How many hours of refresher training in food service sanitation is required of an FS annually?

• A. 4
• B. 8
• C. 12
• D. 6

Answer: (D)

The key idea is the annual minimum for keeping an FS up to date on sanitation practices. For food service personnel, six hours of refresher training in food service sanitation is required each year. This amount is chosen to ensure ongoing reinforcement of safe food handling, proper cleaning and sanitization procedures, personal hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and compliance with relevant regulations (such as FDA Food Code and HACCP principles). Six hours provides enough time to cover essential updates and practice, without being so long that it becomes burdensome. While some commands may offer more training, the mandated minimum is six hours per year, making it the standard reference point.