The agricultural engineers can create agricultural equipments and machinery or search for ways to improve processing of agriculture products.

Food, Biological and Agricultural (FAB) engineers are advancing the engineering in agricultural and biological systems, at the same time trying to strive serving society and improving human environment. FAB graduates tend to use their skills to solve and identify a variety of engineering problems which are related to distribution, processing and production of food and other by-products or products of biological systems.

Specializations After Completing Food Engineering Degree:

• Food Processing Operations
• Process and Product Development
• Food Safety
• Packaging
• Process and Quality Monitoring and Control
• Food Biotechnology

Biological and Chemical Engineering Certificate Programs:

• Current Energy Issues
• Biological Engineering
• Food Processing Specialist
• Food Process Engineering
• Pharmaceutical Engineering
• Particle Processing
• Process Operations Management
• Polymer Science and Engineering

Job opportunities for Food Engineers:

• Process and pharmaceutical industries
• Pood production industries, which includes the pasta industry, the dairy industry, the oil industry, the canning industry, the wine industry, the beverage industry
• Companies of food industry machinery
• Companies in the sector of the cold chain for transport and storage of frozen foods
• Technical structures for the control of industrial safety including food related issues or the environment
• Companies of transport, handling and production of flours
• Structures for big supermarket chains which work on the certification of product process/quality, the evaluation of the congruence of prices, the selection of products
• as Freelance technical advisor for production processes, plant certification and design of quality for medium and small -sized food companies;
• Companies of food packaging.

Food engineers are a very important part of the food production. Engineering principles are used to make more environmentally friendly and effective methods of food handling, distribution and creation. A degree is required to become a food engineer and a large amount of colleges in the United States are offering a wide range of degree levels and major concentrations from which the fiture students may choose.

Colleges and Univirsities Offering Food Engineering Degree

The University of Ohio

The University of Ohio is offering a Bachelor of Science in Biological, Agriculture and Food Engineering. The program is created for individuals who enter the engineering profession and teaches students different ways to effectively improve products and by-products related to food production and help the environment. The curriculum includes a wide range of courses including the arts, social sciences, the scientific and technical portion of engineering and humanities. Internships aren’t required but are highly recommended. After graduation, students are prepared for employment in ecological engineering, bio-environmental engineering, food engineering and other related fields.

The University of Illinois

The University of Illinois’ College of Engineering is offering an Agricultural & Biological Engineering program. As the university’s website provides, there are “two options for undergraduates which include a four-year program administered by the College of Engineering or a five-year program that combines agricultural and biological engineering and agricultural science.” During the chosen program, students can chose a more specialized area of expertise which includes Bioprocess and Food Engineering.

During the program, students are developing and testing new food products, evaluate and design new processes for manufacturing food products, analyze environmental factors in food production and evaluate energy efficiencies.

Cornell University

Cornell University is offering a doctorate and master’s program in Food Science and Technology. During the program, students can chose to major in food processing, dairy science or food engineering, additionally to other similar focusings. Every graduate student is required to assist in the teaching program for one semester and complete a seminar presentation.

To apply to the program, potential students must have a background in biochemistry, biology, microbiology or chemistry. Prior experience and training in the area is an added bonus. Every student must take the GREs and send their grades to the institution.

Pastry Chef Career

A successful pastry chef career may include creative menu planning, finishing desserts, and consulting with clients to create specialty desserts for upcoming events. Pastry chefs are responsible for preparing desserts, pastries, and breads. In addition, they are responsible for purchasing the ingredients that are used. In the largest kitchens, the pastry chef supervises a separate kitchen area and may supervise other chefs, including a bread maker (boulanger), the confiseur who makes candies and petits fours, the glacier who makes chilled and frozen desserts, and the decorateur who makes special show pieces.

Pastry chefs can find job in various settings. They may work in bakeries, catering companies, cafeterias, factories, and on cruise ships. Besides pastry chefs may own their own businesses, including wholesale and retail bakeries.

Pastry Chef Training

Nowadays many baking schools and culinary arts institutes offer a separate pastry chef training or pastry chef school program. This education allows students to focus primarily on the art of pastry making and baking instead of pursuing a comprehensive cooking or culinary arts degree. These types of pastry chef training programs offer intensive hands-on training, workshops, and even group projects where students learn how to master the art of baking in a contemporary kitchen setting. Pastry school courses emphasize on:

• Menu planning
• Plating dessert
• Dessert preparation technique
• and Cake decorating

During their education students are taught how to create a baking schedule for commercial kitchens. They take classes on operating their own catering company or business.

