FREEPORT, Ill. — The University of Illinois Extension will offer the Illinois Certified Food Protection Manager Course, formally known as the Food Service Sanitation Manager Course (FSSMC). This two-part course will meet the 8-hour coursework and examination required by the State of Illinois for both the initial CFPM, and the recertification.
Effective January 1, 2018, the Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification (FSSMC) was eliminated. However, the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Food Service Sanitation Code still requires food establishments to be under the operational supervision of a certified food service sanitation manager during hours of operation.
Now food establishments must have an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certification. This requirement helps to ensure the safety of consumers when eating away from home. Those receiving this certification have specialized training, by an ANSI approved instructor, regarding the safe handling, preparation and storage of food to help prevent foodborne related illnesses. The certificate is valid for five years from the exam date and then is repeated once a certificate expires. One of the positive aspects of this change comes in the form of students no longer having to apply for the additional Illinois FSSMC certificate, which will save them money.
During the two-day Certified Food Protection Manager Course, participants will gain knowledge about food safety and contamination, employee health and hygiene, safe food handling practices, cleaning and sanitizing, and HACCP.
The Certified Food Protection Manager Course will take place on December 4, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm and December 7, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm, at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W Spring Street, Freeport. Participants should bring a valid photo ID and arrive 15 minutes early to register, as class will begin promptly at 9:00 am. Participants must attend the full training to be eligible to take the exam.
There is a $100 fee for the Certified Food Protection Manager Course. This fee is for the purchase of the book, educational materials, examination, and lunch. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, please contact the University of Illinois Extension at (815) 235-4125 or visit us online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the University of Illinois Extension at (815) 235-4125.
Diane Reinhold is a University of Illinois Extension, Nutrition and Wellness Educator and registered dietitian. For more about upcoming programming on nutrition and wellness, visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw or call (815) 235-4125.
— Diane Reinhold
Nutrition and Wellness Educator
U of I Extension
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