Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for this project is very broad with various emphases. Audiences includefood safety professionals, aspiring food entrepreneurs, faculty in food systems-related disciplines, regulatory officials, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Objective 6:Establish Food Entrepreneur Initiative to engage in research, testing, and training activities that enable the execution of food safety regulations and requirements for the startup of new food system businesses.AUFSI has already sponsored four annual two-day Food Entrepreneur Conferences and are planning the fifth, to be held in spring 2017. We are also on the lookout for funding to create a web portal to all the services available at Auburn University and elsewhere to help food entrepreneurs. Objective 7:Develop quality credit & non-credit education for adult learners in safety and quality of food systems' related disciplines.In 2016, AUFSI completed its five-yearcooperative agreement with theU.S. Food & Drug Administration to create an online, integrated, standardized food safety training program for food industry inspectors nationwide. As a result of this agreement, AUFSI offers the following online courses free to government food inspection employees through our website: Basic Food Microbiology, Campylobacter, E. coli, Laboratory Techniques in Food Microbiology, Listeria, Salmonella, Oral Communications, Parasites in Food, Rapid Methods-Immunology and Serology, Rapid Methods-PCR, Sanitation 1 and 2, and Specialty Eggs. The 10 courses available to industry are Sanitation 1, Sanitation 2, Sanitation (1 and 2 combined), Rapid Methods - PCR, Basic Food Microbiology, Laboratory Techniques, Listeria, Oral Communications, and Specialty Eggs.Courses developed during Fiscal Year 2016 but not yet available online include: Biological Hazards in Foods, Communications, Food Allergens, Sanitation Principles, Inspector Personal Safety, and Voluntary Nations Retail Program Standards. Several additional training tools and projects were completed, including training videos on Layer Housing, Salmonella testing, and Donning and Doffing Protective Gear. Finally, an interactive app was developed in which a user navigates through a 3D Feed Mill containing equipment that, when activated, shows the internal workings of the machine. AUFSIhosted the third National Egg Products School (NEPS) in September 2016 in Auburn. Twenty-two participants received a thorough introduction to eggs and egg products from their initial formation through the packaging of liquid and dried egg products. This "farm to fork" review includes side excursions into molecular structure, safety, microbiology, and the latest research on egg nutrition. AUFSI continues to maintain its status as anauthorized provider of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits through the International Association of Continuing Education & Training. Although many organizations offer CEUs, very few have made the effort to adhere to IACET's standards IACET accreditation requires an extensive peer review process, including an on-site visit. IACET benchmarks an organizations policies and practices against the standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the U.S. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?OBJECTIVE 9. Create and improve public awareness about food systems related health, economic, and implementation issues AUFSI staff has worked with core faculty members to write articles for trade magazines such as Food Quality, Food Logistics, Refrigerated and Frozen Foods,and Food Safety. Multiplearticles have been published this year on food defense andlogistics security. The audience for these publications includes professionals involved in food safety, quality assurance, product development, purchasing, processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance. As a way to educate the public about where their food comes from, AUFSI in late 2015 again publicized (through press releases and our website)our Thanksgiving website, whichusesthe Thanksgiving holiday to showcase articles about subjects from turkeys to pumpkins, with content coming from the AU College of Agriculture, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, trade organizations, and AUFSI staff.AUFSI also creates and distributesan annual holiday infographic, which offers similar tips for dishes for potluck-style gatherings. Press releases are utilized to inform the university communications department and local news outlets of these annual publications, and direct links to the materialsand coordinatinggraphics are also posted on the main AUFSI website. OBJECTIVE 10. Interact and participate with the local, state, national, and international food system communities AUFSI staff members continue to attend conferences to forge external partnerships. In addition to participation in the AFDO and AFDOSS conferences, AUFSI was a sponsor of the 2016National Institute of Animal Agriculture symposium, and staff members participated in the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)annual expo. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Explore the creation of an industry advisory board. Objective 2:Continue to work with and strengthencurrent interdisciplinary working groups and form new interdiciplinary working groups as needed to address food system challenges. Evaluate the effectiveness of the food defense, obesity, FACESS, and antibiotics resistanceworking group websites. Objective 3: Continue to seek additional core faculty members that would offer new and complementary research intereststhat can feed over into the working groups best suited to those new members. Objective 4: Continue to faciltate and pursue collaborative funding opportunities. Objective 6: Coordinate, publicize,and host the 2017 Food Entrepreneur Conference in the spring. Objective 7: Continue to offer and publicize online food systems training courses. Objective 9: Continue to create publications (e.g., infographics)and online materials that educate the public about food-systems related issues, specifically those related to food safety. Objective 10: Continue to interact and build new relationships with local, state, national, and international food system communities. Objective 11: Assess the impact/effectivness of attending the annual meetingsof the Institute of Food Techologists and the Association of Food and Drug Officials.