Types of Courses Offered by Pastry Chef Schools

The programs available at a pastry school may include:

• Associates Degree in Applied Science Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Culinary Arts
• Baking and Pastry Certificate

The courses and classes available at pastry chef schools include:

• International recipes for tartlets, pies, icings, and specialty cakes
• Cake decorating and sculptured icing
• Plating dessert and food presentation
• Candy making and chocolate sculpture
• Dough methods and pastry fillings
• Baking quick breads, cakes, and cookies
• Culinary theory and technique
• Display cakes and centerpieces
• Human resource management
• Food sanitation
• Catering basics
• Nutrition and food science
• Biology and physiology (for appropriate menu planning and dietary concerns)

It’s good to note that independent pastry schools often offer specialized programs such as French Pastry Chef Training or European Technique. These are sometimes very different from general education classes, and allow students a chance to learn comprehensive styles, skills, and applications. Specialized courses may include puff pastries, petits fours, tarts and fillings, and how to make perfect pate a choux (cream puffs).

• Zoo horticulture
• Organic farming
• Plant breeding
• or Conservatory management

Students of the degree in Horticulture Studies look at different kinds of plants and the way they grow. They might consider the link between horticulture, the environment and ecological processes. An undergraduate degree in Horticulture Studies is designed to provide students with a fundamental background in plant management, plant health and horticulture science. A graduate degree usually focuses on writing up research results for publication and scientific studies. General courses found at the graduate and undergraduate levels in Horticulture Studies are:

Environmental Horticulture

Environmental Horticulture (The Bachelor of Horticulture) tends to focus on applied and technical science training for the environmental horticulture, landscaping and amenity industries. The urbanisation’s environmental consequences are immense and environmental horticulture might play a major role in improving the amenity and quality of urban environments.

The Bachelor of Horticulture is usually created for TAFE graduates who want to pursue their already obtained qualifications and to those individuals who are in, or wishing to enter, previously mentioned industries. Arrangements to enter are in place to help with this articulation and are constantly updated.

Production Horticulture

Production Horticulture (The Bachelor of Horticulture) tends to focus on business management and technical training for the nut, fruit, flower and vegetable industries and emphasises the integration of the technology and science of horticulture with business management possibilities.

This integration of production technology with business skills in marketing, finance, law and people management aims to help to develop a multi-skilled professionals who are cabable of fulfilling leadership roles and a range of management in horticulure industries.

Horticulture Degree Programs

• Bachelor in Science in General Horticulture – Oregon State University
  As Horticulture major you will learn principles and practices associated with horticultural production within the context of plant pathology, pest management, soils and economics with applications in plant nutrition, pest management.

Undergraduate Horticulture Studies Courses

• Ornamental Herbaceous Plants – examines perennial plants and their design attributes (color, texture and form).
• Horticulture Science
• Plant Propagation – looks at the practice of managing of growing environments, plant biology and plant propagation.
• Plant Health
• Soil Science – examines soil types in addition to moisture, drainage and fertilizers capacity.
• Entomology – studies insects and the way they interact with horticultural crops.
• Plant Nutrition – covers a large amount of topics which include toxicities, fertilization and micro- and macronutrients.
• Plant Morphology – analyses plant development, structure and form from germination to maturity.
• Turf Grass – establishment, maintenance, different species and uses of turf grass.
• Plant Pathology – delves into management of plant health.
• Plant Management
• Horticulture Microbiology – studies microorganisms and their ecological interactions with plants.
• Urban Forestry – manages urban trees while using techniques from urban landscaping, engineering and planning.

Graduate Horticulture Studies Courses

• Plant Breeding – studies genetic principles in order to increase yield of crop plants and examination of techniques, such as polyploidy, interspecific hybridization and induced mutation.
• Seed Physiology – examines physiological process and molecular regulation in seed development, dormancy and germination.
• Genetic Techniques – studies tissue culture, protoplast fusion, somatic haploidy and instability.

Students obtaining a degree in horticulture spend four or more years learning the science and at the same time the art of working to develop vegetable and fruit plants, decorative plants and flowers, seedlings and seeds. In their studies graduates with a degree in horticulture have to find the fine balance which is required required in cultivation by working with air temperature, water, soil and light to receive the optimum effect for growth.

