On August 8, the Chamber will host its second full day Serv Safe Food Safety Certification Class that satisfies new state regulations pertaining to companies, including restaurants and B&Bs, that serve food to the public.

In a new regulation enacted on January 18, 2011, the Maine Department of Health & Human Services now states that there must be a Full Time Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff in each food establishment. The responsibilities of the CFPM are to train and implement a program of food protection and education.

A certified food protection manager must be hired within 60 days of a new eating establishment opening or when a CFPM leaves employment.  In addition to restaurants, this ruling includes B&Bs with more than five rooms, temporary food establishments that are open more than 14 days, and other food servers as defined within the regulations.

This Serv Safe Food Safety Certification Class (held at the Chamber offices from 8:30am – 5:00pm at One Park Drive in Rockland) includes a full day of instruction, a textbook, the national exam, and a food handler’s certification which is valid for five (5) years.  The Serv Safe Food Textbook (5^th Edition) includes the 2009 FDA Food Code Changes and updates now being used as well as training and information on NEW knowledge and risk based inspections by State Health Inspectors.

The course will help food handlers to get updated on the recent Food Code changes as well as rules and changes adopted by the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).

The Serv Safe Food Safety Certification Class is $131 per person or $119 SPECIAL RATE FOR ALL CHAMBER MEMBERS.  Class without retention of the textbook is $105 or $99 respectively.

Class instructor, David Suhr, CFSP, ANCI, owner of DFS Services, has been a certified Serv Safe instructor (CFSP, ANSI) for ten years, teaching for the Maine Restaurant Association. Prior to that, he worked in the food industry in many capacities for over thirty years.  Eight years ago, Dave became certified as a food safety instructor CFSP and affiliated with NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) which is recognized by the Conference for Food Protection, a national benchmark for the food service industry and well-known nationally f or their comprehensive and updated food safety training manuals.

Payment is due upon pre-registration and participants will receive their books prior to class. Class size is limited.  To register, contact Robin McIntosh (robin@TheRealMaine.com or 596-0376).

For additional information on certification, call 865-9812 or email ddsuhr@hotmail.com or go to www.MaineFoodSafety.com