In our society today, we have become dependent on people working in the food service businesses and industries to prepare the food we eat. As a result of this increase of dependent on food service providers, more emphasis should be imposed on professionals working in the food service businesses and industries to attend food handling classes. This will ensure that they follow the right standards of food handling and preparation and the consumers will be safe from foodborne diseases and illnesses.
Unfortunately, despite the awareness of the dangers and consequences of not following proper hygiene when handling and preparing food for the public, these professionals working in the food service business still disregard the importance acquiring the proper knowledge of food handling. Knowing this, the government developed ways to control food service providers in making sure they deliver healthy food to the public.
These days before getting a job in the food service industries it is important that you proof to the employers that you have completed a food handling course. This ensures that you have adequate knowledge in food hygiene and food handling.
Before any food related business can be established, it must put some health standards in place. These health standards are set by the state authority in which the food service business is to establish. Every state has its own set of rules and regulations which might be different from other states. Therefore, before establishing a food service business it is important to do some research on the requirements of that particular state health standards.
It is also important for any newly food service establishment to inquire information regarding the state’s health standard from the state’s health board. This helps to have a good relationship with them prior to when they come to inspect your business. The health board tends to be more cooperative when you try to be more open with them rather than trying to avoid them.
It is best that management of food service business offers to train its staffs by themselves by enrolling the staffs in food handling classes. This helps the management to have control of the standard of hygiene of food service delivered to their customers. It could be very harmful to the business if and when a customer falls ill from eating a food item prepared by its staff. There a number of venues where food handling classes are held, most are in the local facilities which could inquire from the local health board office.
As management it is best to make enough inquiries and research about the food handling class before enrolling staffs for it due to several reasons. You want to 
make sure it does not interrupt the staffs’ working hours otherwise you will need to pay for a temporal staff while he or she is away on training which will incur more cost for you. Requirements vary from one state health board to another, so you might want to read through the topics taught in the food handling class you want to enroll your staff in order to get the right program.
These are just a few points to take note of as a new or old food service business owner or manager.