California Food Handlers Card
ANSI Accredited and Approved by the California Department of Public Health
- 100% Online
- California Approved
- ANSI Accredited
- 2 Test Attempts
- 70% to Pass
- Print from Home!
- Card Valid for 3 Years
- Review Training Anytime
- 100% Online
- California Approved
- ANSI Accredited
- 2 Test Attempts
- 70% to Pass
- Print from Home!
- Card Valid for 3 Years
- Review Training Anytime
- Describe how food can make people sick after being contaminated by physical, chemical, or biological hazards.
- Appreciate that the behavior of food handlers directly affects the safety of food.
- Keep hands and body clean to prevent contaminating food and food contact surfaces.
- Use appropriate barriers to prevent bare hand contact with food.
- Identify which symptoms require staying home from work or reporting an illness or symptom to the manager.
- Identify the appropriate time and temperature requirements for keeping food safe during specific stages in the flow of food.
- Describe how to keep the workplace and equipment clean.
Do you have questions? We have answers! With help from the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health and the Contra Costa Health Services, we found out what it is you want to know most regarding food handler requirements. We’ve done the translating to Layman’s terms and we think you’ll want to see this. Here are a few things you should know about food handler training in California and how it applies to you.
- Who is considered a food handler in California?
A food handler is a person who handles, prepares, serves, sells, or gives away food for human consumption. Don’t let the position title confuse you—a food handler could also be someone who buses tables or washes dishes. Sometimes food handlers are referred to as food employees or food workers. It is the responsibility of a food handler to ensure that food is kept safe from the hazards it can encounter at every level of its preparation. - What is a California food handlers card?
Simply put, a food handlers card is a document used to prove that a food worker has been trained to provide safe food service. You may obtain your card after you have taken an accredited food handler training and passed an assessment. Your California food handlers card allows you to be a food handler in the state of California (with the exception of Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties). - What is food handler training?
Food handler training covers the main Do’s and Don’ts of food service; a typical course includes, but is not limited to, topics such as foodborne illness, personal hygiene guidelines, and food contamination prevention. When you complete the StateFoodSafety.com California Food Handlers Card Training, you receive a State of California Food Handler Card, which you may then print. - Who needs to obtain a California food handlers card?
Food handler training is more than just a suggestion—California requires that all food employees complete an accredited training, pass an assessment, and obtain a food handlers card. Basically, if you work with food, food equipment, or food-contact surfaces in the state of California, you need to obtain a California food handlers card. - Who is exempt from California food handler training?
Certain groups are exempt from the food handler training requirement including temporary food facilities, commissaries and grocery stores, licensed health care facilities, and anyone who holds a valid Manager’s Food Safety Certification.
For a full list of exemptions, see the California Food Handler Card Guidelines. - What is an accredited food handler training course?
An accredited food handler training course is one that has been authorized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). StateFoodSafety.com is ANSI accredited and is an approved provider for food handler training in California. In other words, you can trust us to provide you with the high-quality training you need! - Where is my California food handlers card valid?
When you take an accredited food handler training course, your California food handlers card is accepted everywhere in the state of California except for Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. If you work in these counties, you are required to get a county-specific food handlers card. Even if your card was issued outside of the state of California, as long as you received ANSI accredited training, you only need one card. - When do I need to have a California food handlers card?
Food handler training must be complete within 30 days of starting work. - Why is food handler training required in California?
If you really want to know, we really want to tell you. Every step towards educating food handlers is a step away from preventable foodborne illness outbreaks. After completing food handler training, food employees are more qualified in their food preparation and handling. Food handler training is a requirement because food safety is a requirement… and we support any effort to preserve food safety! - Are courses available in any other language besides English?
If you know where to look, you will find the right course. You might be pleased to know that English is just one of the 7 languages available for the StateFoodSafety.com California Food Handlers Card Training! Other language options include Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and American Sign Language.
There you have it—the top questions and answers regarding food handler training in California. Hopefully you have a better understanding of what is expected of you and what you can expect from an accredited training course. Purchase your StateFoodSafety.com State of California Food Handlers Card Training by clicking “Begin training”.
