Non Technical Summary
Currently, there is no existing educational curriculum to adequately train students on the Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Control for Human Food in Cal Poly Pomona. In addition, the diversity among farmers and food processors in Southern California, coupled with the prevalence of small-scale operations, highlights unique food safety training needs: recruiting food safety training specialists with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and providing affordable training solutions for small-scale operators. This community outreach food safety project takes a transformative approach by empowering Cal Poly Pomona students as key contributors and ambassadors in the local food safety landscape. Not only will our students receive extensive training in food safety curriculum (Objective 1), but they will also serve as vital conduits between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Through workshops targeting local food processors and urban/community farmers (Objective 2), these students will further act as dynamic food safety ambassadors, offering customized extension services and technical assistance tailored to the specific needs of each stakeholder (Objective 3). What sets this proposal apart is the symbiotic relationship among all stakeholders: students gain invaluable practical experience and the potential for compensation from urban farmers and small processors, enhancing their career prospects. Simultaneously, local food companies, farmers and growers benefit from cost-effective, language-specific expertise, selecting students who resonate with their unique contexts. This approach not only addresses critical food safety gaps in Southern California but also creates a sustainable model where both students and local food stakeholders thrive in a mutually beneficial collaboration.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
712	5010	1060	70%
712	5010	3020	30%

Knowledge Area
712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
The overarching goal for this projectis to establish a sustainable food safety outreach program in Southern California, with Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) students playing pivotal roles as contributors and ambassadors within the local food safety landscape. Our primary stakeholders encompass students at CPP and local urban farmers and small processors in Southern California. What distinguishes this proposal is the symbiotic relationship among all stakeholders: we offer food safety training to our target audience while enabling CPP students to serve as food safety specialists, providing customized technical assistance to local urban farmers and small processors. The detailed objectives are outlined below:Objective 1: To revamp educational curriculum for Cal Poly Pomona students to enhance food safety education through partnerships with land grant institutions, extension agency, and NGOs.Objective 2: To provide a diverse range of food safety training courses at CPP to socially-disadvantaged urban farmers and small processors from Southern California.Objective 3: To leverage students as food safety ambassadors, offering customized technical assistance to local urban farmers and small food processors.

Project Methods
Planned Activities for Objective 1Task 1a: To integrate the PSR into the curriculum for Agricultural Science (AGS) and Food Science and Technology (FST) students at CPP. Recognizing the course FST 1250 Introduction to Food Science and Technology as a core curriculum for students in both majors, it is proposed to enhance the curriculum of FST 1250 by incorporating comprehensive information about the PSR. Specifically, PowerPoint slides introducing the PSR will be integrated into FST 1250. These slides will also encompass essential details about the PSR introduction, worker health hygiene training, soil amendments, agricultural water, and wildlife intrusion. Evaluation of whether these learning outcomes are achieved will be conducted through both formative and summative assessments.This revised FST 1250 curriculum will be offered three times per year, accommodating a total of 90 students (50 FST and 40 AGS students) annually.Task 1b: To integrate the PCHF into the curriculum for FST students at CPP. In this task, training curriculum related to PCQI will be integrated into FST 4300. As FST 4300 primarily focuses on HACCP, students in this course already possess a solid understanding of food safety hazards, hazard analysis, and process preventive controls. In light of this foundation, content covering allergen preventive controls, sanitation preventative controls, supply-chain preventive controls, and the distinctions between HACCP and PCQI will be developed into four PowerPoint presentations. These slides will serve as a resource for students to deepen their knowledge of PCQI.The revised FST 4300 curriculum will be offered at least once per year, accommodating a total of 35 FST students.Task 1c: Partnerships with land grant institutions, extension agency, and NGOs. In this initiative, professors specializing in food safety from land grant institutions, food safety extension specialists, governmental officials experienced in food safety auditing, and representatives from NGOs will be invited by CPP student clubs, such as the Food Science Society, to deliver guest seminars. Additionally, the PD intends to develop a food safety podcast featuring the expertise of these professionals. Potential podcast themes include Food Safety