Food Safety in Toronto
Toronto takes food safety very seriously. The local health authorities are concerned with reducing the cases of foodborne illness in the city – that means requiring all food establishments to train its staff in food safety and sanitation. The main body that governs food safety is the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care e local health units in each city; they are in charge of the Food Safety Training in Toronto – including our program at Toronto First Aid.
The program required by Ontario’s bylaws is a food safety and sanitation program approved by the Toronto Local Health Authorities. It so happens that our food safety program is approved by Toronto’s health authorities, so you can receive training and certification from us that is valid all over the city and the province of Ontario.
Learning Food Safety Training in Toronto
Our food safety and sanitation training program can be taken in a classroom set-up or self-study. The former is your typical, day-long course (certification exams are taken at a separate date), with students learning food safety through classroom and laboratory lessons. Qualified trainers watch over the students, ensuring that they are able to follow the curriculum and practice the skills correctly.
The self-study program is cheaper because students only need to buy the workbook and schedule the certification exam. In this program, we allow students to study the course material at their own pace, at home or in one of our libraries/designated classrooms.
To become certified, students have to take the certification exam. Self-study students have to pay for the exam separately. The exam is included in the training fee of the full training course. If you pass the exam, you will be awarded a food safety training credential that expires five years after it is first issued.
Looking at foodborne illness
The major cause of foodborne illness is bacterial or viral contamination of ingested food. Food becomes contaminated through improper handling – either in the food manufacturing/preparation facility or at home. When food service workers do not wash their hands or wear protective gear, there is a great risk that the food is contaminated and unsuited for public consumption.
The most common microorganisms that end up on food are:
- Norovirus, which causes almost 60 percent of foodborne illness cases
- Campylobacter spp.
- Salmonella (except for S. typhi)
- Clostridium perfringens
- Staphylococcus aureus
We also teach our students to watch out for the signs and symptoms of foodborne illness. Despite different microorganisms that can cause different diseases, FBIs are typically characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain and/or cramps. The severity of the symptoms depend on the severity of the disease. The typical length of time before FBIs resolve is 3-5 days. If symptoms become more severe or prolonged, advise the person to seek medical attention – they may need immediate fluid replacement for dehydration.
Note: The people most at risk for dehydration is the very young – infants and children – and the very old – older adults. They either have too much water in their body composition (infants) or have too little (older adults).