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City uses new food safety training program

More than 160 local food establishments have begun the City of Madison Department of Public Health's new Safe Food Crews recommended food safety training.

The Department of Public Health developed the Safe Food Crew program about a year ago. It is already widely recognized in the food service industry as one of the most effective ways to inform and train employees about the importance of sanitary precautions, according to a release.

Environmental Health Sanitarian Doug Voegeli said the department always required managers to be certified in food safety, but the managers often neglected to pass information onto the employees serving the food.

"Our program just makes [training] easier for employers, so employees get all the information they need," Voegeli said.

All of the materials for the program are free and accessible online.

According to Voegeli, there are 15 interactive demonstrations on their website known as modules, each one focusing on a specific aspect of food safety, such as hand washing and personal hygiene.

Susan Bulgrin, manager of Culver's on Todd Drive and member of the Safe Food Advisory Committee, said each module lasts between 20 and 30 minutes.

"We encourage discussion and questions, so our modules are taking about 45 minutes," Bulgrin said.

To encourage more restaurants to participate in the program, the Safe Food Crew developed a window decal, aimed to show customers the staff cares about sanitation and safety.

Food establishments can receive the decal if they train a certain percentage of employees and complete five of the 15 modules in a 12-month period. Josh Hughes, Vice President of the Hughes Seafood Company, felt completion of all 15 modules was important however.

"The modules don't take long, and we're a small family business, so we just got together and completed all of them," Hughes said.

Voegeli and Bulgrin both said many restaurants are completing all of the modules because they are easy to administer, easy to follow and most find them extremely helpful.

"Our restaurant went for 100 percent because we value quality and safety issues with food," Bulgrin said. "I just didn't feel that any module was more or less important than another."

Most restaurants are trying to train as many employees as possible, even though the Safe Food Crew only requires 10 percent of the employees be trained. Bulgrin said over 85 percent of Culver's employees have gone through training, and added she will soon require everyone to complete the modules, even employees who have little contact with food.

According to Voegeli, customers will recognize restaurants' increased efforts to improve food safety. Overall, the goal of the new program is to recognize restaurants taking extra precautions and provide quick and easy materials for those that do not.

"Customers will realize the restaurant cares about food safety and they will return, and they might even seek out restaurants that require Safe Food Crew training," Bulgrin said.

Currently, nine food establishments in Madison display the Safe Food Crew decal, including Campus Inn and Chancellor's Club, Damon's, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Hughes Seafood Company, Monty's Blue Plate Diner, State Street Brats, The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co. and the Nitty Gritty.