CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

We are what we eat. And when we eat out we are also subject to what restaurants, grocery stores, mobile vendors and others do to what we eat. The Columbus Department of Public Health keeps this in mind by offering two classes for food workers. Once class is a two day program called Serve Safe that covers all aspects of food safety, involves a test and for those that pass the test, results in food safety certification. The second class is called PIC (Person in Charge) which is for Managers, shift leaders, etc. that are in charge of overseeing food operations at events, business sites and restaurants. The PIC class is four hours and free. I choose the PIC class.

The class was attended by a wide variety of business owners who are very motivated to ask many questions. I learned a lot in four hours from a food business perspective as well as information I would want to know in my home kitchen. As customers – we want food businesses to have this type of training to protect our health and to save us from poorly cooked and handled food. As I food writer I want to know all sides of the story and this is one way to do it.

The topics covered included: FBI (Foodborne Illness), FATTOM (Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, and Moisture), cooking and storage temperatures, setting up and using a three compartment sink, proper thawing techniques, and about fifty other things.

I was also able to meet and speak with some of the health inspectors that I have come to know (via e-mail) while I spent the past year learning about Taco Trucks.

Here are some handy links from class:

Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code

Columbus Color Coded Inspection Signage

Food Protection Program

Board of Health Restaurant Inspection Results