When the four years of field work and study are gone graduates with a degree in horticulture are prepared to oursue careers which may take them behind a desk or outdoors.  Since plant life is essential to human existence and plants are everywhere, careers for graduates with a degree in horticulture are very likely to be available abroad and throughout the country.

Pennsylvania State University

Main Campus – University Park, Pennsylvania

Degrees offered in this college  are:

• Certificate Program
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree

Horticulture Programs offered are:

• Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
• Agricultural and Extension Education Services
• Agricultural Economics
• Agriculture degree
• Agronomy and Crop Science
• Food Science
• Forest Sciences and Biology
• Forestry Technology/Technician
• General Agricultural Mechanization

How to Become Dairy Nutrition Consultant

If you plan to become a dairy nutrition consultant, you should get a bachelor’s degree in animal science. While it is possible to work your way up the ladder within a feed company, many farmers these days have degrees themselves and are starting to demand that their consultants have a bachelor’s degree as well, if not a master’s degree.

In a bachelor’s degree you will find it necessary to have courses in animal nutrition but you can’t start those without at least one course in chemistry. In the dairy industry, you would be expected to have a course in ruminant nutrition, as well as a course in ration formulation.

Courses for Dairy Nutrition Consultants

Courses that would be immensely helpful would be in anatomy and physiology, lactation physiology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. You would also find it useful to have a course in the management of dairy cattle and even possibly beef cattle. The latter would help you diversify as many farms have a dairy and a beef part of their operations.

An internship would be incredibly helpful as you look for other activities to strengthen your education and your resume. There are a tremendous number of conferences, both practical and scientific, that would be helpful not only as you are preparing for a foray into the field but certainly after you start as a dairy nutrition consultant.

One thing to remember is that consultants only get business and get paid if the farmers feel that their information and advice is worthwhile. Start networking now to build a good base of clients. Free advice to get them interested is always a good way to begin a relationship with a farmer.

Most bachelor’s degree programs in animal science provide students with a basic understanding of agribusiness, livestock culture and preparation of animals for food production purposes. These programs are most commonly offered at schools near agricultural centers in southern and western regions of the country.

• Oversee crews of employees
• Run ranches and farms
• Manage packing houses
• and Market and sell products.

Program Coursework

Master of Professional Studies in Animal Science

Program Coursework

Many M.P.S. programs allow students to have a broad focus and therefore take a variety of animal science courses. Alternately, they may allow – or even require – students to choose a specialization and thus take courses with a single focus.

Master of Science in Animal Science

Continuing Education

Associate’s Degree in Agriculture

Associate-level agriculture production degree programs can provide a student with the prerequisites which are necessary to apply to the foundation in the science of agriculture and the specialized university programs. Majority of the agriculture programs at the associate’s level now are focusing on the skills which are needed to operate farming equipment and agricultural machines. Students are also going to learn about the business aspects, caring for livestock and of the soil compositi of agriculture industry.

If you want to be admitted to an associate’s degree program in agriculture, you would need to have passed the GED (General Education Development) test or at least provide a high school diploma. Joining high school organizations such as the FFA (Future Farmers of America) can also be advantageous for the potential student.

Students who enroll in agriculture associate’s degree programs can gain very practical experience while learning the practices which they will use every day during their work lives. The coursework of the first year of majority of programs has classroom instruction as the focus, and at the same time during their second year students are getting field experience. Students are generally required to complete the following classes:

• Agricultural chemicals
• Livestock science
• Agricultural machinery operation
• Crop science
• Soil fertility

Associate’s degree programs in agriculture are used to prepare their graduates for entry-level careers in greenhouse or agricultural technology, as well as entry-level ranch or farm managers and field personnel. A large amount of people who enter the workforce with earned associate’s degree in agriculture can choose their career options from the list below:

• Farm manager
• Agricultural field work personnel
• Greenhouse technician
• Agricultural technician

Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture

Bachelor’s degree programs in agriculture are generally divided between programs that emphasize the plant cultivation, animal husbandry and science of soils and those focusing on managing food production systems. These programs, which are interdisciplinary, are directed towards students who want a great perspective of agriculture in order to engage in policy making or become effective managers.

Agriculture bachelor’s degree programs are looking for students who have strong skills in the natural sciences and mathematics. Students who are taking Advanced Placement high school courses in chemistry and biology generally have the necessary experience to apply for an agriculture bachelor’s degree program.

