Students complain their food is less than adequate, but according to the state the main problem is in serving and not preparing the food.

Reviews of food safety practices at UAF and UAA by the state Department of Environmental Conservation have been mixed.

As a way to address that problem at the campuses and other dining facilities in Alaska, the department is now requiring licenses for anyone who works with food.

"Any food worker that works with open food needs to have a food handlers card," said Patsy Perkins, a state food safety and sanitation official. "Regulations say that workers must be trained and pass a state administered test."

The new requirement, which took effect Dec. 28, will require food service industry employees get the card within 30 days of being hired, Perkins said.

A one-year grace period will allow everyone in the state to get trained and tested, she added.

The department has trained 31 UAF employees so far, Perkins said. Most employees took a class held for NANA in January, just twelve days after the new rule went into play.

NANA managers were also trained to monitor food safety, as a certified supervisor is required at all food service locations, she said.

"As far as training, we've always had a training done by the health department every August and February," said NANA manager Jim Brennan. "It's nothing new for us."

What is new is the test that came at the conclusion of the class -- and that food service employees at UAA will be required to have the same knowledge as their UAF counterparts.

State conducted audits of food safety at both UAF and UAA report that the two schools have an almost equal track record with the matter.

The health reports for both universities, which are conducted routinely and after a suspected violation is reported, indicated the majority of the health code violations at both universities are related to serving and sanitation, not preparation.

UAF's 2006 reports on the major sites, conducted in March, show nine violations in the areas of protection from contamination, food holding, personal hygiene, food equipment, and water.

None fell into the categories of food cooking or consumer advocacy, areas that largely concern students.

UAA's most recent reports in October show similar shortcomings at their major food service facilities, with 12 violations falling in the categories of protection from contamination, sewage, food equipment and personal hygiene.

UAA's dining is managed by Aramark, which could potentially take over dining at UAF if it wins the food contract.

NANA is also bidding on the contract.

Noted on the UAF reports is NANA's commitment and willingness to improve their employees knowledge of food safety, something that isn't mentioned in the reports available for UAA.

While that priority didn't make a significant difference in their violations, it might indicate a smoother transition to the new requirements.

According to Perkins, the new testing covers the areas UAF and UAA had been failing, as well as those they excel at.

Food contamination, personal hygiene, safe food temperatures, safe food sources, and dishwashing protocol are addressed in the training sessions and online modules.

Regardless of which vendor wins the dining services contract for the UA system, Perkins expects violations will fall across the board as employees are reminded more frequently of their responsibility to serve food safely.

Employees who do not pass the test are given more chances to take the class again.

They can also complete an online training, study individually, test individually at a department facility, online, or by showing up during the last hour of a class, Perkins said.

To enable as many people as possible to complete the training process, online training will be activated in the next few weeks, and almost a dozen classes are scheduled for the Fairbanks region over the next two months, Perkins said.

"Mostly it'll just change how student employees are trained, not that they are," Brennan said. "We'll provide a computer to go through online training before they begin working."