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1:Establish internal and external advisory boards to provide feedback and quarterly and annual reviews.Both advisory boards have been established and have met. Objective 2:Maintain an interdisciplinary, cross departmental venture for core faculty and working groups throughout the Auburn University network.In the last year, AUFSI has been successful in strengthening existing working groups and creating new working groups, which are groups of faculty from different disciplines and centers who collaborate to seek extramural funding for interdisplinary research projects or to carry out specific food systems-related activities. New working groups in 2016 including Animal Feed Manufacturing, Quality and Safety; and Aquaponics. Food Defense and Obesity are AUFSI's strong, model working groups, as they meet reguarly and have their own public websites (with a members-only section). Food Defense members also this year began a Facebook page and a blog that has at least two new posts each day.The Farm and Consumer Safety and Security working group and Antibiotics Resistance also have their own websites and meet at least quarterly. Egg Products School and Food Entrepreneur Inititative continue to be successful in organizing and hosting their biennialschool and annual conference, respectively. Objective 3:Maintain cadre of content experts in core science and technology focus areas.The AUFSI core faculty consist of faculty from different disciplines across campus: food science, nutrition, poultry, meat science, veterinary medicine, horticulture, fisheries, education, and more. In 2016, the core faculty grew to 30 with the addition of faculty from disciplines such as business analytics and microbiology. The core faculty also includes faculty from Purdue University,University of Georgia,Iowa State University, North Carolina State, and Southeast Missouri State University. Objective 4:Facilitate and pursue collaborative funding opportunities.AUFSI staff participated in writing 13 grants during the past year. One of ourfunded proposals (through the FDA) is a collaborationwith the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) over the next five years to develop a statewide Produce Safety Program that aligns with the Food and Drug Administration'snationwide Produce Safety Rule. The rule includes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables. Together, AUFSI and ADAI will provide education, outreach, technical assistance, and training to farmers that handle produce covered under the rule. Additionally, AUFSI assisted the Aquaponics Working Group in securing USDA funding this year to help further its research in aquaponics, which combines aquaculture with hydroponics (the practice of growing plants without soil)to grow both fish and produce. AUFSI has continued to provide faculty members across campus withsupport in securing extramural funding, assistance in assessment requirements for grants, assistance in post-award management, and assistance with technology. Objective 6:Establish Entrepreneur Initiative to engage in research, testing, and training activities that enable the execution of food safety regulations and requirements for the startup of new food system businesses. The Food Entrepreneur Initiative continues to successfully coordinate and host an annual Food Entrepreneur Conference. The 2016 conference had the largest attendance so far (44). Additionally, these working group members continue to provide year-round support to aspiring and growing entrepreneurs by answering questions and providing direct assistance. Objective 7:Develop quality credit & non-credit education for adult learners in safety and quality of food systems' related disciplines. In addition to our online training courses (See "Other Products"),AUFSI continues to offer certification courses in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, a program design to help assure safer meat and seafood products. In 2016,AUFSI coordinated a total of five HACCP certification courses - four for meat products and one for seafood - for about 80 participants total.Another training opportunity coordinated by AUFSI in partnership with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System this year was the two-day Better Process Control School, which certifies supervisors involved in the manufacturing of low-acid and acidified foods. Such companies must operate with a certified supervisor on the premises. One session was held in March 2016 with 22 participants, and another was held November 2-3 with 12 participants, including two international attendees from Barbados. Objective 9:Create and improve public awareness about food systems related health, economic, and implementation issues. AUFSI maintains and continues to update a Thanksgiving website, which offers consumers safety tips for preparing, handling, serving, and storing Thanksgiving meals. AUFSI also creates and distributes an annual holiday infographic, which offers similar tips for dishes for potluck-style gatherings. Objective 10:Interact and participate with the local, state, national, and international food system communities. The University of Georgia and Iowa State University are now AUFSI partners through our working groups, joining Tuskegee, Purdue,and Southeast Missouri State University.AUFSI continues to work with the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO) and the Association of Food & Drug Officials of the Southeastern States (AFDOSS), as well as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and state and/or county officials in Alabama, North Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Objective 12:Build relationships with local, state, and federal government representatives that impact the food system. See Objective 10.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Qiao, Mingyu & Huang, Tung-Shi (2016, August/September) Potential applications of N-Halamines in Food Production, Processing, and Packaging for Improving Food Safety. Food Safety Magazine. (Issue 4).
