Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a food manager training and certification program in increasing compliance with restaurant sanitary codes.
Methods: Using routine sanitary inspection records, the authors compared pre- and post-training inspection scores for 94 restaurants falling into three groups: a "mandatory" group (managers' attendance was mandated for these restaurants); a "voluntary" group (managers attended the training voluntarily); and a control group (no staff attended the training program).
Results: Restaurants for which managers were mandated to attend a training and certification program demonstrated a significant improvement in inspection scores, an improvement that was sustained over a two-year follow-up period. The mean inspection scores for a control group did not change significantly over time. However, improvements were not noted in all areas of food safety.
Conclusions: Food manager training and certification programs may be an effective way to improve the sanitary conditions of restaurants and reduce the spread of foodborne illnesses.