According to estimated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, consumers spend nearly half of every food dollar they spend on food that has been prepared commercially. That trend might contribute to the fact that foodborne illnesses cost consumers nearly $7 billion, according to the Economic Research Service of the USDA. In order to keep food clean and safe, food handlers will want to earn a food handling certificate. A great food handling course that allows individuals to earn a food handling certificate will provide lots of useful information, tips, and techniques about how to make sure that bacteria does not build up and individuals will not get sick.

There are many different bacteria that an individual who eats food that was not handled with proper food and sanitation techniques. One of them is eColi, whose symptoms might not occur until 2 to 5 days after it is eaten, but include abdominal cramps and severe abdominal cramps. By taking a food safety course and earning a food handling certificate, individuals who handle food regularly can make sure that the eColi bacteria stays off the food they sell. As a result, food handling certificates can go a long way towards making sure that people stay healthy.

In addition to eColi, if someone does not have a food handling certificate and acts inappropriately when handling food, they might cause individuals to get infected with the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni. If that happens, the person who ingested the bacteria might end up having to deal with Guillain Barre syndrome, which involves muscle weakness and, in some cases, paralysis. Taking the time to earn a food handling certificate will allow individuals to learn the best ways of keeping food safe so that dangerous bacteria like this do not spread.

A great food protection certificate will provide the people who participate in it with all kinds of facts and information, in addition to the techniques they need to master to earn a food handling certificate. For instance, that course might explain details that might get overlooked, like the fact that honey should not be fed to infants who are under a year old because of the risk of botulism. Only the best training courses will provide this kind of information, which makes them a great resource for anyone who is willing to spend time learning those kinds of facts while gaining a food handling certificate.