Need more information?
Read more about the California ANSI standards here. Visit the Official California Legislative Information website to read the California Food Handler Law. Group training options are also available here.
In accordance with our ANSI food handler training program accreditation (ASTM e2659-2015), StateFoodSafety.com wants to communicate the following information:
- Certificate purpose, scope, and intended learning outcomes:
- Program Purpose: The purpose of the Food Safety Essentials certificate program is to prepare food handlers to enter the workforce by providing the required food safety information as specified by regulations of the workers’ state or local government.
- Program Scope: This program will prepare the learner to become a responsible food handler. A “food handler” is generally understood to be a food worker in a non-managerial role.
- By the end of this course, the learner will be able to:
- Describe how food can make people sick after being contaminated by physical, chemical, or biological hazards.
- Appreciate that the behavior of food workers directly affects the safety of food.
- Keep hands and body clean to prevent contaminating food and food contact surfaces.
- Use appropriate barriers to prevent bare hand contact with food.
- Identify which symptoms require staying home from work or reporting an illness or symptom to the manager.
- Identify the appropriate time and temperature requirements for keeping food safe during specific stages in the
flow of food. - Describe how to keep the workplace and equipment clean.
- Description of requisites to earn a certificate: The only requisite to obtain a certificate is successful completion of the course and assessment. There are no course prerequisites.
- Special requirements for participation: See system requirements.
- Qualifications of instructional personnel: The StateFoodSafety.com Food Safety Essentials for Food Handlers Certificate Program has been developed by food safety subject matter experts in coordination with instructional design professionals. The collective expertise of these individuals span several decades.In addition, StateFoodSafety.com communicates and receives input concerning this program from an established Oversight Committee whose membership consists of regulators, food operators, and industry experts. The Oversight Committee reviews the Food Safety Essentials for Food Handlers Certificate Program updates, complaints and appeals, curriculum and assessment, as well as the program audit to help ensure the program is meeting the required ASTM 2659 certificate program standard.
- Fees, deadlines, cancellations, and refund policies: Please see the Refund Policy.
- Academic or continuing education credit earned: None.
- Commercial support disclosure: StateFoodSafety.com did not use commercial support to develop this program.
- Any changes to the certificate program purpose, scope, or intended learning outcomes: Any changes to the program purpose, scope, or intended learning outcomes will be reflected in the Learn More page of the specific product.
- Inferences that can be made appropriately concerning certificate holders: Certificate holders have met the state requirements for food handler training and passed a food safety training course, demonstrating a sufficient score on the corresponding assessment.
¿Tiene preguntas? ¡Tenemos las respuestas! Con la ayuda de la Conferencia de Directores de Salud Ambiental de California (California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health) y los Servicios de Salud de Contra Costa (Contra Costa Health Services), averiguamos lo que más desea saber sobre los requisitos para los manipuladores de alimentos. Hemos traducido la terminología al idioma cotidiano y pensamos que le interesará verla. A continuación se presentan algunos aspectos que debería saber en cuanto al entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos en California y de qué manera se aplica a usted.
- ¿A quién se considera un manipulador de alimentos en California?
Un manipulador de alimentos es una persona que maneja, prepara, sirve, vende o regala alimentos para el consumo humano. No deje que el nombre de la posición lo confunda, un manipulador de alimentos también podría ser alguien que recoge vajilla de las mesas o lava platos. En ocasiones a los manipuladores de alimentos se les conocen como empleados de alimentación o trabajadores de alimentos. La responsabilidad del manipulador de alimentos es garantizar que los alimentos se mantengan seguros de los peligros que pudieran enfrentar en cada etapa de su preparación.
- ¿Qué es una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California?
En pocas palabras, una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos es un documento que se utiliza para probar que un trabajador de alimentos ha sido entrenado para ofrecer un servicio de alimentos seguros. Usted puede obtener su tarjeta después de haber recibido un entrenamiento acreditado para manipuladores de alimentos y pasado una evaluación. Su tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California le permite ser un manipulador de alimentos en el estado de California (con la excepción de los condados de Riverside, San Bernardino y San Diego).
