Colorado Food Manager Certification
How do I become a Certified Food Protection Manager in Colorado?
To earn your food manager certification in Colorado, you need to study up on food safety with a trusted resource and pass an ANSI-accredited exam.
It's easy to meet these requirements with Learn2Serve by 360training. Our course is recognized in Colorado and designed to help you pass our accredited Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) exam. Get started today!
What are the Colorado food safety regulations?
Under 6 CCR 1010-2 (§ 2-102.12), at least one employee with authority over food preparation and service must be a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). To become a food protection manager, you need to show proficiency by passing a test through an accredited program like Learn2Serve by 360training.
Specifically, the program needs to be accredited by the American National Standards Institute Conference for Food Protection (ANSI-CFP) under § 2-102.20.
The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) may choose to exempt certain types of establishments if there's a minimal risk of causing foodborne illness.
We always recommend checking with your local health department for any additional certification and training requirements at the county or municipal level.
How long is the food manager certification good for?
Colorado regulations don't set a specific expiration period, but ANSI CFPM certification is valid for a maximum of five years. Once the five years are up, you'll need to renew by re-taking the Certified Food Protection Manager exam.
Can you take the Colorado 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 (ANSI-CFP).
Learn more about the policies and procedures required to successfully complete our online proctored exam.
Who should get their food manager certification?
Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) specifies that it must be "an employee that has supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service." This typically translates to owners, managers, and/or executive chefs.
Even though regulations only require one individual to be certified, restaurants and other food service establishments often require all of their managers and chefs to become CFPMs.
What does a food manager do and how can they improve food safety?
Food managers juggle a lot of responsibilities: ensuring the quality of customer service, coordinating operations, managing their team, and handling human resources.
They're also responsible for food safety, because it ties in with every one of their other responsibilities. To improve food safety, managers need to:
- Know local food safety regulations inside and out
- Design policies and protocols to ensure their establishment's compliance
- Train all employees in receiving, storing, preparing, heating, cooling, and holding food safely, along with other food safety procedures
- Monitor the way food safety protocols are executed and correct errors
- Maintain accurate records of food safety data
- Hold food suppliers accountable for meeting adequate food safety standards
- And more
Because of the level of liability food managers bear, they 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 foodservice:
| Job Title | Average Hourly Wage | Average Yearly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Manager | $26.08 | $54,240 |
| Chef | $24.51 | $50,980 |
Colorado-approved food safety manager certification is an important qualification for getting one of these jobs.
Why are food managers in Colorado required to get ANSI certification?
Foodborne illness is a serious risk in every state, including Colorado. According to data from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, over a 10-year period (2003-2012), there were a total of 325 foodborne illness outbreaks. And the two most common pathogens found were Norovirus and Clostridium—both preventable with the right food safety protocols in place.
Because food service managers have extensive food safety duties, they have the power to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks in their establishment. Requiring them to gain certification through a respected certification program like ANSI-accredited Food Protection Manager examination is one way to ensure they're qualified to do this correctly.
The ANSI CFPM program meets the highest standards in food safety. It's been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
