What Goes Into Food Safety at the State Fair - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Operating a food stand at the state fair is something most of the vendors do day in and day out during the summer months.

But some are operated by people who have no food experience at all.

For the entire week before the fair the Greenbrier County Health Department holds mandatory food safety classes twice each day to make sure every single vendor knows how to properly clean and handle the food that they serve.

Beth Massey runs the Future Farmers of America Ham stand, which is operated by young FFA volunteers.

She said their inexperience with food handling make their training very valuable.

Massey said they learn, "They can't wear rings so the harmful bacteria wont get under your rings, how often to wash their hands, the reason they are not to touch their cell phones when they're in here to make sure that we provide a healthy product to our consumers."

The Mountaineer Diner has been at the state fair for decades and they take pride in being ready early.

Louis Withrow works at the Mountaineer Diner and said, "Everything has a proper temperature prior to even being ready for inspection so that when the health inspector comes we are on spot, ready to go, ready to open up it's kind of a prideful thing."

Not only do all food handlers have to take the class but they even have to pass a written test.

Withrow said it's a comforting feeling when his stand is proven to be clean and trustworthy.

He said, "Then all the customers come by they know everything's going to be alright, everything is going to be good, it's going to be a healthy place, you bring your family here it's a great stand. A lot of pride, a lot of good food."

The mandatory class is offered online for those not able to attend this week and it's also available in Spanish to make sure that everyone is able to pass the test.