Certification and Critical Violations

At a glance

This study looked at links between restaurant food safety inspections and certification of kitchen managers. We found that restaurants with kitchen managers certified in food safety were less likely to have critical violations on their inspections.

Kitchen manager with staff members working in the background.

Key takeaways

We found that restaurants with kitchen managers certified in food safety were less likely to have criticalA violations on their inspections.

Critical violations in six areas were less likely in restaurants with a certified kitchen manager (CKMB) than in restaurants without a CKM:

  • Staff
  • Food source and handling
  • Warewashing
  • Facility and equipment
  • Hot holdingC
  • Other operations

Critical violations in five areas were equally likely in restaurants with and without a CKM:

  • Plumbing, water, and sewage
  • Food coolingD
  • Cold holdingE
  • Cooking temperatures
  • Reheating

Critical violations in most areas were less likely in restaurants:

  • That mainly served liquor than in those that mainly served food
  • With lower incomes than in those with higher incomes
  • That served fast food than in those with full service

Why this is important

CKMs have passed a test to show knowledge of food safety. It is believed that CKMs are better able to control factors that can lead to foodborne illness. But research on the link between kitchen manager certification and restaurant food safety is conflicting. Thus, it is important to collect quality data to help understand that link.

Certification of kitchen managers may affect foodborne illness risk factors in many ways. Some ways are better management and better on-the-job training. More research is needed to fully understand this link.

We need to know the links between certification and food temperature and time control.F We also need to know the links between certification and plumbing, water, and sewage. Training in these areas may need to be improved.

Food safety programs and restaurants should consider encouraging or requiring certification of kitchen managers.

More information

Journal article this plain language summary is based on

Other summaries related to certification: outbreaks and certified managers, certification and knowledge, and ground beef preparation

More practice summaries and investigation summaries in plain language

About this study‎

This study was conducted by the Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net). EHS-Net is a federally funded collaboration of federal, state, and local environmental health specialists and epidemiologists working to better understand the environmental causes of foodborne illness.
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Content Source:
National Center for Environmental Health
  1. Critical violations: Violations found during restaurant inspections that are more likely to lead to foodborne illness.
  2. Certified kitchen manager (CKM): Manager who passed a test to show knowledge of food safety.
  3. Hot holding: Keeping hot food at a specific temperature to reduce germ growth.
  4. Food cooling: Removing heat from food quickly enough to prevent growth of germs.
  5. Cold holding: Keeping cold food at a specific temperature to reduce germ growth.
  6. Time and temperature control: Using temperature or time to reduce germ growth in food.