How Do You Assess If Food Is Safe To Eat?
Health Canada is responsible for establishing policies and setting food safety standards for food businesses. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for enforcing these policies and standards, and the Food and Drug Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Canada Agricultural Products Act, and the Safe Food for Canadians Act are the Federal acts related to food safety that every establishment must follow.
To ensure a workplace complies with these various acts and regulations and keep certified food protection as a high priority, food safety managers are essential. They have the training to understand what keeps customers and employees safe from foodborne illnesses. The role enhances the potential and trustworthiness of a food business and helps it operate with industry stakeholders.
What Is A Certified Food Safety Manager?
In Canada, certified food managers are those who have taken proper courses to show that they are knowledgeable about food protection compliance in their province and Canada as a whole. These are often training managers who are responsible for ensuring that the employees under their control stick to federal, provincial and municipal laws. This way, the organization can keep every food handling certification valid, and organizing certification for many employees across multiple locations.
To earn the certification, they must take the Canadian Institute of Food Safety’s (CIFS) official Food Handler Certification Course and pass the exam.
What Does A Certified Food Safety Manager Do?
Food safety managers work in food production operations to ensure that all consumable items under their responsibility are made in food-safe conditions following solid safety programs. To this end, food managers must uphold municipal, provincial, and federal regulations concerning food safety in their facility.
In this position, food managers also develop policies and procedures that support and maintain safe handling and certification for all employees in a food establishment. They are also responsible for staying up-to-date with any relevant law changes within the province.
How Do You Become A Certified Food Safety Manager In Canada?
The standard for Food Safety Managers is the CIFS's official Food Handler Certification Course. It helps training managers meet Canada’s legal requirements for food safety training, and by maintaining this compliance, they become key to the protection of businesses, employees, and customers.
To successfully obtain the CIFS Food Handler Certification, the applicant must complete each of the lessons and pass a final exam within 30 days. The final exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions to be answered within a 60-minute time limit, with a minimum score of 70% required to pass the exam.
Who Needs Food Safety Manager Certification?
Food safety training and certifications protect employees and customers from contracting foodborne illnesses. A Food Safety Manager understands the health implications of preparing and serving food in poorly compliant facilities and how they can increase the risks of foodborne illnesses like salmonella, listeria, norovirus, and E. coli. They also know that the failure to uphold food safety standards to the municipal, provincial, and federal standards can result in fines, recalls, financial loss, ruined reputations, and prosecution.
After completing a Food Safety certification course, all managers should have a well-established understanding of the regulations and mandates within their jurisdiction. Quantum Food Solutions can help your employees understand the risks and hazards unique to your food processing and handling environments, complete gap assessments, and give them a new awareness of the measures needed for food protection. We'll make sure they can put their food safety manager certification to use!
Frequently Asked Questions About Food Safety Managers
The FDA regulates the safety of food in America, but before this happens it is up to a team of professionals. These are called "food managers". One requirement for being on their staff? You need an advanced degree (such as chemistry or biology) and at least five years experience working with food!