Majority of schools allow undergraduate agriculture applicants to choose a specialization for their degree, for example, such as agricultural business management or agricultural industry marketing. Majority of specializations consist of classes which focus on both the business and technological aspects of farming and agriculture. The topics, which are mentioned below are generally covered in agriculture bachelor’s degree programs:

• Agricultural research and statistics
• Food and agricultural marketing
• Livestock biometrics
• Agribusiness management
• Microeconomics in agriculture

Graduates, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, are provided with a solid foundation in a variety of fields within the whole discipline. Several Popular options are listed below:

• Ranch manager
• Livestock management
• Pest control
• Plant and soil systems technology
• Agricultural business and technology management

Online Bachelor Degree Program

• BS in General Agriculture – Oregon State University
  With a general agriculture degree, students have the opportunity to customize their curriculum by focusing on a minor or developing an emphasis area in fields like nutrition, animal sciences, crop and soil science and agricultural business management.

Master’s Degree in Agriculture

At the master’s level agriculture degree programs are created for agribusiness professionals wishing to advance their careers further. A large amount of soil and crop scientists who want to pursue research and teach also apply for master’s degree programs in agriculture People who wish to use their knowledges in developing nations to confront the problems of sustainable development and hunger are also generally interested in these programs.

Most master’s degree programs in agriculture only admit a few students each year, so only the most qualified applicants are admitted. Schools look for students who earned top grades in their undergraduate classes and scored well on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test.

Doctoral Degree Programs in Agricultural Economics

Doctoral degree programs in agricultural economics are designed to provide students with the knowledge, which is needed to pursue careers in managing agricultural businesses. These sudents also learn to research agriculture’s environmental impacts manage and food resources. A doctorate degree in agricultural economics at the same time prepares graduates to build their career as agriculture professors.

It’s first necessary to obtain a high school equivalency or diploma to receive a nutrition counseling certification. Each state of US provides information to its residents who want to obtain a general high school diploma. Usually, this can be taken care of with testing and study. Certification requirements differ state by state, however, in most cases it is necessary to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, food and nutrition or fields related. American Dietetic Association have approved hundreds of degree programs. You should check your state’s education requirements in order to find out exactly what do you need to receive saidcertification.

How to Choose Nitrition Schools

Obesity Counseling

It is extremely important to underline that degrees depend on the nature of chosen school. Many universities offer master’s degrees in nutrition, which will give a possibility for the nutrition graduate to practice or teach in a hospital setting as a dietitian specialist. It should be noted that the courses, which emphasize holistic medicine or “whole foods” (foods as unaltered from their natural state as possible) are the best choice if a student is showing interest in natural medicine. Several other nutrition schools offer courses which are related to cooking whole foods or the use of food in Oriental medicine. There are also some classes which can be taken as continuing education for licensed practitioners in order to expand their knowledge.

Once all the requirements for education have been achieved, you should double-check the certification procedure in your state. Some states before certification is given to nutrition counselors can require internships to be performed. If this is your case, you should talk to the school where you received nutrition and dietary classes; it is likely to have options in place to give you help in your career.

Nutrition Counseling Certification Program

Once you have completed your studies, obtaining a nutrition counseling certification is not a very difficult process. Every state has an applicationyou will need to complete, and many of them can be easily obtained online. You should describe any completed internships and list your educational achievements on the application. Majority of states charge an application fee from $150 to $400.

Nationwide groups such as the AFPA (American Fitness Professionals and Associates) provide their students with certification programs and accredited courses, which can be completed with a help of distance learning. A nutrition consultant program, which AFPA offers, requires only a high school-level education to start with.

To double-check or find a nutrition counseling certification program, you should check the American Dietetic Association for Registered Dietitians’ CADE (Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education) listings for information about nutrition and dietetics programs across the United States.

There are two ways to do screening for obesity: either using centrally located body weight or BMI (body mass index), the recommendations say. Patients with a BMI of 25-29.9 are considered overweight; partiens with a BMI above 30 are considered obese.

Assessed by measuring waist circumference, centrally located body weight can help screen for cardiovascular disease, the quidelines say. Women with waist circumferences of more than 35 inches and men with waist circumferences of more than 40 inches have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. It must be noted that the recommendations say that these measurements might not be accurate for people with more than 35 BMI.

Online Degree Programs in Catering

• Penn Foster Career School – Caterer
  Learn how to prepare everything from hors d’oeuvres to complete ten-course meals. Train at home and get the skills you need to be part of this creative and profitable field.
• Ashworth College – Gourmet Cooking and Catering
  Courses will cover the proper handling and selecting of foods, developing menus for all occasions, planning special events banquets, and providing excellent table service.

