Minnesota- Food Manager Certification

A food establishment that ceases to employ a CFPM must employ a new CFPM within 60 days. Only upon opening or reopening a food establishment, a licensee may employ an employee who:

1)at the time of opening or reopening, has completed an approved training course and passed an approved exam within the past six months;
2) and within 60 days of opening or reopening, the employee applies for and obtains certification.

Exemptions from employing a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM):

1. where the method of food preparation meets the definition of a low-risk food establishment in Minnesota Statutes, section 157.20; or
2. where the food establishment is licensed as a special event food stand; or
3. where the food establishment operates as a “retail food vehicle, portable structure, or cart” licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture; or
4. where food preparation activities are limited to one or more of the following:
– preparing or packaging non-TCS foods that are made from ingredients that are not TCS;
– processing raw meat, poultry, fish, or game animals intended for cooking by the consumer; or
– heating or serving precooked hot dog or sausage products, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, or frozen pizza.

The designated worker must apply for certification as a food manager within 90 days of the day that the food facility started operation or ceased to employ its previous certified food manager.

Yes, it does. A Minnesota Food Manager Certificate has to be renewed once every three years and the expiration date is listed on your certificate.

You can apply to renew your Minnesota Food Manager Certificate before your current certificate expires. Your application must have proof of having completed at least four hours of food safety training and have a $35 payment to the Minnesota Department of Health. For more information about renewal requirements for the food manager certification, please contact the Minnesota Department of Health or visit here – Minnesota Health Department – Renew

Some of the facilities that do not have to hire a Certified Food Protection Manager are:

• Food facilities where food preparation operations are only one or more of these:
• Heating or serving precooked hot dogs or sausages, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, or frozen pizza.
• Prepping or serving continental breakfast.
• Prepping or serving beverages or ice.
• Grinding coffee beans.
• Packaging foods that are not potentially hazardous.
• Serving bulk foods.
• Processing raw meat, poultry, fish, or wild game meant to be further cooked after the sale.
• Heating is the only preparation action for bakery products.
• Serving prepackaged foods in their original packages.
• Cleaning or sanitizing eating, drinking, or cooking utensils.
• Boarding facilities, bed and breakfast operations, child care or adult day care establishments that serve 18 or fewer meals per mealtime.
• Food carts, mobile food operations, seasonal or temporary food stands special event food stands, retail food vehicles, portable establishments, carts or vending machines.
• A facility that serves no more than one meal per week and its main purpose is not food service or production.
• A nursing home, hospital, boarding care home, or supervised living establishment, if only patients and staff are served

No, they cannot. The law requires one Certified Food Protection Manager employed full-time for each food facility.

• Online Food Manager Training: A self-paced training that is online and incorporates different learning experiences such as graphics, audio, and cooperative learning exercises. This is a very effective learning program.
• Online Study Guide: A study guide (20+ pages) that covers the major FDA food theories. This study guide also encompasses the Top 10 Tips to Passing the Food Manager Exam and two practice tests. All of these are done online.
• Food Manager Exam: The test is conducted online via the Always Food Safe Company which is ANSI accredited and recognized by state and county health departments.