National Food Safety Month (September) focus on Allergen Training

This year’s annual National Food Safety Month (NFSM) spotlights the increasing importance of food allergen awareness throughout the month of September. This year’s theme is “Taking Action to Avoid a Reaction,” focuses on providing consumers and restaurant personnel with the evidence-based education, training and resources needed to make restaurant dining safer for the 15 million Americans coping with food allergens.

To enhance their safety whenever they dine out, the National Restaurant Association has partnered with Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) to create greater public awareness as well as an entirely new training program for all foodservice workers—ServSafe Allergens Online Course.

“As restaurants encounter more and more individuals with specific food allergies and sensitivities, ServSafe Allergens could not have come at a better time,” said Wendy Waren, VP of Communications, Louisiana Restaurant Association. “With three co-workers that have food allergies, I’ve seen firsthand the need for restaurant staff—front and back of the house—to be trained to properly handle patrons with allergens.”

Weekly training activity areas communicate concepts clearly and quickly to employees, and can be completed in less than 10 minutes. Week 1 covers the Big 8 and Cross Contact; Week 2—Reading Labels; Week 3—Cross-Contact: Front of the House; Week 4—Purchasing and Transportation; and Week 5—Separation in Equipment and Storage.

SCA, makers of the Tork brand of away-from-home paper products, are sponsoring this year’s NFSM and will be giving away 500 certificates for individuals to receive complimentary access to the ServSafe Allergens course—100 will be awarded each week throughout September. Visit www.foodsafetymonth.com each week for details on how you can win a free course.