, and Taney County in MO.  Thanks to all of our excellent health department partners we have been able to utilize their expert input to continuously customize and improve our training to get to the heart of these incredibly important food safety issues.

–Emilee Follett