Food Service Sanitation Courses in Illinois
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What does the term “food sanitation” mean? Food sanitation is a series of protocols designed to prevent the contamination of food, keeping it safe to eat. The practice of food sanitation is very important to people in the food industry, at every step of the supply chain from workers in the fields to waiters at restaurants. However, home cooks also need to observe the basics of food sanitation for safety.
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.
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