CIPHI Ontario Seminar Series: The Effect of Food Handler Training Certification on Food Premises in Ontario, Canada
Although food handler training certification for operators of food premises have been implemented by many health units, the effectiveness of this intervention remains inconclusive. Regression models were built using inspection data from a health unit in Ontario, Canada to measure the effect of certification on premise inspection results. We found that premises without certified food handlers at the time of inspection were significantly more likely to fail inspections. The odds of inspection failure were significantly different, depending on cultural cuisine classification of premises.
Independent establishments obtained lower odds of inspection failure versus chain operations. The inspector variable was a significant random effect explaining a small percentage of data variations. These results support the use of food handler training certification to improve food safety outcomes of premises. Further efforts should be made to ensure training programs are accessible and relatable to premise operators, particularly those serving different types of cultural cuisines. This session will provide participants with an understanding of the impact of food handler training certification on inspection results of food.