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SB 1288

FOOD HANDLING-TRAINING

104th Regular Session Introduced by Terri Bryant and 11 co-sponsors

Requires certified managers to complete allergen training every 3 years and all food handlers to complete gluten/celiac training, with accredited programs allowed.

Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0090
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Bill Summary · SB 1288

SB 1288 — Food Handling Training (Public Act 104‑0090)

Status and effective date
- Enacted as Public Act 104‑0090. Governor approved August 1, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026.
- Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act (410 ILCS 625), principally Section 3.07, and adds a new Section 3.09.

Purpose
- To expand and standardize allergen‑awareness training for food service managers and to require training for all food handlers on celiac disease and safe handling of gluten‑free foods. The measure clarifies accreditation, content, transferability, and enforcement expectations.

Key provisions
- Certified food service sanitation managers (employed by restaurants as defined in the Act) must:
- Complete basic allergen awareness training within 30 days of employment and every 3 years thereafter.
- Use training programs accredited to the ASTM E2659‑09 standard (e.g., ANSI‑accredited certificate programs).

  • Required training topics (allergen awareness) include:

    • Definition of a food allergy and symptoms of allergic reactions.
    • Major food allergens (explicitly lists milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame) and ingredients containing derived proteins.
    • Dangers of allergens, cross‑contact prevention, appropriate cleaning/sanitizing to prevent contamination.
    • Communication with guests and staff, handling special dietary requests, self‑service considerations, receiving food deliveries, label importance, emergency response to reactions, and personal hygiene.
    • Explicitly adds instruction on gluten: sources of gluten, symptoms of gluten intolerance and celiac disease, gluten‑free preparation/handling, and cleaning to prevent gluten contamination.

  • New Section 3.09 — Gluten‑free / celiac training for all food handlers:

    • Requires every food handler covered by the Act (whether or not employed by a restaurant) to complete a training program on celiac disease and safe handling of gluten‑free foods.
    • Topics must include nature/symptoms of celiac disease, cross‑contamination prevention, cleaning/sanitizing to remove gluten residues, and labeling/identification of gluten‑free products.

  • Accreditation and transferability:

    • Accredited programs meeting ASTM E2659‑09 satisfy requirements; such accredited training may be transferable between employers. Certain pre‑existing multi‑state or out‑of‑state programs may also qualify (but transferability rules vary by subsection).

  • Documentation and enforcement:

    • Proof of training must be available upon reasonable request by State or local health inspectors and may be provided electronically.
    • Training materials and related documents for businesses are protected from public inspection (confidential/exempt from FOIA).
    • The statute asserts state exclusivity for regulating allergen awareness training and preempts local regulation.

Who is affected
- Primary: certified food service sanitation managers employed by restaurants (restaurants are defined as businesses with ≥51% ready‑to‑eat immediate‑consumption food sales).
- Broad: all food handlers covered by the Act are required to complete gluten/celiac training.
- Secondary: training providers (must meet accreditation standards), multi‑state food businesses (may need to align internal programs), and health department inspectors (will review proof of training).

Potential impacts
- Increased compliance costs and administrative tasks for restaurants and food service employers to ensure timely, accredited training and retraining every three years.
- Training market implications: demand for accredited courses and providers will increase; standardized content may improve consistency in allergen and gluten handling.
- Public‑health benefit: aims to reduce allergic reactions and gluten cross‑contamination incidents for consumers with food allergies or celiac disease.

Notes
- The Act replaces and refines prior language; various amendments during the legislative process added sesame and strengthened gluten‑related training requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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