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Family and Consumer Sciences

Ohio State University Extension

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Food Safety

Food Safety

Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences professionals offer a variety of food safety programming throughout the state.  The manner in which people handle and prepare food is a major reason why foodborne illness occurs.  People must alter their food handling behavior, but they must first have the knowledge and skills that are known to protect food from contamination with pathogens before they have the capacity to change their behavior.  Education provides the knowledge and skills Ohio citizens need to reduce incidence of foodborne illness and to reduce the impact on health care costs.

Family and Consumer Sciences' food safety programs include the following.

  • ServSafe®: A multiple day food safety training course for Ohio food service managers (Ohio Food Service Manager/qualifies for Ohio Certification in Food Protection certificate)
  • Employee Food Safety Training: A one-day or less course of hands-on activities and discussion designed to increase food safety knowledge and awareness. (Ohio Person in Charge)
  • Occasional Quantity Cooks: Training for Extension volunteers/employees who provide leadership to the preparation and/or service of food at sponsored events
  • Pathway to Food Safety: Five food safety video lessons developed for grocery store non-management employees

Healthy People-Food Safety topics vary from county to county around the state, and the following is more information on the aforementioned programs:

Recalls and Outbreaks at foodsafety.gov

Food Safety Training & Certification

ServSafe® is a nationally recognized food safety training and certification program established by the National Restaurant Association.  The ServSafe® food safety training and certification program is recognized by more jurisdictions than any other food safety program.  Ohio State University Extension offers ServSafe® trainings across the state that fit every organization's needs, in a variety of training methods.  

Occasional Quantity Cooks

Ohio State University Extension provides training for Extension volunteers and employees who provide leadership to the preparation and/or service of food at sponsored events. Contact Kate Shumaker (shumaker.68@osu.edu), Holmes County Extension educator, for more information.

Occasional Quantity Cooks training materials are designed to raise your awareness and increase your knowledge regarding food safety. 

Home Food Preservation

Gardeners and other lovers of fresh produce are often interested in extending the season's bounty by learning more about home-preserving fruits and vegetables. Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences home food preservation workshop focus on teaching the basics of home canning and preservation. We emphasize the science behind preservationso than everyone who cans or freezes fresh fruits and vegetables understands why certain procedures must be followed precisely to ensure a high-quality, safe product that they and their family can enjoy.
 
Home Food Preservation educational offerings typcially address:
  • Basic food safety principles.
  • How to use a water bath canner and a pressure canner.
  • Canning tomatoes, pickling, and making jams and jellies.
  • Freezing fruits and vegetables.
  • Accessing reliable research-backed resources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, OSU Extension, and others.