Retail Food Safety

My apologies for the long email in advance... but I wanted to be responsive to questions and issues that you may have related to Retail Food Safety programs.

About a week ago, I had a conference call with my advisory committee (Vickie Hadley, Joan Younce, Karen Richey, Brenda Hagedorn) to discuss some questions related to Retail Food Safety Programs that are offered in our state. As a follow up to that discussion, I thought I would provide a brief summary of some of the issues and questions that arose.

1. What is the current situation regarding the new ServSafe program materials?

As you likely know, every 2 years the FDA Food Code is updated and about every 4 years a new edition of the ServSafe instructional materials becomes available. Updates are normally made to the textbook, to the CD containing Powerpoint presentations, to the participant activities, and to the videos that accompany the program. This year, there have been more extensive changes made to the ServSafe materials (now in the 5^th edition), making the program far better than before. You can learn more about these changes by going to the following helpful website http://www.servsafe.com/Foodsafety/Overview/.

In the past, we (on campus) have made an effort to provide a number of CDs and videos to the Restaurant and Hospitality Association of Indiana (RHAI). As programs were advertised at the county level, RHAI would provide the program materials as needed and as requested. In the past, we also provided a copy of the newest version of the ServSafe textbook for instructor use. We were able to do this from funds that were provided from RHAI to my office from each program that Extension Educators offered.

About 2 years ago, based on the recommendation from my advisory committee and from consultation with Karen Zotz, we changed the structure for the "transfer of funds" from RHAI. In these last 2 years, most of these funds were sent directly back to the county level - providing funds directly back into your pockets. While this was beneficial for individual Extension Educators, there are some drawbacks. My office does not have the financial resources and flexibility that we once did. As an example, after the February 14^th training this year in Indianapolis, my retail food safety account that supports this program is NEGATIVE $800. My office ended up offering the February 14^th, 2008 training/certification using gift funds that I received from industry. As you may now understand, my office does not have the financial resources to afford the purchase of the new curriculum and for the new textbooks associated with the 5^th edition of ServSafe.

Fortunately, RHAI has stepped up to the plate! They have purchased 7 copies of the instructor CDs and a number of new textbooks. They have done this using funds NOT RECEIVED from our Extension-based programs. The general idea is that RHAI will "check out" CDs as programs are offered through Extension and then expect them to be returned after completion of the program so that they can then be available for other Educators. As Educators offer programs for the first time using these new materials, a new version of the textbook will also be sent to them. As more programs are offered, we hope to set aside funds to purchase more CDs and more textbooks. At this point, it doesn't make sense to purchase the videos... as they are very expensive ($500 +/set).

As much as we would like, at this time we cannot provide a copy of the book to every Extension Educator, immediately. Funds are just not there.

Since these funds have been sent to the county level the past few years, many Extension Educators (that have been offering the programs) should have some funds to purchase a textbook and/or CD for themselves and/or for health department partners... if they desire to have these materials sooner. I know that several Extension Educators have expressed this interest. More information about the purchase of these materials from the National Restaurant Association can be obtained at: http://www.servsafe.com/catalog/ProductList.aspx?SCID=5&RCID=1.

2. How different are the new ServSafe materials?

They are very different... but, I think much better. After hearing of some of the difficulties, I purchased a CD for my own use a couple of weeks ago, to learn how the materials are different. It is important that you take some time to learn about what the new CD contains and how the new 16-hour program is laid out. For more help, my office has provided more information on our Purdue Food Safety website at https://www.foodsci.purdue.edu/outreach/retailfoodsafety/educators/ to help you understand these new ServSafe materials better. Within this website, go to the tab marked "Educators" to find the most current information about ServSafe, as well as for Food Safety Day and for the new Re-Certification program that we are offering. I might also suggest that if you are offering a program in the near future to call on an Extension Educator that has already offered a program using the new materials. Information about program offerings and instructor contact information is also available on the website https://www.foodsci.purdue.edu/outreach/retailfoodsafety/educators/ - go to the tab marked as "workshops."

