Food Sanitation Preparation Course Information 

77 Illinois Administrative Code 750 requires that a state-certified food service sanitation manager be employed at each food establishment. It is easy and simple to meet state requirements when you register for one of Joliet Junior College's sanitation courses. The college offers three classes. The 15 hour Food Sanitation Preparation course is offered as a conventional instructor-led class as well as an online version of the same training. The college also offers a five hour re-fresher course for those who have already earned their sanitation license and just need to renew it.

Remember - It's Required

The State of Illinois requires every food service establishment to have at least one full-time employee certified in a food safety course.

Who Should Take This Course

These courses are for you if you work in a:

  • School Cafeteria
  • Restaurant
  • Banquet facility
  • Hospital or nursing home
  • Church
  • Any other establishment that provides food

Contact Information

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Food, Drugs, & Dairies
525 W. Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL 62761

Phone: 217-785-2439

Food Sanitation Certification Prep (FOOD 440)

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The 15-Hour Food Sanitation Preparation course prepares you to take the State of Illinois Food Service Certification Exam. The exam is given at the end of the class. The cost of the exam is included in the registration fee.

Topics include:

  • Food Safety Impact on Operation
  • Providing safe food
  • The micro-world
  • Contamination, food allergies, and food-borne illness
  • The safe food-handler

The Flow of Food Through the Operation

  • Purchasing and receiving food
  • Keeping food safe during storage
  • Protecting food during preparation
  • Principles of a HACCP system

Managing Your Operation

  • Sanitary facilities and pest management
  • Sanitation regulation

Food Sanitation Certification Prep Online (FOOD 4401)

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Joliet Junior College is now offering the Foodservice Operator's Training Achievement Program (TAP) Series.This is an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate (FSSMC) approved training program.

You and/or your staff can now be enrolled in this self paced training. This course will:

  • Self-instruct all the information necessary to prepare for the IDPH FSSMC examination in both English and Spanish formats
  • Self-instruct all staff in a comprehensive course in food safety while tracking and documenting each students training results.

Course Specifics:

  • Course fee must be paid prior to materials being sent to student
  • Upon receipt of payment, a course password will be issued to student along with instructions for access to the program.
  • Student should complete training within 6 weeks of registration in order to fully retain the material
  • Upon completion of training, student will sit for IDPH FSSMC exam. Exam dates coincide with traditional classroom certification exam dates. Dates will be provided at registration.
  • This course does not include the fee paid directly to the Illinois Department of Public Health necessary to obtain your FSSMC Certificate. This fee is payable upon successful completion of the FSSMC exam.

What You Need For This Course:

Operating Requirements:

  • Windows 95 or newer

Minimum computer requirements:

  • Pentium 133 MHz (Pentium MMX 200 MHz for Windows Me)
  • 32 Mb memory (64 Mb for Windows Me)
  • 100 MB free hard drive space
  • 4X CD-ROM (8X for Windows Me)
  • Multimedia capable (speakers)
  • 64.000 or 16 bit colors
  • Online access

To register for this course or for more information, please call (815) 280-1555

5-Hour Food Sanitation Refresher Course

Don't let your license expire! The 5-Hour Food Sanitation Refresher course is for those who need to renew current certification with the State of Illinois. Participants must bring their valid certificate with them to the class. If your certificate has expired, you need to register for the Preparation course.

Topics include a review of the following:

  • Providing safe food
  • The micro-world
  • Contamination, food allergies, and food-borne illness
  • The safe food-handler
  • The Flow of Food Through the Operation
  • Purchasing and receiving food
  • Keeping food safe during storage
  • Protecting food during preparation
  • Principles of a HACCP system
  • Managing Your Operation
  • Sanitary facilities and pest management
  • Sanitation regulation

In the courses, you will:

  • Identify causes of food borne illness
  • Discuss correct procedures for cleaning and sanitizing
  • Recognize problems associated with facility, equipment and layout
  • Understand the Illinois code related to food service establishments

On-Site Instruction

If you have a group that needs training, take advantage of this convenient and effective solution. Because our class sizes are small, they are informal and encourage maximum interaction between instructor and students. With emphasis on the practical aspects, each participant can return to his or her job and apply the course material immediately.