Start with Degree in Culinary Arts

A degree in culinary arts can become a gateway to a rewarding career such as a professional caterering, serving and preparing food for restaurants and other institutions or even running your own cooking business. To pursue this career you should have the creativity, talent, management skills and drive to graduate with an associate’s degree in culinary sciences. If it is the case, you should go on to operate a successful catering business.

Rewarding and fast-paced careers in the culinary arts and catering are available with the help of an associate degree in professional catering and food sciences. Graduates might work in restaurants, clubs or hotels or as self-employed caterers, serving and cooking food from cuisines around the world. Acquiring an associate degree in professional catering can help to educate students about modern recipe selection, food-preparation techniques, menu planning, nutrition, and other key areas of the culinary arts. Students in culinary associate programs must be creative, clean, fit, and driven.

Online catering certificate programs are created the way to help students to complete them without ever setting their foot in a classroom. Relying on a combination of training videos, textbooks, online coursework and do-at-home labs, these programs let students walk through culinary techniques and also expect them to practice and follow along using their own equipment and kitchen tools.

Catering Degree Coursework

Catering degree coursework is usually divided into units, with each of them devoted to a specificied topic, and when a student finishes a unit and takes the online exam, he receives all the study materials for the unit subsequent. Online certificate programs can be completed in anywhere from a few months to several years, depending on the student’s preference.

Graduates will learn a variety of cooking skills. They’ll also get training in the business of catering.

Common requirements:

• Personnel
• Kitchen operations
• Cost control
• Menu planning
• Baking
• Culinary arts
• Etiquette
• Cooking principles
• Beverage management

Associate Degree in Catering

Getting an associate degree in catering, culinary arts, and cooking help students to acquire knowledge about how to plan menus, buy supplies and food, present food in a professional manner, and use many cooking techniques. It also requires skill in personnel matters and financial planning, being a caterer.

An associate degree in professional catering may put students on the high way to success either as an independent entrepreneur or as part of a large organization. The presentation, cooking and planning skills taught in culinary arts programs usually come in handy while performing in dozens of different jobs.

Career in Food Service Industry

Catering Degree

The food service industry is continually expanding, and professional caterers are more and more in demand. Culinary skills are really needed for large institutions as well as clubs and restaurants. From large corporate events to weddings, caterers play a main role. Actually, the bls.gov, U.S. Department of Labor, is anticipating a sixteen percent rise in the need for professional cooks and caterers between 2003 and 2013.

Beginning salaries, according to Salary.com, for catering coordinators are in the thirty-six thousand dollars range. There are many opportunities for fast advancement in the industry, and salaries rise quickly for those who acquire management positions.

Catering students with a B.S. degree will, depending on their professional experience, most likely be prepared to take on a supervisory role in the kitchen. There are reports that, even though there is high turnover for this segment of the job market, the most desirable jobs (at the more expensive, exclusive establishments) are very competitive. The BLS also reports that in May 2009 head cooks and chefs in special food services (meaning catering), made an average of $45,340 per year.

Restaurant Management Degree

When opening a new restaurant, restaurant managers determine the ambience of the restaurant. They may work independently or with interior designers to choose the décor, dishes, furniture and fabrics used in the restaurant. Restaurant manager may also determine the restaurant’s atmosphere and theme, the entertainment and music in the restaurant.

There are some other responsibilities of restaurant managers. For instance, they are responsible for what goes on in the kitchen. They work closely with the chef on the menu and food preparation. They must hire and fire staff, hold meetings.

The business affairs of the restaurant are also a part of the manager’s job. The manager must oversee the ordering of supplies and materials and keep the books balanced.

Restaurant managers work generally 50 hours or more per week. They can be the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night. Managers of institutional food service facilities, such as school, factory, or office cafeterias, work more regular hours because the operating hours usually conform to the operating hours of the business or facility they serve. Managers typically advance to larger establishments or regional management positions within restaurant chains.

Online Programs in Restaurant Management

• Penn Foster Career School – Hotel/Restaurant Management

  The Penn Foster Hotel/Restaurant Manager program can give you a real advantage over others. As a Hotel/Restaurant Managers you can work in restaurants, bed and breakfasts, or even manage franchises for major hotel chains. Penn Foster Career School is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)

• The Art Institute of Pittsburgh – Online Division

  The Hotel and Restaurant Management program will develop your understanding of both front room and front office procedures, enhanced by a working knowledge of the kitchen preparation process and other essential behind-the-scenes operations.The Art Institute Online is a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).