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2015, December). Food Defense in the Age of Domestic Terrorism. Food Safety Magazine e-digest.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, February). National Security Can Begin in the Chicken House and the Processing Plant. Food Safety Magazine e-digest.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, April). Is Terrorism a Threat to the U.S. Food Industry? Food Safety Magazine blog.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, May). Power Outage Shows Hacker Threats Are a Real Threat to the Food Industry. Food Safety Magazine blog.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, June). Food Safety an Security is Not Just about Preventing Pathogens. Food Safety Magazine e-digest.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Auburn University Food Systems Institute. (2016, September). Auburn University Food System Institute Website Advises on Logistics Security. Food Logistics magazine.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, September). A New Chapter in Terrorism May Be Emerging. Food Logistics magazine.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, November). Cold Chain Defense - Proactive Defense Strategies in the Era of ISIS. Refrigerated and Frozen Foods magazine.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Norton, Robert. (2016, August). The Ten Commandments of Food Defense. Food Safety Magazine e-digest.
|
Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project is very broad and with various emphases, including food safety, food security, and other food systems topics. This audience includes food safety professionals, aspiring food entrepreneurs, students, faculty in food-systems-related disciplines, regulatory officials, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?AUFSI grant support services: AUFSI provides support in securing extramural funding, including assistance with grant writing, assessment requirements for grants, post-award management, and technology. AUFSI also teams with AU's Statistical Consulting Center to provide help with study design, analysis, etc. This assistance is available to all working groups as well as to core faculty members working on interdisciplinary projects. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Worldwide partnerships: In addition to our core faculty members at other universities, AUFSI also has external partnerships with Auburn University-Montgomery, Tuskegee University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Memphis, Purdue University, North Carolina State University, Michigan State University, and Suffolk County Community College in New York. Internationally, AUFSI has partnered with the University of Bologna in Italy, Ocean University of China, and the ISEKI-Food Association, an independent European nonprofit with membership from universities, research institutes, companies, and food-related associations (ISEKI is an acronym for Integrating Food Science and Engineering Knowledge Into the Food Chain). Within industry, we also continue working with the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO) and the Association of Food & Drug Officials of the Southeastern States (AFDOSS), as well as the CDC and FDA. IACET certification: AUFSI continues to offer its online, on-demand courses as an accredited provider of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits through the International Association of Continuing Education & Training (IACET). The rigorous standards associated with becoming IACET-accredited cover everything from organizational structure to planning a learning event to assessing the learning process. AUFSI also had to meet standards related to intellectual property policies, use of copyrighted materials, and periodic evaluation followed by updates and revisions. Although many organizations offer CEUs, few have made the effort to adhere to IACET's standards. IACET requires an extensive peer review process, including an on-site visit. HACCP in Mobile: A group of 12 seafood processors, FDA regulators, and Alabama Department of Public Health inspectors attended a Seafood HACCP Alliance certification course in Mobile in October 2015, which was coordinated by AUFSI. Jean Weese, head of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's (ACES) food safety group, Amelia McGrew with ACES, and AUFSI director Pat Curtis taught the course. Nan Steedly with the Alabama Department of Public Health reviewed the HACCP plans developed in the class, and Larry Estavan from FDA reviewed the Seafood HACCP regulations. Offered by AUFSI through the Seafood HACCP Alliance, the class is required for seafood processors to legally sell seafood to other processors or retail outlets. Attendance at conferences: The AUFSI staff is frequently on the road and interacting with others in the food system community at conferences and expos. This year AUFSI hosted a successful exhibit at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) conference and made hundreds of new contacts from all over the world, including Ecuador, Korea, Mexico, Chile, and Canada. These attendees were interested in our online food safety training courses, e-books, and e-newsletters as well as in forming connections and learning more about AUFSI. As usual, AUFSI also attended the annual AFDO (Association of Food and Drug Officials) and AFDOSS (Association of Food and Drug Officials for the Southern States) conferences, where we disseminated information about our online, on-demand training courses. Representatives from AUFSI attended several other conferences throughout the year, including the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) and the International Association for Food Protection annual meeting. Educational technology conferences: Because so much of our efforts focus on education, we keep up-to-date by