What It Is

ServSafe is the highest standard in food safety training and certification, and is recognized by more jurisdictions than any other manager food safety program.  ServSafe content is based on input from experts across the industry who determined the knowledge, skills and abilities food safety managers need to know to perform their jobs effectively.  ServSafe includes the 2007 FDA Food Code updates, the latest science-based information, plus real-world scenarios, updated case studies and activities to help everyone apply the concepts to practical on-the-job situations.  The ServSafe program is the NRA’s food safety training and certification program through which over 3 million foodservice managers have been certified.

Who Uses It

The manager certification program is used by a variety of food safety professionals including: independent restaurateurs and multi-unit operators; shift leaders and supervisors; managers; chefs; quality assurance professionals; inspectors; sanitarians; federal, state and local public health officials; academic instructors and students; and anyone who desires food safety training.

What It Does

The Manager Food Safety Certification Program:

• teaches managers basic food safety concepts
• helps managers protect against foodborne illness outbreaks
• helps reduce liability risks
• helps minimize insurance costs
• enables participants to demonstrate a commitment to food safety
• meets the regulatory requirements of state and local jurisdictions

The ServSafe Program consists of two components: training and certification.

ServSafe Manager Certification Training Online Course

The ServSafe Online course is convenient and easy to use for new and experienced managers or staff who need food safety training to prepare for certification, recertification, or to refresh their knowledge.  Bilingual feature allows learners to switch languages (English/Spanish) at anytime during the course.  Course flow is intuitive and allows learners to move about freely to review concepts.  Other course features include a bigger course screen, “Study Guides” that provide supplemental information in the form of printable charts, interactive exercises for practices in stimulated real-life situations, a bookmark feature that allows students to easily return to where they left off and a post-test with 60 questions to help prepare students for the Certification Exam.  The length it takes individuals to complete the training depends on variable such as their experience with computers and food safety knowledge.  The course is accepted in jurisdictions requiring up to 16 hours of training. 

Note:  The ServSafe Online Course does NOT include the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination.  All ServSafe Certification Exams require a Registered ServSafe Proctor to administer the exam.  Once you begin the course, you will have 90 days to complete it, at which time the course will be deactivated.

ServSafe Essentials, Fifth Edition Textbook

As food safety content becomes increasingly complex, it presents more challenges.  ServSafe Essentials, 5th edition was designed with managers' needs in mind.  This edition has been updated to reflect the changing needs of a diverse and expanding workforce in the foodservice and restaurant industry.  The streamlined delivery of food safety content in the Fifth Edition will create a learning experience that is activity-based and easily comprehended by a variety of learners.  The updated book will help readers prepare for examinations, and more importantly, it will promote adherence to food safety practices in the operation.  Based on a new job task analysis revised exclusively for the Fifth Edition, the book reflects the latest updates to the FDA Food Code, new science-based and industry best practices and prepares readers for the ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification Exam.

By taking the online course or reading the textbook, you will be able to:

• Identify and prevent major foodborne illnesses and microbial contamination and their symptoms
• Differentiate between foodborne infections, intoxications and toxin-mediated infections
• Recognize the relationship between personal hygiene and the spread of illness
• Prevent cross-contamination
• Identify toxic materials and properly store, dispense, use and dispose of them
• Recognize major food allergens and their symptoms
• Apply time and temperature requirements for cooking, storing, holding, cooling, and reheating food
• Avoid the time-temperature abuse of food
• Identify the “flow” of food: from purchasing, receiving, storage, preparation, and service
• Recognize Food Safety Systems, including Active Managerial Control, HACCP, and Crisis Management
• Implement methods for cleaning and sanitizing utensils and food contact surfaces
• Provide sanitary facilities and a pest management program
• Provide Employee Food Safety Training
• Identify food safety regulation and standards, including the government regulatory system for food, the 2005 FDA Food Code, and the food service inspection process

ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam

The ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination is secure, copyrighted, and developed independently of any training materials.  It is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Conference for Food Protection (CFP).  All exams must be given by a proctor registered with the NRAEF to assure the highest degree of integrity for the entire testing process and allows examinees to perform to their maximum level of capability.

If you are interested in our ServSafe program and would like to register for an exam or need more information, please ask your DSR or contact:

Jessica Horath
NRAEF Registered ServSafe Proctor
Kelley Foods of Alabama, Inc.
334-897-5761 x 125
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it