• Other schools with restaurant management degrees.

Bachelor’s Degrees in Restaurant Management

A Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management consists of liberal arts, business, and specialized courses in technical applications. The courses combine theory and skill development with an emphasis on practical work experience.

A bachelor’s degree  completion program is designed for working culinary professionals who have an associate’s degree in culinary arts. During their education, students study business courses such as human resource management, accounting, hospitality law and ethics. In addition, programs usually include courses in marketing, customer service, communication and leadership.

Certification and Licensure

Nowadays certification is not required for employment or advancement in the occupation. However, voluntary certification provides recognition of your professional competence.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation grants 2 forms of individual credentials:

• The Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) designation – requires assessments, including examinations and an evaluation of education and/or experience.
• A Certificate of Course Completion verifies the learner has successfully completed courses in food service management topics.

Job Opportunities with a Restaurant Management Degree

After completing all courses and training requirements from restaurant management school, graduates can explore several career and job opportunities in the hospitality, resort, travel and leisure industries. If you have completed restaurant management training, you may choose one from the following list of careers:

• Food Service Manager
• Gaming Manager
• Food Preparation Supervisor
• Restaurant Trainer
• Sales Worker Supervisor
• Lodging Manager
• Banquet and Facilities Manager
• General Manager
• Purchasing and Inventory Manager

Almost all of these positions are open to those who have completed a formal restaurant management training program or received a degree in a related field. Jobs are readily available in the corporate setting and at privately owned restaurants, hotels, resorts and banquet facilities.

Hospitality and Restaurant Management Training: Programs and Courses

The programs and courses offered as part of a restaurant management degree or training program usually include:
Best Practices for Hospitality and Food Service

• Facilities Maintenance Convention and Meeting Planning
• Banquet Planning
• Staff Management
• Wine Service Protocol
• Nutrition
• Food Sanitation
• Purchasing Procedures
• Cost Control
• Business Law
• Accounting Practices in the Food and Hotel Business
• Beverage Management

Hospitality and Restaurant Management Online Degree

Nowadays students have a unique opportunity to complete a restaurant management online degree. The restaurant management training program completed in an online setting may require students to:

• participate in online discussion forums throughout the week;
• submit assignments and quizzes over the web;
• collaborate with other students on projects and assignments;
• and download or watch lectures online.

Since students do not have the ability to take part in hands-on learning in an online environment, they may be required to complete an internship or work-study program in conjunction with their class work to receive their degree, diploma or certification in the field. Students may also be required to use special software and computer programs to get hands-on experience with point of service (POS) software used by hospitality professionals today.

If you want to become a certified food handler in Illinois, the following information may be useful for you.

Actually, in Illinois, there are 3 ways a person can be certified as a food service sanitation manager.

You can complete a Department approved 15-hour FSSMC course. Then you should successfully pass a state examination with a score of at least 75 percent and pay a $35 certificate fee to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Illinois FSSMC examination

Food Sanitation Manager

The second way is to obtain a written waiver from IDPH for a course you have taken elsewhere. Then, you should complete the Illinois FSSMC examination with a score of at least 75 percent and pay the $35 certificate fee to IDPH. A person may qualify for a course waiver if he/she has completed a course that was at least 15 hours in length and contained, at a minimum, the same material content as the Illinois course. It’s very important to underline that the course must have been completed within the last 5 years.

The third way is to qualify for a certificate through reciprocity. If you hold a food service manager certificate issued by the Chicago Department of Public Health, you should submit a copy, along with a completed FSSMC request form, to IDPH and ask that an Illinois food service sanitation manager certificate be issued through reciprocity. After the Department verifies the authenticity of your certificate from the city of Chicago, you will be mailed a FSSMC application, which should be completed and returned to IDPH along with the $35 certificate fee.

Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification

The Illinois Department of Public Health requires that all food service establishments that prepare and serve food will be required to have a certified food service manager on the premises at all times food is being handled. In addition, certificate holders must renew their license by attending an approved food safety refresher course.

In association with the Foodservice Operators’ Training Achievement Program, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers:

• Online Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification (FSSMC) Course approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
• Online Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification Refresher Course approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Both courses provide an engaging, interactive way to reinforce your understanding of food safety, using online games, animation and videos.