Welcome to the on-line Food Handler’s class! You are probably here because your employer informed you that you must have a food handler card to work in a food-service establishment. But did you know that a food handler card is required by law in Bryan-College Station?

Bryan City Ordinance Ch 50 (sec 50 -33)

College Station City Ordinance Ch 7(5)(F)(2)

Each person working in a food establishment, handling food,
shall obtain a valid food handler’s permit. It is an offense for
an employee to begin to work or for an employer to hire any
person who does not have a permit by the first day of
employment. This permit is to be issued by the county health
department in accordance with all requirements for such instruction
and /or examinations for disease as the health authority may
designate. The permit shall be valid for such a time as the health
authority may designate, but not to exceed four years. The permit
shall be kept on file by the county health authority, which shall in
turn issue to the food handler a card attesting to the validity of the
permit.

Why would the cities require this? It is because the food handler is of primary importance in preventing food-borne illness. Food that looks good may not be safe to eat. Hands that look clean may have harmful bacteria on them that can spread illness to others.

When you have read this material and are ready to take the Food Handler’s test, you will know how to:

1. Keep food at safe temperatures.
2. Properly wash your hands and handle ready-to-eat foods.
3. Prevent contamination of foods.
4. Check where clean, safe foods come from and how to store them.
5. Clean and sanitize dishes and food contact surfaces.

All of this is designed with one goal in mind – to prevent food-borne illness.
Besides being a food handler, you are no doubt also a consumer. Always treat the customer’s food the way you would want someone to treat food that you and your family may eat.

If you have questions concerning foodhandling practices, call Brazos County Health Department, Environmental Health Services at 979-361-4450 for help.

At the end of this web site there is a glossary, a sort of dictionary. The words that are in italics like this are found in the glossary.

To view some required material on this website, you will need to have free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

One last note about this website. If you wish to read this website "cover to cover" so as not to miss any information, just read each page from top to bottom then click on the green arrow at the bottom. When you reach the glossary you will have read the entire manual.

FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE TESTING

READ	THE FOLLING WEB MANUAL BEFORE COMING TO TAKE THE TEST
Location	Brazos County Health Department 201 North Texas Avenue Bryan, Texas 77803 (Corner of William J. Bryan and Texas Avenue)
Cost	$25.00 Testing fee and card (cash or local check only) $3.00 Duplicate food handler card
Testing Times	Monday-Friday 9AM-4PM Call 361-4450 to schedule a test time

You will be asked to provide photo I.D. Please bring it with you.

If card is lost or stolen, a duplicate card with the original expiration date is available for $2.

For further information call 979-361-4450