Class Descriptions

Food Sanitation Certification Prep (FOOD 440)
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Learn to identify the causes of food-borne illness, identify and apply correct procedures for cleaning and sanitizing, recognize problems and potential solutions associated with facility, equipment and layout, and understand the Illinois code related to food service establishments. Successful completion of this course prepares you to take the state of Illinois exam for Management and Sanitation Training. The exam is taken on the second day of class. The book, Servsafe Coursebook, is included in the class fee. The class meets on consecutive Saturdays from 8am to 5pm. Call 815-280-1555 for dates and course fee.

Food Sanitation Certification Prep Online (FOOD 4401)
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This is the on-line version of FOOD 440. State of Illinois exam is administered on second day of FOOD 440 class schedules. You must call 815-280-1555 to schedule your test. A limited number of tests are available per session. If the scheduled sessions are full, you will be directed to the next available date. The class meets on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. Call 815-280-1555 for dates and course fee.

Food Sanitation 5-Hour Refresher (FOOD 441)
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In this course, you will refresh your knowledge of food-borne illness by identifying and applying correct procedures for cleaning and sanitizing; recognize problems and potential solutions associated with facility, equipment and layout; and understand the Illinois code related to food service establishments. Successful completion of this course provides the student with a renewed license. Student must bring current Illinois license to class.

Food Sanitation Certification Prep Class Syllabus

Assignment prior to First Day:

Read and Study the entire text with an emphasis on Parts I, II, and III. IT is strongly suggested that the student should be able to successfully answer and understand the "Study Question" located at the end of each chapter.

First Day

8:00-10:00 Sanitation Challenge

  1. Food borne Disease
  2. Problem
  3. Cause
  4. Prevention

10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-12:15 The Safe Food Handler

  1. Personal Hygiene; uniform, hair restraints, hand washing, positive habits, exclusion when
  2. Food handling practices; minimum handling, use of gloves, use of utensils

12:15-12:45 Lunch
12:45-2:45 Facility

  1. Sanitary water, waste disposal, plumbing, and hand washing
  2. Cleaning and sanitizing equipment, dishwashing/warehousing operations
  3. Storage of cleaned utensils and equipment
  4. Housekeeping and cleaning schedules
  5. Non-food supplies; single service items and linens, toxic materials
  6. Physical Building construction; ventilation, lightening, insects and rodent control, safe environment.

2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-5:00 Food Protection

  1. Source
  2. Receipt
  3. Storage
  4. Preparation
  5. Service
  6. Transportation

5:00-5:30 Daily Summary

Second Day
Assignment prior to Day #2:

Review Day #1 assignment with an emphasis on Part IV, and V. Prepare for comprehensive examination.

7:30-8:00 Class Opens
8:00-11:00 HACCP System

  1. Training
  2. Assessing Hazards
  3. Identifying Critical Control Point
  4. Setting up Procedures
  5. Monitoring CCP's
  6. Corrective Action
  7. Record Keeping
  8. Verifying the System

11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-1:15 Codes, Regulations, Inspection Reports

  1. Public Health Codes
  2. Regulations and responsibilities affection operation
  3. Regulatory Inspection report and its use as a tool for control

11:15-1:45 Lunch
1:45-3:45 Management

  1. Self-Inspection; Promotion Techniques
  2. Motivation; Planning to meet sanitation guidelines
  3. Economics; of safe food Handling
  4. Safety Concerns
  5. Personnel Training; Management’s responsibility, resources, methods

3:45-4:00 Break
4:00-5:00 Review
5:00-6:00 Examination