Show your customers that your Cottage Foods are safe

Non-profit organizations and cottage food law operators can learn new practices and become certified with Michigan State University Extension ServSafe® classes at convenient Michigan locations.

Many people and organizations find themselves handling and preparing food outside of restaurant or institutional settings which require licensing and certification. Recent changes to the Michigan Food Law have permitted the preparation of a limited amount of certain food items for direct sales in home kitchens under theCottage Food Law provisions. These situations provide opportunity for sales, product exploration, or service, but they also involve risk for food-borne illness.

One way to address food-borne illness risk is to learn and apply food preparation industry standards by becomingServSafe®National Restaurant Association certified. ServSafe® best practices, training materials and certification tests developed by the meet state requirements for licensed food service establishments. A working knowledge of food safety, foodborne microorganisms and allergens, food handling, preparation, storage, and serving, and kitchen sanitation will help the business or organization produce a safe food product. Commitment to practices at the highest standard through ServSafe® certification can also set one food business apart from another in the eye of the customer.

Michigan State University Extension has scheduled training and certification exams at numerous locations in Michigan. Certified instructors conduct a two-day session which provides participants who attend the 16 hours of training and answer 75 per cent of the exam questions correctly a ServSafe® certificate.  Training materials and certification exams are available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Korean. For dates, locations and registration go on-line at: http://web2.canr.msu.edu/servsafe or call Jan Seitz at 517-788-4292.

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