About 70 percent of all food borne illnesses people get are from meals prepared in commercial kitchens. This demonstrates how important earning a food safety certification is for any commercial kitchen. Food and sanitation are crucial for any restaurant or food service facility, and a food handling certificate will prove to patrons that a food safety certification has been earned and that the food is safe to eat.

What a restaurant’s staff could learn through a food and hygiene course could keep all patrons safe. Course information includes dealing with cooked and cured meats like bacon, which stay pink from curing and therefore are difficult to detect when determining temperature; handling previously frozen foods, which requires a careful thawing process that must occur in a refrigerator and not on a counter; handling shellfish and mollusks, which must be handled carefully since they can spread Hepatitis A; and the importance of washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling foods, and of course after going to the bathroom. These are important steps to prevent food borne illnesses, and only a proper food safety certification can guarantee it.

Fortunately for the restaurant industry, there are simple ways to earn a food protection certificate, including through the web. Restaurants and staff members can earn a food handlers permit online pretty quickly, thereby responding to consumer demand and keeping patrons away from disease. Through these certifications, restaurants can ensure higher operating standards as well for inspections.