- ¿Qué trata el entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos?
El entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos trata las principales acciones que se deben o no realizar en los servicios de alimentos; un curso típico incluye, pero no se limita a, temas como enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos, pautas de higiene personal y prevención de la contaminación de alimentos. Cuando complete el Entrenamiento para la tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California de StateFoodSafety.com, recibirá una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos del estado de California, la cual puede imprimir.
- ¿Quién necesita obtener una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California?
El entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos es algo más que una sugerencia, el estado de California requiere que todos los empleados de alimentos completen un entrenamiento acreditado, pasen una evaluación y obtengan una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos. Básicamente, si usted trabaja con alimentos, equipos para la preparación de alimentos o superficies en contacto con alimentos en el estado de California, entonces necesita obtener una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California.
- ¿Quién está exento del entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos de California?
Ciertos grupos están exentos del requisito del entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos incluyendo las instalaciones temporales de alimentos, economatos y tiendas de comestibles, centros licenciados de atención médica y toda persona que posea una certificación en seguridad alimentaria como gerente o administrador.Para obtener una lista completa de las excepciones, consulte las Pautas para la tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California.
- ¿Qué es un curso acreditado de entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos?
Un curso acreditado de entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos es aquel que ha sido autorizado por el Instituto Americano de Normas Nacionalizadas (American National Standards Institute – ANSI). StateFoodSafety.com ha sido acreditado por ANSI y es un proveedor aprobado del entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos en California. En otras palabras, ¡puede confiar en nosotros para recibir el entrenamiento de alta calidad que necesita!
- ¿Dónde tiene validez mi tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California?
Cuando usted toma un curso acreditado de entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos, su tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California es aceptada en todo el estado de California, excepto en los contados de Riverside, San Bernardino y San Diego. Si usted trabaja en estos condados, se le requiere obtener una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos específica para ese condado. Aunque su tarjeta haya sido emitida fuera del estado de California, si usted recibió entrenamiento acreditado por ANSI, sólo necesita una tarjeta.
- ¿Cuándo es necesario tener una tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California?
Es necesario completar el entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos dentro de los 30 días de haber comenzado el trabajo.
- ¿Por qué es un requisito en California recibir el entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos?
Si realmente quiere saber, realmente se lo queremos decir. Cada paso hacia la educación de los manipuladores de alimentos es un paso que previene los brotes de enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos. Tras completar el entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos, los empleados de alimentos estarán más calificados para preparar y manipular alimentos. El entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos es un requisito porque la seguridad alimentaria es un requisito… ¡y nosotros apoyamos todo esfuerzo por conservar la seguridad alimentaria!
- ¿Están los cursos disponibles en otros idiomas más allá del español?
Si sabe dónde buscar, encontrará el curso correcto. Probablemente le alegre saber que el español es sólo uno de los 7 idiomas disponibles para el Entrenamiento para la tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California de StateFoodSafety.com. Otras opciones de idioma incluyen inglés, mandarín, coreano, vietnamita, tagalo y lenguaje de señas americano.
Ahí las tiene, las principales preguntas y respuestas con respecto al entrenamiento para manipuladores de alimentos en California. Esperamos que tenga una mejor comprensión de lo que se espera de usted y de lo que puede esperar de un curso acreditado de entrenamiento.
¿Necesita más información?
Lea más sobre las normas del ANSI en California aquí. Visite el sitio oficial de información legislativa de California para leer las leyes sobre la manipulación de alimentos de California. Si usted está interesado en profundizar más sus conocimientos sobre la seguridad alimentaria, obtenga el curso de Entrenamiento para la tarjeta de manipulador de alimentos de California de StateFoodSafety.com.
Foodborne outbreaks are terrible calamities that can kill or seriously injure many people. Outbreaks can happen anywhere at any time—and California is no exception. In fact, since California has such a good climate for crops and such a hub for food production, it has been involved in a few devastating outbreaks where many people have died. Luckily, food safety guidelines now help to prevent these outbreaks and their consequences. However, we have had to learn from our mistakes. Here are just a few outbreaks that have affected California and consequently changed the way of thinking about food safety.
