Alaska Food Manager Certification Online

How do I become a Certified Food Protection Manager in Alaska?

To get your food manager certification in Alaska, you need to complete a food manager training course and pass an ANAB-accredited exam. Make sure to give a copy of your certificate to your employer to keep on file; it's required by state law.

You can easily meet Alaskan requirements with Learn2Serve by 360training. Our course and Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) exam are ANAB-accredited. Start today!

What are the Alaska food safety regulations?

In Alaska, food establishments that serve or prepare unwrapped, unpackaged foods are required under 18 AAC 31.320-325 to employ at least one full-time Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) involved in daily operations. There's a 45-day grace period to hire or train a CFPM for establishments that are just opening or whose previous CFPM left.

The Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) has a similar requirement for facilities with an F002 or F003 permit.

In both jurisdictions, the CFPM needs ANAB-CFP certification through an ANAB-accredited provider like Learn2Serve at 360training.

Other local health departments may have their own rules that supersede state law, so we always recommend checking with local authorities for additional certification requirements.

How long is the food manager certification good for?

Alaska Administrative Code (AAC) doesn't specify out an expiration period, but ANAB's Certified Food Protection Manager Certification is generally valid for a maximum of five years. After that, you need to be recertified.

Check your local regulations in case they're more specific. For example, the MOA explicitly states that food manager certificates are valid for five years.

Can you take the Alaska food manager exam online?

Yes, your exam will be administered through our online proctor service. The Learn2Serve Food Protection Manager Certification Exam is accredited by the American National Standards Institute and the Conference for Food Protection (ANAB-CFP).

Learn more about the policies and procedures required to successfully complete our online proctored exam.

Who should get their food manager certification?

Alaskan regulations don't stipulate exactly who needs certification. In most cases, food manager certification is earned by owners, executive chefs, and upper-level management.

Many restaurants, grocery shops, cafeterias, and other food establishments require certification as a condition of employment for chefs and managers.

What does a food manager do and how can they improve food safety?

Foodservice managers have much on their plate: customer service, operations, team management, and human resources. But food safety is a big one.

• Ensuring food safety involves every part of the business, including:
• Knowing local food regulations and safeguarding their business's compliance
• Maintaining records of a valid Alaska food worker card for each employee
• Enforcing food safety policies, procedures, and protocols
• Making sure food safety data is recorded as required
• Confirming that all food sources and deliveries meet safety standards
• And more

Due to the level of accountability, food managers earn a significantly higher salary than servers and other food employees. According to wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here is the average amount of money you can expect to make in senior management positions in the Alaskan food service industry:

Job Title	Average Hourly Wage	Average Yearly Wage
Food Service Manager	$32.88	$68,390
Chef	$25.00	$51,990

Alaska-approved food safety manager certification is an important qualification for getting one of these jobs.

Why are food managers in Alaska required to get ANAB certification?

Foodborne illness is a serious hazard in all states, including Alaska. According to data from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, over a 10-year period (2003-2012), there were a total of 43 foodborne illness outbreaks. And the two most common pathogens found were Clostridium and Salmonella—both preventable with the right food safety protocols in place.

Since food service managers establish food safety policies, educate staff in protocols, and hold responsibility for regulatory compliance, they're best suited to protecting customers and employees from foodborne illness. Gaining ANAB certification is a good way to make sure they're qualified to do this.

ANAB-accredited CFPM certification has been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These programs meet the highest standards of food safety.