The ServSafe Food Safety Manager course, conducted by Penn State Extension, will be held at the Penn State Extension Chester County office, 601 Westtown Road, Suite 370, West Chester. The course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 15. The exam will begin at 1 p.m. on Jan. 15. This course will be conducted in Spanish.

These in-person trainings, taught by certified ServSafe instructors, will help participants learn how to prevent contamination of food by properly receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, cooling, and serving the food, as well as proper methods of sanitizing food service facilities.

After completing the course and passing the multiple-choice exam with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certificate. This certification is good for five years.

The course fee will cover the cost of the most recent edition of the ServSafe Manager book, as well as the exam, answer sheet, and learning materials. To attend the course and exam, participants should register by Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, at https://extension.psu.edu/food-safety-2024.

The TAP Online Food Safety Manager Certification course helps food service managers, chefs, caterers, cooks, health officials and inspectors prepare to take a Food Protection Manager exam, such as ServSafe, that meets regulatory guidelines for a certified food protection manager. The online portion can be taken anytime, but the exam is in person and proctored at a scheduled location.

After completing the online course and passing the multiple-choice, proctored exam with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a Food Protection Manager Certificate, which meets the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture requirement for food safety certification. This certification is valid for five years. Anyone who is uncertain whether he or she needs certification should contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Region 7 office at 610-489-1003.

The online course is self-paced, can be started anytime throughout the year and must be completed within 180 days of enrollment. To register, visit the aforementioned website.