Non Technical Summary
Food safety is a key element in the success of any food business. Foodborne illness impacts an estimated 48 million Americans each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The USDA's Economic Research Service estimates that the economic impact of these foodborne illnesses is $17.6 billion, in 2018 dollars. The data clearly demonstrates that food business operators and staff who are knowledgeable about food safety and can correctly practice food safety skills are critical in the prevention of foodborne illnesses. Data suggest a burgeoning number of small food businesses have started across the North Central region in the last decade and many of these need food safety training to manufacture safe, value-added food products, comply local/federal regulations and help protect public health. For example, educators in Minnesota report nearly 6,000 small, home-based food businesses, all needing basic food safety education to meet state regulatory standards. In Wisconsin, there were 183 licenses issued to small food processing businesses selling at retail in the first 9 months of 2021; each needing food safety education and outreach programming to meet licensing standards and grow their businesses. Similarly due to lack of a local process authority and food safety trainings, hundreds of food processors are awaiting licensing and to grow their value-added businesses in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois etc. The governor of Missouri in 2019 commissioned a Food, Beverages, and Forest Products Manufacturing Initiative (https://agriculture.mo.gov/food-beverage-forestproducts/) that is greatly increasing interest and emphasis on value-added food processing in the state of Missouri. And the Kansas Value Added Foods Lab at Kansas State University has experienced a significant increase in requests over the last five years from small-scale food processors seeking Process Authority support, product testing, and food product labeling assistance. The trends seen in each of these states are likely mirrored in all twelve states in the North Central region of the USA. And as many of these small, value-added food processors aim to grow their operations and diversify their markets, they need an understanding of regulations under FSMA to underpin their business practices for future expansion and to protect public health. While small-scale processors need food safety education and outreach support, evidence is emerging that effective food safety education demands smarter, more novel and scientific approaches based on current regulations than are traditionally considered. And equally as important as the food safety message itself is the manner in which the message is delivered and the context in which the information is received. Hence, it is critical to deliver the right information at the right time to the right person in a manner that they understand.The proposed project "Food Safety by Design" is a food safety education and outreach project that aims to deliver impactful food safety education tied to ongoing outreach support of small, value-added food processors in the North Central region, with a focus on small businesses in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. The main objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) based education program for small and medium scale value added food processors selling primarily direct to consumers; develop an outreach program to support small and medium scale food processors food safety requirements such as process authority review; and communicate the project results to stakeholders across the North Central region, USDA and national partner networks. The target audience for this program will be the thousands of produce growers and small-scale food entrepreneurs across the North Central region seeking to manufacture value added food products.The Food Safety by Design project team has decades of collective experience in successfully developing and delivering effective food safety education and training to adult learners. The team will utilize this expertise, seek input from stakeholders, and conduct formative and summative evaluation to develop and implement an impactful food safety education and training program. Ongoing outreach efforts will reinforce key messages using a variety of modalities. The project team will leverage existing support from local and regional partners, especially the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Kansas Department of Agriculture; and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to help ensure that project materials allow small food processors to be successful within their local/state regulatory framework. The project team reaches out to educators, trade associations, community organizations, and regulators across the North Central region and gather existing food safety training materials that will support project goals. The expert team will deliver science-based food safety knowledge to people through a variety of educational training programs including not limited to seminars, video modules, online seminars, workshops, extension and outreach activities. Through regional networking and communication efforts, especially those in conjunction with NCR FSMA, the project team will reach produce growers and small food businesses (farmers, individuals, chefs, restaurant owners, farmers market segments, low-income ethnic group and low-income minority communities) across the north central states that are manufacturing value-added foods with their primary sales direct-to-consumer (at retail). Project results will be communicated to stakeholders through regional and national networks. Project outcomes will be communicated nationally and will provide a template for education and outreach programs that can support small-scale, value-added food producers across the U.S.Evaluation is imbedded in project efforts and will ensure that project impacts can be effectively communicated. Evaluation will help ensure that project materials support learning and that input from small food processors and regulatory agencies is captured in material development.Both formative and summative evaluation tools will be developed, and a specialist will provide support to development and implementation of evaluation and to analyze evaluation data. Student employees will be hired to support development and logistical support for trainings; assist with set-up, data analysis and reporting linked to evaluation; and support communication with stakeholders and partners.Some of the outcomes/ benefits of this project includes:1) The planned food safety trainings (BPCS, HACCP, Food Safety Microbiology and PCQI trainings) throughout the project period will create awareness and improved food safety culture by applying a science based microbial risk assessment and the FSMA based principles in manufacturing value-added finished food products (E.g., sauces, pickles, salsas, pickles, relishes etc.) thus protecting consumers health. 2) Benefits small and medium scale value-added food processors with direct sales to consumers thus improving food safety as well as socio-economic conditions of rural areas in the North Central region. 3) The proposed food safety training helps to expand the market for value-added food products beyond county/state boundaries. 4) The proposed program, which involves ongoing food safety training, process authority review services, extension publications, and one-on-one consultation, is designed to build an effective food safety resilient systems in the North Central Region and beyond. 5) Project outcomes will be communicated nationally and will provide a template for education and outreach programs that can support small-scale, value-added food producers across the U.S.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
501	5010	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
501 - New and Improved Food Processing Technologies;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive FSMA-based food safety education program for small, value-added food processors selling primarily direct-to-consumer.Develop, implement, and evaluate an outreach program that delivers ongoing support and reinforces key food safety messages included in FSMA.Communicate project results to stakeholders across the North Central region, to USDA and national partner networks.

Project Methods
Through regional networking and communication efforts, especially those in conjunction with NCR FSMA, the project team will reach produce growers and small food businesses across the north central states that are manufacturing value-added foods with their primary sales direct-to-consumer (at retail).Evaluation is imbedded in project efforts and will ensure that project impacts can be effectively communicated. Evaluation will help ensure that project materials support learning and that input from small food processors and regulatory agencies is captured in material development.We will reach out to educators, trade associations, community organizations, and regulators across the North Central region and gather existing food safety training materials that will support project goals.The team members will oversee the work of the evaluation specialist supporting this project. Evaluation is a key component of this project (Objective 1, 2). Both formative and summative evaluation tools will be developed, and a specialist will provide support to development and implementation of evaluation and to analyze evaluation data. Student employees will be hired to support development and logistical support for trainings (Objective 1); assist with set-up, data analysis and reporting linked to evaluation (Objective 1, 2); and support communication with stakeholders and partners (Objective 3).The teams at the University of Missouri (Channaiah) and Kansas State University (Getty, Blakeslee) will: support development, implementation and evaluation of training that supports food safety education under FSMA for small, value-added food processors (Objective 1) and communication of project results (Objective 3). Channaiah will lead the development of an impactful system of one-on-one consults (office hours) and a quarterly seminar series in years 2 and 3 (Objective 2). Blakeslee will lead efforts to collect and develop resources that support key food safety messages (Objective 2). Blakeslee will lead efforts to establish a website and resource database as one outcome of the proposed work. Getty will lead development of web-based modules and video case studies (Objective 2).Through monthly project meetings, all investigators will be actively involved in the development and implementation of all objectives. Project investigators are each currently engaged in impactful food safety education and outreach programming and will dedicate time specifically to the successful implementation of this proposal.