1919 Botulism Outbreak
Although this outbreak happened almost a century ago, it was one of the deadliest outbreaks at the time. It originated from canned olives, produced in California. In the end, nineteen people died from botulism in Ohio, Montana, and Michigan. The outbreak was particularly interesting in Ohio because all of the people who died sat at the same table during a catered event. It turned out that the hostess of the event treated this table to ripe olives, which were contaminated with the botulinum toxin.
Since Clostridium botulinum is naturally present in soil, it isn’t surprising that it can very easily be found in fruits and vegetables. This organism only grows in the absence of oxygen, which means that it grows very well in cans. Unfortunately, at that point in history, there was little to no treatment to destroy bacteria in canned products. Most likely, many cans were contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, so it is lucky that only nineteen people died during this outbreak.
With almost twenty people dead, the California State Board of Health responded by passing an emergency regulation the next year. This required all olive production plants to sanitize throughout the facility and to treat the cans with a heating process. Even with these measures, there were still some scattered cases of botulism from canned olives. California then passed the Cannery Inspection Act of 1925 to enforce these rules. With canneries following strict rules, we rarely see botulism from commercial products anymore.
1985 Listeriosis Outbreak
This outbreak occurred in a Mexican style soft cheese, queso blanco, produced by Jalisco in California. It affected over a hundred people and killed fifty-two people, including nineteen stillbirths and ten infant deaths. All of the people affected lived in southern California. At the time of this outbreak, it was the deadliest one on record.
How does an outbreak of this scale happen? Unfortunately, it seems that Jalisco had an unlicensed technician doing the pasteurization step during production. This step is vital to killing deadly bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. Though not known for sure, most likely what happened is the pasteurized milk was somehow contaminated with non-pasteurized milk.
At the time of this outbreak, food safety was just starting to get major recognition. In fact, the owner of Jalisco at the time said “You know, Listeria, that was a new word for me, as I think it was for most people in California.” Though devastating, there were many good reforms that came out of this outbreak. The federal regulations for fresh cheese were strengthened and people started paying more attention to food safety with dairy products.
1993 E. coli Outbreak
Arguably the most infamous food outbreak in history, this E. coli outbreak affected over seven hundred people across the United States. Almost two hundred of these were permanently affected, including kidney and brain damage. Who could forget the story of the four sweet children who ended up dying from the illness? This outbreak hit very close to home, since one of the children that died was from southern California.
In total, the outbreak involved seventy-three Jack-in-the-Box restaurant chains, with some of them in California. There’s no doubt that this outbreak changed attitudes towards foodborne illnesses. Before this outbreak, beef production plants weren’t very worried about bacteria in the meat. Bacteria was considered more of a shelf-life problem than a contamination problem. After this outbreak, microbiological testing was a much bigger deal. Many plants and restaurants then required random sampling testing of their products to ensure they were safe before people would consume them. Many companies considered food safety an economic advantage before, but now they realized it was a necessity.
This outbreak truly shook the nation. It changed the way of thinking about pathogens and outbreaks. Bill Marler, a highly-respected food safety lawyer, gave a keynote address in 2012 at the Beef Industry Safety Summit and explained that E. coli is now controlled very well. In fact, we don’t see many outbreaks from E. coli in ground meat anymore. He said, “You can chalk that up to the industry taking charge and Michael Taylor’s decision to make E. coli in ground beef an adulterant – to establish a culture where E. coli is simply illegal.”
Food safety has changed from a minor concern to one of the biggest concerns in the food industry over the past century. Now, we know that food safety is absolutely essential. Thankfully, as these reforms have occurred in the industry, the number of people affected by foodborne outbreaks has been reduced. However, outbreaks can still happen at any time. Check out this training tip to get advice on how to handle a foodborne illness outbreak if one were to happen.
California’s food industry history has been shaped and molded by these prominent outbreaks, as well as smaller ones. We will continue to learn more about foodborne pathogens so that one day, outbreaks will become a thing of the past. In the fight against outbreaks, don’t forget that we offer food handler and food manager training for the state of California!