Inspection, Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation, Interviews with Food Safety Experts, and Farm Food Safety Best Practices.Planned activities for Objective 2Task 2a: To offer PCHF workshops to involve small food processors from Southern California. The PD, Dr. Yang, currently serves as the lead trainer for PCQI, will offer PCQI workshops during Summer and Winter breaks at CPP to engage small food processors from Southern California.Task 2b: To offer PSA Grower Training to socially-disadvantaged farmers and fresh produce wholesalers from Southern California. In this initiative, UC Davis will lead the effort to offer both virtual and in-person PSA grower training to cater to the requirements of socially-disadvantaged farmers and fresh produce wholesalers in the Southern California region. A minimum of two virtual and two in-person PSA grower training sessions will be organized annually, with the in-person training taking place at Cal Poly Pomona to attract local participants. Additionally, PD and his team will visit a number of local farmers' markets to engage with farmers seeking PSA grower training.Task 2c: To develop a template Farm Food Safety Plan for on-farm demonstration for local farmers in Southern California. In this initiative, UC Davis will lead the creation of a Farm Food Safety Plan for a local farm, Spadra, situated in the Southern California region. Spadra Farm spans 125 acres at the heart of Pomona, CA, and is dedicated to vegetable and fruit production. Within this ranch, a new organic production enterprise covers 10 acres, generating certified organic fruits and vegetables for the farm store. After the creation of the Farm Food Safety Plan, the Spadra farm will serve as a demonstration site for food safety practices for other local farmers and growers. Additionally, the UC Davis team will extend their outreach efforts to more urban local farms in Southern California, aiding them in the creation of their Farm Food Safety Plans creation.Planned activities for Objective 3Task 3a: To designate CPP students as food safety ambassadors through a mandated internship program. In this task, our goal is to collaborate with CPP's mandated internship programs for both AGS and FST students to identify individuals with robust food safety knowledge, and who are willing to offer technical assistance to local farmers and processors. The PD and co-PD will engage graduating senior students from AGS and FST, surveying them to find suitable candidates based on their food safety expertise and eagerness to provide technical assistance to local stakeholders. Subsequently, we will conduct a one-day food safety ambassador training session to explore potential food safety training and educational resources for students.Task 3b: To identify local farmers and small processors for customized food safety projects. In this initiative, the PD and team will connect with local farmers and small processors through SCIFTS, farmers' market visits, and interactions with NGOs and local extension agencies to recruit urban farmers and small processors in need of food safety technical assistance projects. Examples may include creating and implementing a farm food safety plan, conducting literature reviews on given topics, and translating standard operating procedures into different languages.Task 3c: Pairing Food Safety Ambassadors with Local Stakeholders. In this task, the PD and team will facilitate the pairing of food safety ambassadors and local stakeholders through on-campus interviews or Zoom sessions. Compensation is planned for five food safety ambassadors to alleviate financial stress for local stakeholders, most of whom operate on a small scale. The PD and team will establish evaluation criteria for food safety ambassadors, allowing local stakeholders to provide feedback for continuous improvement in technical assistance. This evaluation report will also be considered as part of the grades for the food safety ambassadors' internship course.Communication Plan. Dr. Xu Yang and co-PD Dr. DiCaprio currently serve as Co-PDs in the Western Regional Center (WRC) FSOP grant. If awarded, the PD and Co-PD will actively participate in the WRC annual meetings, sharing project progress through oral and/or poster presentations. Additionally, the PD and Co-PD plan to provide annual progress reports to the WRC, including updates on the number and types of trainings conducted, as well as the number of individuals trained under the FSOP grant. Standardized evaluation documents, such as pre/post-tests for standardized PSA/FSPCA curricula, will be utilized and evaluation data will be shared.Evaluation Plan. Approval for the evaluation data collection protocol will be sought from Cal Poly Pomona's Institutional Review Board before commencing any data collection. Regarding the curriculum revision for AGS and FST students, learning outcomes will be assessed using formative and summative strategies, including quizzes, discussion boards, and exams, as previously outlined. The corresponding assessment data will be shared with the WRC during monthly and/or quarterly meetings. For PCQI and PSA grower training, standardized evaluation documents, such as pre/post-tests, will be employed, and the resulting evaluation data will be collected and shared with the WRC. Regarding food safety ambassadors' technical assistance, evaluation criteria and rubric will be provided to local farmers and small processors. This evaluation will be incorporated as part of the grades in students' mandated internship course.