Why is Food Truck – Food Safety Training necessary?
- A major selling point of food is its quality – and food safety training is key to that quality. Food safety and sanitation are integral to operating a successful food service. The safety of food is a responsibility shared by producers, sellers, managers and handlers.
- Food safety training does not only affect the sales and continued patronage of your establishment, but also public safety.
- Many businesses require food safety trained, so being food safety trained will increase your chances of employment. Furthermore, businesses are willing to pay higher wages to those trained.
- The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that because of foodborne illness 76 million people fall ill, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 Americans die annually. Because of these alarming statistics, many states require certification of food managers which may include a food safety exam.
Revenue from Food Trucks Trending Up
The food truck trend continues to accelerate as entrepreneurs use them to enter the restaurant industry and sometimes spin off brick-and-mortar operations.
- The phrases “Food Truck”, “Mobile Food Vendor” or “Mobile Food Facility” refers to several different types of vehicles that food is sold from. Some examples include: lunch trucks, vending trucks, concession trucks, sandwich trucks, taco trucks, loncheras, catering vehicles, ice cream trucks, and hot dog carts.
- According to the National Restaurant Association, food trucks made up one of the fastest-growing sectors of the restaurant industry, with 2013 sales of nearly $700 million, or about 1 percent of total U.S. restaurant sales. A 2012 study by Emergent Research projected that food truck revenue would quadruple to $2.7 billion by 2017.
- Research your city’s codes and regulations regarding food trucks. States, counties, and/or cities require you to be trained and pass an exam to ensure that all food handlers receive a reasonable level of training in food safety practices to reduce the potential for foodborne illness. Local requirements may exceed the state’s minimum requirements.