networking with people on the leading edge of educational technology. The technology-related conferences our staff has attended this year include the Online Learning Conference in Orlando, FL; the New Media Consortium 2015 Conference in Portland; E-Learn 2015 in Kona, HI; and the Educause Learning Initiative Meeting in Anaheim CA. Food safety training: See "other products." Food Entrepreneur Conference/Virtual Food Entrepreneur Initiative: AUFSI is committed to helping food entrepreneurs grow their businesses or even start new ones. We have already sponsored three two-day Food Entrepreneur Conferences and are planning a fourth. In 2016, AUFSI plans to develop a web portal to all the services available at Auburn University and elsewhere to help food entrepreneurs. Social media: AUFSI has three Facebook pages as well as Twitter, Vimeo, and Instagram accounts to keep in touch with both external and internal audiences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? GOAL 1: Maintain an infrastructure to support interdisciplinary research, teaching, training, collaborations, and external partnerships with academia, industry, government, and consumers OBJECTIVE 1: Maintain internal advisory board OBJECTIVE 2: Facilitate cross-departmental venture for core faculty and working groups to pursue collaborative funding opportunities (Phase 1) OBJECTIVE 3: Maintain cadre of content experts in core science and technology focus areas OBJECTIVE 4: Conduct annual Needs Assessments among core faculty, advisory boards, industry, government, and consumers GOAL 2: Establish Phase II implementation task force for core faculty and working groups OBJECTIVE 5: Develop a mentoring program for junior faculty OBJECTIVE 6: Develop and maintain working group webpages OBJECTIVE 7: Implement a leadership structure among core faculty and working groups OBJECTIVE 8: Provide leadership opportunities through outreach efforts GOAL 3: Provide quality education for learners in food systems and related disciplines OBJECTIVE 9: Develop credit & non-credit courses for adult learners OBJECTIVE 10: Develop quality education for K-16 and graduate learners in food systems and related environmental issues GOAL 4: Establish Entrepreneur Network OBJECTIVE 11: Develop strategic plan for funding, marketing, and sustainability of entrepreneur network efforts OBJECTIVE 12: Host annual Entrepreneur Initiative training conference GOAL 5: Participate in consumer-related outreach efforts to improve public awareness about food systems related health, economic, and implementation issues OBJECTIVE 13: Participate in local, state, and regional efforts OBJECTIVE 14: Enhance connections with international organizations and institutions GOAL 6: Develop and implement a marketing plan OBJECTIVE 15: Establish marketing strategies for external licensing and commercialization of products OBJECTIVE 16: Interact and participate with the local, state, national, and international food system communities OBJECTIVE 17: Determine impact of attendance at regional and national expos OBJECTIVE 18: Build relationships with local, state, and federal government representatives that impact the food system GOAL 7: Promote high quality and sustainable food system practices through development of online training OBJECTIVE 19: Continue research and development to support faculty in using technology, both online and face-to-face OBJECTIVE 20: Investigate new technologies and implement applications to education and training OBJECTIVE 21: Collaborate with faculty on original education research OBJECTIVE 22: Advance AUFSi's academic technology
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
RESEARCH: Facilitate interdisciplinary research contributing to food safety best practices and advancing food systems technology. The AUFSI strategic plan includes a mission statement, goals, objectives, and implementation strategies developed after careful analysis of data from needs assessments and evaluations of AUFSI activities. In addition to our online training programs, which have been accredited by IACET (see below) and presented at professional conferences as a models, AUFSI brings together researchers from a variety of disciplines to discuss their research, find overlapping or mutual areas of interest, and cooperate on projects to generate extramural funding. Auburn University has a long history of doing applied research in the "food system" disciplines; however, in the past, researchers have typically been sequestered in their own departments and disciplines, with little opportunity to interact with researchers in related disciplines with similar interests. AUFSI aims to break down those barriers and find solutions to food system problems that affect all disciplines but in different ways. Working groups: A major focus for the coming year is strengthening these working groups, which are groups of faculty from different disciplines who come together to plan interdisciplinary research projects and seek extramural funding. We have a dozen working groups in different stages of development, with the Obesity and STEM working groups particularly thriving at this time. Obesity Working Group: This AUFSI working group brings together faculty from kinesiology, nursing, education, psychology, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy, as well as representatives from nearby Tuskegee University and East Alabama Medical Center. These members have been sharing their research and have collaborated on two proposals so far. Their strategy at this point is to gather preliminary data in anticipation of seeking major funding. Several members of the group and the AUFSI grant writer also collaborated with an Extension group that secured a large grant from the Centers for Disease Control. AUFSI recently created a website for the Obesity Working Group, with a "members only" section to facilitate