K-State Research and Extension

It is a treat to eat out at a favorite restaurant or community event. Consumers expect the food to be safe. It is up to the food handlers to provide the safest meal possible.

Preparing food for the public, whether at a volunteer group fund-raiser, or at a restaurant, often means dealing with larger quantities of food than those used at home. With larger amounts of food, different food practices and special attention to detail become critical.

A Servsafe basic food handler short course for food service employees and volunteer groups will be held on Tuesday, September 19, from 1:30 to 4:00 pm at the Cottonwood Extension District Extension- Great Bend Office at 1800 12th Street in Great Bend. I will be the instructor for the course as part of my duties with the new Cottonwood Extension District. The cost is $10 per person and includes the Servsafe Food Handler Guide, a nationally-recognized food safety training guide, plus other training materials and refreshments. Registration is due two weeks in advance to accommodate ordering of materials.

The class covers basic food safety principles, personal hygiene, preventing cross-contamination, food allergens, time and temperature controls, cleaning and sanitation. This course would be appropriate for commercial food service employees, dietary staff at nursing homes, hospitals and schools, and volunteer groups who serve concession stands, church dinners, community meals or fund-raisers. A certificate of attendance will be provided to each participant.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that each year one in six Americans gets sick from a foodborne illness. On average, 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3000 people die from something they eat every year. Foodborne illness is highly under-reported, and outbreaks DO happen in Kansas.
The economic impact of foodborne illness is staggering. The CDC estimates that foodborne illness costs $15.5 billion annually, which includes factors such as direct medical costs, lost wages, time lost, and pain and suffering. That makes the average cost of one foodborne illness incident about $77,000. Proper food safety is important to reduce illness, but also to protect reputations and reduce costs and legal repercussions for those who serve food to the public.

Plan to attend the upcoming Servsafe food handler training. Register and pay fees by Tuesday, September 5 at the Cottonwood Extension District- Great Bend Office at 620-793-1910 to ensure adequate training materials and class supplies. Drop-ins cannot be accommodated for this class. Enrollment is considered complete when fees are paid. A minimum attendance is required by the deadline for this class to be held.

For more information or to obtain a registration form, call the Hays Office of the Cottonwood Extension District at 785-628-9430.