Despite this, our courses remain very affordable to food service workers or even students looking for food safety training. If you need training and/or certification, visit the Red Deer First Aid website for details on schedules and training fees.
Foodborne illness.
Foodborne illness is estimated to affect 4.5 million Canadians each year, with some cases being severe enough to cause death. All over the world, there are more than two million attributable deaths to diarrhea alone. Most of these cases are not reported to local health authorities, resulting in a lack of specific information regarding the illnesses. Also, most of the time, mild cases never even see the inside of a health care facility, being managed easily enough at home. However, that makes it difficult to get a general view of the different foodborne illnesses and drafting up plans to eradicate it.
The WHO and other organizational bodies on health have started raising awareness on the importance of food safety in food establishments all over the world. The Alberta public health act on regulating food actually requires food establishments in the province to get their employees trained an certified in food safety.
Section 31 of the public health act requires the following:
- At least one (1) trained employee when less than six staff members are present during a shift
- At least one (1) trained supervisor where there more than five staff members are present during a shift
The truth about foodborne illness
Foodborne illness is mainly caused by ingestion of a pathogen or a chemical. Pathogens are microorganisms that can cause infection when ingested. Chemicals like pesticides cause similar symptoms when ingested, but the condition is called poisoning. Symptoms are typically the same among foodborne illnesses – vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain/cramps. This makes it hard to make an official diagnosis without blood work (diagnostic examination).
But how do you control the spread of bacteria in a food establishment (and at home)?
- Keep food away from the Danger Zone, or the temperature between four and six degrees Celsius. This is the most conducive temperature for them to thrive.
- When freezing food, keep the temperature lower than four degrees Celsius. When cooking food, do so at 60 degrees Celsius or higher.
- Cook food thoroughly; make sure there is no blood and the meat is safe to eat.
- Don’t leave food out in room temperature too long.
- Practice proper hand hygiene.
- Sanitize all utensils, equipment, and preparation surfaces before and after food preparation.
Enrollment for Food Safety Training in Red Deer
Enrollment can be done through the Red Deer First Aid website. There is an online form you can use that is available all day. We also allow students to send us e-mails with their enrollment details, or over telephone calls. We encourage prospective trainees to visit us as well! We will gladly accommodate you during business hours.