The Cornell Food Industry Management Distance Education Program (DEP) is offering food-safety certification programs for food retailers at both the state and national levels.

The Food Protection Certification Program was developed in cooperation with the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), a non-profit association in Washington, D.C., to help food retailers nationwide keep the foods they prepare, store and sell safe to eat. Over 3,000 people throughout the United States and Canada have received certification during the past two years.

The DEP and FMI offer food-safety certification at the instructor, manager and associate levels. All levels require completion of certain DEP courses: Instructors and managers must take Food Store Sanitation, a comprehensive course on food safety, and associates must complete the Food Safety Handbook. The textbooks used in both courses were written by Robert Gravani, Cornell professor of food science, and the study guides by Janelle Tauer, Cornell assistant director of the DEP. Optional food-safety training tools include CD-ROMs developed by the DEP on food industry personal hygiene, and cleaning and sanitizing.

Cornell/FMI training materials are based on the Food Code, a food-safety reference issued by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Certification requirements also include participation in a workshop and a passing score on a proctored examination. Fees are $95 for instructor and manager certification and $45 for associate certification. The fees cover the cost of the training materials, examination and certificate.

The DEP and the Cornell Institute of Food Science, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, also offer a food-safety certification program to food retailers in New York state. The training materials are based on state regulations. The cost of this program is $45.

For more information on both the national and state-level programs, contact Janelle Tauer at (607) 255-7680 or jrt6@cornell.edu.