Food Systems and Safety Programs

August 31, 2021

The Food Systems and Safety program area has been busy over the past few months working to provide information to stakeholders on safely preserving their garden harvests at home.  We have tested numerous pressure canner gauges and hosted home food preservation workshops.  Many of you have also called in with specific questions about home food preservation.  We partnered with the Greenville State Farmers Market to highlight a few South Carolina specialty crops, were able to set up a table at the market, and talk to folks a couple of times this summer.  We provided recipe cards with preservation tips for strawberries and butterbeans.  Fall classes on home food preservation will be announced soon.

Additionally, ServSafe® Food Protection Manager classes have resumed, with our first-class filling fast in August.  ServSafe® food safety training uses material from the National Restaurant Association.  The Manager Training and Exam meets DHEC requirements for “Certified Food Protection Manager” under federal guidelines outlined in the FDA Food Code.  Upcoming ServSafe® Manager classes and exams can be found on the Clemson University calendar and are generally offered once per month around the upstate.

Rebecca Baxley, Upstate Food Systems and Safety Agent