By Nelson Hicks

As a society, we've come to rely more and more on others to prepare our food for us. This increased reliance on food professionals means that it's very important for those handling our food to maintain strict hygiene standards, especially in terms of washing their hands and the tools they use. If they didn't keep up these standards, the number of cases of disease caused by bacteria in foods would jump significantly.

We didn't always have our current knowledge of germs and bacteria, however, and sometimes the importance of hygiene still isn't respected in some places. To counteract this, the government enforces health codes and performs random inspections to keep our food clean.

Working in the food preparation industry requires that an individual be well-versed in food hygiene. In many areas that's still not enough - some people are required to take courses and receive certifications to show that they understand proper food handling.

In some cases, each employee requires certification, while in others, the restaurant as a whole must be certified. The rules regarding certification vary according to the geographical location.

If you operate a food service of some type, it's a good idea to call the local health board and inquire about the certifications that you need to operate. These calls don't provoke the health board into inspecting your place of business, so don't worry that you're making them suspicious.

It's more likely that they'll appreciate that you're trying to do the right thing, and will be more cooperative with you as time goes on.

Before you can receive your certification for food handling, you'll be required to take a course, or even a series of courses. These classes are usually offered online or at the local college or night school.

Carefully examine the topics that a class will cover before scheduling it. You want to be sure that it fits your needs beforehand. The requirements for certification can differ greatly between geographical areas. You might even find totally different requirements in another county of the same state. Study the regulations for your area and make sure that you're taking appropriate classes.

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