If you want to prepare or handle food in a food service business in Austin, Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services requires you to complete a food handler training course.
Knowing you’ll need to study to obtain employment in this industry can be daunting, but you’ll be pleased to know that becoming a certified food handler in Austin, Texas, is not complicated. In fact, you just need to follow the steps below.
Step 1: Find An Accredited Food Handler Course Provider in Texas
The first step to becoming a certified food handler in Texas involves finding a reputable course provider online. These providers must be accredited through the American National Standards Institute or the State of Texas.
When you start searching for a business to offer an appropriate Texas food handler’s certificate, look for some of the following features:
- 100% online course for convenience
- Affordable pricing
- Easy online platform
- Further study opportunities – such as TABC Certification
- DSHS & TABC Approved
- Immediate certificate access upon course completion
Step 2: Purchase the Certificate Program
Unlike many online educational programs, there isn’t a complicated or lengthy enrollment process for a typical food handlers’ certificate. If you choose a highly regarded course provider, you can add the program to your shopping cart, pay for it, create an online account, and immediately start working toward your certification.
Pricing for food handler certificates varies greatly, so don’t be afraid to shop around and find one that’s competitively priced. You might also be able to enjoy bundle certification deals if you decide to work toward your TABC certification at the same time.
Step 3: Start the Certification Process
If you’re not tech-savvy, completing a food handlers certificate online can be stressful. However, most online course providers make the whole process easier by developing easy-to-use platforms.
The course content is often separated into sections, and you can work at your own pace. Whenever you want to take a break, you can pick back up where you left off.
Step 4: Work Through the Course Outline
When you open your online course content for the first time, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to follow. The average online food handlers’ certificate course in Austin, Texas, incorporates the following industry information for you to learn.
Food Safety
- Definitions and examples of food safety
- Time and temperature control for food
- Ready-to-eat food
- Foodborne illness hazards – biological, chemical, and physical
- Foodborne illness risk factors – approved sources, inadequate cooking, personal hygiene, contaminated equipment, improper holding
Personal Hygiene
- Handwashing – how to wash, when to wash, where to wash, hand antiseptic, supplies for handwash sinks
- Using gloves
- Hands and nails
- What to wear
- Animal prohibition
- Smoking and using tobacco
- Eating and drinking
- Hair restraints
- Sicknesses – reporting symptoms, exclusions, restrictions
- Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food – procedures, prohibitions, risks
Time and Temperature
- Its importance
- Definitions and examples
- Temperature danger zone
- Thermometer use
- Food receiving and storage – cold holding, date marking, FIFO
- Thawing and prepping
- Controlling time and temperature – cooking temperatures, microwave cooking, hot holding, cooling, reheating
Cross-Contamination
- Storage
- Preparation
- Self-service
- Serving
- Utensil and equipment storage
- Toxic item storage
- Food allergens
Cleaning and Sanitizing
- Cleaning vs. sanitizing
- How to clean and sanitize
- When to clean and sanitize
- Cleaning in place
- Sanitizer types, tests, and recommendations
- Three-compartment sink setup and use
- Dishwasher use and maintenance
- Pest control
Step 5: Pass the Program
Upon completing the coursework at your own pace and passing, you’ll receive your food handler certificate as proof of your competency and dedication to food safety. This certificate comes from your course provider via email, which you can provide to your employer. This certificate is valid for two years, and you’ll be required to sit the course again once it expires.
Enroll for Your Food Handlers’ Certificate in Austin, Texas Today!
The Texas Food Handlers Card is a legal requirement in Texas. If you’re preparing to work in the food service industry in Texas, now might be the right time to explore your study options. Enroll with TABC Pronto today, and be on your way to completing your certificate in a matter of hours!