July 12, 2016 - Prior to the start of the What-A-Melon Festival, food vendors attended an emergency food handlers class hosted by Jheri-Lynn McSwain, AgriLife Extension Agent for Shelby County, on July 6, 2016 in the community room of the Shelby County Courthouse.
Food vendor workers learned the do's and don'ts of food handling including information about foodborne illness and outbreak which are often linked to not following time and temperature rules, poor personal hygiene, and cross-contamination. The standard two-hour course covered potentially hazardous foods, food handling, hygiene for food employees, and reporting processes.
Food fundraisers or carnival food vendors are required to have food handler certification and/or a temporary food single event permit. For more information about food handler certification and permits, visit www.dshs.texas.gov and search for 'food temporary permit.' Rayla Navarro is the Retail Foods/General Sanitation representative for Health Services Region 4/5 North. She can be contacted at her office at 912 Nacogdoches Street, Center, Texas at 936-598-1232.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Food Handler Program is dedicated to the health and safety of the citizens of the state, educating food service employees in the principles of food safety to produce safe food products for Texas consumers.
Special thank you to Jheri-Lynn McSwain for hosting the course which allowed many of the vendors to be able to participate in the festival.