3. What are the new requirements for Instructors and Proctors?

Along with the new edition of ServSafe also came along new requirements for Instructors and Exam Proctors. Part of the requirement was to update your ServSafe certification. This was one of our outcomes at the February 14^th training - that's why you took the exam. Another requirement is to take an open book exam before September 30, 2008. We spent about 30 minutes walking Educators through this process at the February 14^th training. A copy of that presentation (my presentation) is available on the Purdue Retail Food Safety Website https://www.foodsci.purdue.edu/outreach/retailfoodsafety/educators/ - go to the "Educator" tab and look under "general information". Additional information is also available from the National Restaurant Association at: http://www.servsafe.com/IRC/IP/default.aspx?Opt=N.

4. What if I missed the February 14^th training, how can I be recertified or how can new Educators be certified so that they can teach the program?

The best way to become certified or recertified is to attend another scheduled program that an Extension Educator is offering in the state (dates and locations are on the website). You can attend the training and/or just sit for the exam. Any costs for this would need to be provided by the Extension Educator taking the program. The same protocol should be followed for interested Health Department partners.

5. Please use the website... it contains a lot of great information!

A considerable amount of time and effort was put forth to develop a website that is helpful to Extension Educators. Our team tries to put as much information on this website as we can including materials offered at all of our programs (including the one that we held this past February). As we "track" users to this system we find that not many Educators are actually using the website to get information or to have their questions answered. As you might expect, my staff is a bit frustrated. I personally spend about $10,000/year (from gift funds, etc.) to support part of my staffs time. There are costs associated with their time and with my financial resources (which I am happy to provide). I want to be sure that these costs are worth it and beneficial to the program.

Please try to use the website as the gateway to information and/or let us know how we can make it better for your use.

6. Do I need the new book to prepare for the on-line instructor exam (that needs to be done by September 30, 2008)?

No. This online exam contains questions that are mostly (95% or higher) from content that has been taught for the past 4 years. Given that we had a 100% percent pass rate on February 14^th, I would suspect that this task would be an easy one.

7. Where do I get information and the protocol for the new Recertification program?

We have added a new area to the website https://www.foodsci.purdue.edu/outreach/retailfoodsafety/educators/ - "Recertification program" that includes presentations given at the February 14^th meeting in Indianapolis, as well as instructions and protocols for how to use this new program. Note that the PowerPoint slides are updated to keep them current. If you plan to offer a program in the near future, make sure that you download the most recent and more correct version of the slides.

8. Where do I go for questions?

Certainly start with our office - staff contact information is on our Retail Food Safety website https://www.foodsci.purdue.edu/outreach/retailfoodsafety/educators/ - under the "Staff" tab. You can also contact any member of my advisory committee (Vickie Hadley, Karen Richey, Joan Younce, Brenda Hagedorn). Stephanie Higgins from RHAI should also be able to answer most questions that you have.

I understand in the past that Karen Zotz has received many questions and also some complaints about this program. I am not sure that this is the most efficient way to work through your questions or issues. Please copy me, as you contact Karen, with any direct question that you have about the program so that we can avoid an unnecessary exchange of communication. We cannot make things better unless we know what the issues are.

At present, Vickie Hadley and Cindy Barnett have used the 5^th edition of the ServSafe materials to teach a recent program - they would be a great person to talk with before other educators offer that program. Karen Richey has offered the new Re-certification program, so she would be a good first point of contact for this program.

9. What does it mean when I receive "instructor" exams from ServSafe with the regular exams?

It is my understanding that when the "regular" exams are sent to instructors for ServSafe programs that "instructor" exams may also be sent in addition. The instructor exams are used as part of the new process for instructors and proctors - this is the same exam that everyone took February 14^th in Indianapolis. The instructor exams are not intended to be used by the regular participants, but they may be used for Extension Educators that were not able to attend the February 14^th meeting or for new Extension Educators that have not participated in this program in the past.

10. The overall goal

At the end of the day, I think the main goal is to offer quality instruction for retail food handlers in the state of Indiana... and to build upon the relationships that we have worked hard to develop with our local and state health departments. As we move forward, it is going to take some effort from all of us (on campus staff, RHAI, county Educators) to keep this available and productive program.

I hope that I have been able to address any questions or issues that you may have.