Under the Texas Department of State Health Services jurisdiction, every food service worker is required to receive basic food safety education and become certified as a food handler. Furthermore, each food establishment is required to have at least one Certified Professional Food Manager, which requires more in-depth training and knowledge, on site at all times.
Below is a listing of available options to earn either a Food Handlers or Professional Food Manager Certification. Unless otherwise directed by a local health department, all food handler certifications are good for two years and all food manager certifications are good for five years.
Traditional Food Handlers and Certified Food Manager Classes
We offer face-to-face Food Handlers and Food Managers classes in the Lufkin/Angelina County area. The classes are taught in English, but all written materials and resources are available in both English and Spanish.
The Food Handlers class is approximately 2 hours in duration.
Food Managers classes are 2 days in duration and the certification exam will be from Prometric, a nationally recognized credentialing organization. For those only needing the test and not the in-depth instruction, there is the option to test or re-test only for a significantly reduced price.
For an updated list of trainings across the state visit https://foodsafety.tamu.edu/ and look for upcoming events. In addition to the scheduled classes open to the public, we hold special classes for groups at flexible times and locations, depending on availability.
Contact joel.redus@ag.tamu or 936-634-6414 x1 for more info.
Online Food Handlers Certification
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offers an online Food Handlers Course in English at https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/product?catalog=NUTR-017 and Spanish at https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/product?catalog=NUTR-018.
Online Certified Food Manger Exams (only valid in Texas)
The below three exams are not nationally accredited. They can be completed online without a proctor.
Food Guard: http://www.servsafe.com/ss/FoodGuard/index.aspx , 800-765-2122 ext 6703
Learn 2 Serve: http://www.learn2serve.com/texas-food-safety-certification, 888-360-8764
FMC – Grayson County Health Department: http://foodmanagerclasses.com/Home, 903-813-4188
