61C-4.023. Food Protection Manager Certification and Public Food Service Employee Training

(1) All managers who are responsible for the storage, preparation, display, and serving of foods to the public shall have passed a certification test approved by the division demonstrating a basic knowledge of food protection practices as adopted by the division. Those managers who successfully pass an approved certification examination shall be issued a certificate by the certifying organization, which is valid for a period of five years from the date of issuance. Each licensed establishment shall have a minimum of one certified food protection manager responsible for all periods of operation. The operator shall designate in writing the certified food protection manager or managers for each location. A current list of certified food protection managers shall be available upon request in each establishment. When four or more employees, at one time, are engaged in the storage, preparation or serving of food in a licensed establishment, there shall be at least one certified food protection manager present at all times when said activities are taking place. The certified food protection manager or managers need not be present in the establishment during those periods of operation when there are three or fewer employees engaged in the storage, preparation, or serving of foods. It shall be the responsibility of the certified food protection manager or managers to inform all employees under their supervision and control who engage in the storage, preparation, or serving of food, to do so in accordance with acceptable sanitary practices as described in this chapter.

(2) Temporary food service vendors and vending machine operators, licensed pursuant to Chapter 509, Part I, F.S., are exempt from the manager certification requirements of this section.

(3) The Conference for Food Protection Standards for Accreditation of Food Protection Manager Certification Programs, as adopted by the Conference for Food Protection on August 4, 2008 and herein adopted by reference, shall be the division standard for the recognition of certifying organizations who provide food manager certification examinations. A copy of the Standards for Accreditation of Food Protection Manager Certification Programs is available on the Conference for Food Protection website at www.foodprotect.org. The Division of Hotels and Restaurants shall accept all certification examinations approved by the Conference for Food Protection.   Certifying organizations that are accredited by a Conference for Food Protection sanctioned accreditor shall be recognized by the division as approved providers of a Food Protection Manager Certification Program.

(4) Public Food Service Employee Training.

(a) All public food service employees must receive training on professional hygiene and foodborne disease prevention. Professional hygiene includes personal cleanliness and hygienic practices in accordance with the Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C., and techniques to prevent cross contamination. Foodborne disease prevention training must include the types and causes of foodborne illness, identification of time/temperature control for safety (potentially hazardous) food, and how to control or eliminate harmful bacteria in a public food service establishment.

(b) Public food service employees must receive training which relates to their assigned duties. Employees who prepare foods must be knowledgeable about safe methods of thawing, cooking, cooling, handling, holding and storing foods. Service personnel must be knowledgeable about safe methods of serving food. Employees who clean equipment and facilities must be knowledgeable about proper cleaning and sanitization methods. Employees responsible for maintaining the premises must be knowledgeable about proper vermin control methods as specified in the Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C.

(c) Licensees who provide in-house employee training shall make available on the premises of the establishment, or in a theme park or entertainment complex in a central location, upon the division’s request, the curriculum and materials used to conduct training. If training is obtained from an outside provider, the licensee must provide, upon the division’s request, information about the selected training program and methods used to evaluate training outcomes. Training outcomes include employees correctly applying procedures and answering questions relative to assigned duties. Employees must safely perform their work duties in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C.

(d) Public food service employee training may be provided through written materials, interactive distance learning, in-person instruction, or any other method of delivery that conveys the necessary information, so long as the training program has been approved by the division and complies with all requirements in this subsection and Section 509.049, F.S. Regardless of the delivery method, each employee training certificate and card provided to the student upon completing the public food service employee training program must include the provider number assigned by the division, and the name and certificate number of the certified food manager responsible for providing the training.

1. For the purpose of this rule, “interactive distance learning” means the delivery of an approved public food service employee training program via the internet or other interactive electronic media. Such training must be interactive, providing for the exchange of information at regular intervals to promote student involvement, and must provide for the registration, evaluation, monitoring, and verification of public food service employee training. Interactive distance learning training programs must require the student to complete and submit a statement at the end of the course that the student personally completed each module of instruction. Interactive distance learning must not require passage of an examination to complete the training.

2. Each provider of an approved public food service employee training program provided through interactive distance learning is responsible for verifying student identification upon each log-in and at regular intervals, and ensuring that one student registration cannot be used to complete the training program more than one time. Student identification verification may be based upon information obtained at the time of registration.

3. Each provider of an approved public food service employee training program must notify the division in writing that it will provide the training program through interactive distance learning. Such notification must include the approved program provider number; the form of electronic media utilized; the internet address for the training program, if provided through the internet; and the name and certificate number of the certified food manager responsible for maintaining and updating the information provided by the training program. The approved provider must notify the division in writing of any changes to the required information within 30 days of the change.

Rulemaking Authority 509.032, 509.039, 509.049 FS. Law Implemented 509.039, 509.049 FS. History–New 2-21-91, Amended 5-12-92, Formerly 10D-13.037, 7C-4.023, Amended 3-31-94, 10-9-95, 1-18-98, 2-7-01, 8-12-08, 6-30-10, 8-10-11, 4-29-15.