Penn State Offers Food Safety Courses

ServSafe training is aimed at food service, restaurant workers

By Submitted Report
The Tube City Almanac
June 10, 2025
Posted in: Announcements

(File photo courtesy Penn State Extension)

Penn State Extension will once again offer the ServSafe Food Safety Manager course, which is aimed at restaurant and food service managers and others who need food safety certification.

The course will be held from 9 to 4 p.m. June 17, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 24 at Penn State Greater Allegheny, Main Building, 4000 University Drive, a spokeswoman said.

The exam will begin at 11 a.m. June 24.

These in-person trainings, led by certified ServSafe instructors, will teach participants how to prevent contamination by properly receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, cooling and serving food and by sanitizing food service facilities.

Elizabeth Kocsis, extension educator and Nutrition Links supervisor, said all classes are taught by food safety experts — extension educators with advanced degrees, extensive food safety training and industry experience.

Faculty members in the Department of Food Science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences provide ongoing training on current industry issues. Strong relationships with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and industry leaders enable instructors to help course participants learn the underlying principles of food safety so they can educate their own staff, Kocsis said.

Extension educators, based in the communities they serve, remain available as resources after the course, providing science-based support to address complex questions.

The workshop requires a $165 fee, which covers an all-in-one bundle, including the cost of the most recent edition of the ServSafe Manager book, virtual study materials, handouts, class instruction, review and exam. To attend the in-person ServSafe course and exam, participants should register by June 13.

A second option to help food service managers, chefs, caterers, cooks, health officials and inspectors prepare to take a Food Protection Manager certification exam, such as ServSafe, is the TAP Online Food Safety Manager Certification course.

The online portion can be taken anytime, but the exam is conducted in person and proctored at a scheduled location, typically in conjunction with the second day of the in-person ServSafe class. Alternate exam arrangements can be made with the course instructor.

The online course is self-paced, can be started anytime throughout the year and must be completed within 180 days of enrollment. The course fee is $145.

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

A third option, “Food Safety Manager Certification Prep Course,” is a live online webinar, spread over two days, that prepares participants for the certification exam. Participants receive live instruction from food safety experts without needing to travel.

A textbook will be mailed before the first day’s class. After the course, participants can choose from several certification exam options, available in multiple languages. The exam fee is approximately $100 and separate from the course fee of $65. Participants are responsible for registering and paying for their chosen exam.

The Food Safety Manager Certification Prep Course will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 18 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 25. The registration deadline for the live online webinar is June 8.

All course and exam options meet the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture requirements for the Food Employee Certification Act.

To register for any of these courses or to learn more, visit https://extension.psu.edu/food-safety-manager-certificate-training-options.

To register by phone or for registration questions, call 877-345-0691.

Originally published June 10, 2025.

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