Mississauga First Aid offers a variety of training programs to prospective students, from first aid to Mississauga Food Safety Certificate. The latter is very popular among food handlers in the city of Mississauga, because of Ontario’s by-law on mandatory food handler training (bylaw 78-2010). While the bylaw does require food handler to get food safety licenses, it does require food establishments to have certified food handlers on their staff (and present when food is being handled – which is all the time).
Food Safety Courses
There are two kinds of food safety courses you can enroll in which will be described further below. Food handlers are only required (the minimum) to take basic training, while the second, advanced level is optional. Signing up for these programs is easy:
- The Mississauga First Aid website has form (that you fill up online) you can use to enroll, as well as current course schedules and rates.
- E-mail us when you are free! But expect a reply during business hours.
- Reach us by telephone; our staff will be glad to assist you.
- The most popular – enrolling in person. We are open from 8 AM to 5 PM, regular business hours.
Mississauga Food Safety Certificate with food handler training
Food safety training is one of our popular training courses, with two levels:
- Level one food handler program runs for eight hours, either in one or two days. If a student decides to take the course in two days, the program will be divided into two four-hour sessions. Prepare to learn about basic microbiology, foodborne illness, sanitation, and even health – all factors that affect food safety.
- Level two food handler program runs for 16 hours, completed in two days. Before a student applies to level two training, he or she has to complete level one first, as well as pass the basic certification exam. Prepare to learn about managing a food business. We include topics such as health permits, personnel training, and other similar topics.
- Refresher classes are for students who need to renew training credentials that are nearing expiry. They are short, 4 hour classes that go over the basics as well as updates made to food safety in the last five years.
Certification in food safety
Food safety licenses are only valid for five years, and they are only awarded once a students passes the certification exam. For students who take classroom-based classes, they do not need to schedule a certification exam separately. For our students who self-study (they only buy the workbooks and study on their own), they need to schedule a certification exam separately.
Getting started: Staphylococcus aureus
Stsphylococccus aureus, more commonly known as “staph”, is a gram-positive bacteria that is usually associate with respiratory problems – e.g. step throat. However, it is also number five in the list of the top five microorganisms that cause foodborne illness. Streptococcus can cause disease by releasing toxins and binding and inactivating the bodies antibodies – making it susceptible to even worse infections.
The signs and and symptoms a gastrointestinal infection by staphylococcus aureus are similar to other foodborne illness – vomiting and diarrhea, usually with upset stomach and abdominal cramps.