Those who volunteer to prepare large quantities of food for the public are welcome to attend a Penn State Extension workshop titled “Cooking for Crowds: A Volunteer’s Guide to Safe Food Handling.”

Aimed at helping nonprofit organizations and volunteers stay up to date on food safety rules and regulations, the course will occur from 6 to 9 p.m. May 19, at the Warren Forest Higher Education Council, 589 Hospital Drive, Suite F., Warren.

The program is designed for volunteers preparing food for events such as church fundraisers, fire company barbecues, booster club food sales and many other types of events where food is served to the public.

Organizers note that preparing food in large quantities is different from food preparation in the home. This program is intended to help nonprofit organizations and their volunteers understand the risks involved with preparing large volumes of food and food safety practices that must be implemented to ensure a safe event.

The workshop will cover the causes of foodborne illness as well as safe food handling practices related to:

– Preventing cross contamination.

– Controlling time and temperature.

– Good personal hygiene.

– Cleaning and sanitizing.

– Planning a successful food event.

Organizations can register through May 14, for a fee of $75. The fee covers an unlimited number of attendees for each organization. If individuals not associated with an organization wish to attend, they may do so for $50.

More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at extension.psu.edu/cooking-for-crowds.