collaboration. STEM Education working group: This brand-new group is an unusual collaboration between faculty in the Auburn University colleges of education, agriculture, and liberal arts and the Auburn University-Montgomery Office of Outreach, which has already committed substantial resources to support the group's mission of using food science to make subjects such as science, math, engineering, and physics fun and less intimidating to young, underprivileged students. The working group has already applied for funding from the Auburn University Office of Outreach as they position themselves for a proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the spring. Salmonella working group: Starting about 2011, several foodborne illness outbreaks caused by Salmonella were traced back to ground beef rather than to chicken, a common host for the pathogen. Several researchers at Auburn wondered birds, rodents, or other vermin could transfer the Salmonella endemic in poultry houses to cattle in nearby fields. Under the umbrella of AUFSI, the researchers--from the college of agriculture and veterinary medicine--sought funding from USDA to study this question. Reviewers responded that the question was indeed interesting but they would like to see preliminary data suggesting this could be the case. Since then, Working Group members have received an AU Intramural Grants Program award from the Office of the Vice President of Research and have also utilized Hatch funding as they continue to research the question. They are starting to find answers and are ready to move the focus of their research away from campus facilities and onto farms in north Alabama. Working group members are not ready to report their findings, but they are well positioned to seek future intramural funding. Diverse, growing Core Faculty: The AUFSI core faculty consists of faculty from different disciplines across campus, from food science, poultry, and meat science to veterinary medicine, fisheries, and horticulture. We also now have core faculty from Purdue University, Iowa State University, the University of Georgia, East Tennessee State University, and Southeast Missouri State University. We added four members in late 2015, giving us a roster of 32. Core faculty are frequent participants in working groups and are a ready resource when expertise is needed in a particular discipline. AUFSI grant support services: AUFSI provides support in securing extramural funding, including assistance with grant writing, assessment requirements for grants, post-award management, and technology. AUFSI also teams with AU's Statistical Consulting Center to provide help with study design, analysis, etc. This assistance is available to all working groups as well as to core faculty members working on interdisciplinary projects. Several funded projects have benefited from this assistance, including: Virtual Chicken II: AUFSI's latest virtual simulation project, Virtual Chicken: The Digestive Tract, is getting closer to completion. The USDA-funded project is a collaboration between AUFSI, Suffolk County Community College in New York state, and Pennsylvania State University. Virtual Chicken I was a 3D animation showing the progress of an egg through a hen's reproductive tract. The second Virtual Chicken is utilizing the Unity cross-platform game engine to highlight the journey a piece of corn makes through a chicken's 3D digestive tract after consumption. AUFSI now has an approved design document for the modeling of biological features such as organs, structures, cell processes, digestion, bacterial population interactions, and enzymes. The database and behind-the-scenes information collection design are still being developed. Flavobacterium Conference: Through its Flavobacterium working group, AUFSI helped coordinate the fourth International Conference on Members of the Genus Flavobacterium in October. Attended by 90 scientists, the three-day conference was hosted by AUFSI core faculty member Dr. Cova Arias with assistance from her testing and research laboratory workers and from AUFSI. Conference sessions included taxonomy and biodiversity, impacts of Flavobacterium in aquaculture, epidemiology and virulence, genetics and genomics, host pathogen interactions, prevention and control strategies, and vaccines. Flavobacterium causes several different diseases in aquaculture systems, including bacterial cold water disease (F. psychrophilum) and columnaris (F. columnare). The bacteria can caise massive losses for farmers--often within a matter of hours.
Publications
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Arias, C. 2015. Vibrios and Seafood Safety. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Banerjee, P. 2015. Rapid Methods: Immunological and Serological AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Keener, K. 2015. Sanitation Part 1. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Curtis, P. 2015. HACCP for the Poultry Industry. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Anderson, K. and P. Curtis. 2015. Speciality Eggs. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Morgan, V. 2015. Oral Communications. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Arias, C. 2015. Rapid Methods PCR. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Huang, T. 2015. Salmonella. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Singh, M. 2015. Laboratory Techniques in Food Microbiology. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Keener, K. 2015. Sanitation Part 2. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Tailgate Times. http://aufsi.auburn.edu/tailgate/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Kochak, J. 2015. On-Farm Practices of Beef Producers and Processors: What Are the Gaps in Food Safety? Food Safety Magazine, April/May. http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/aprilmay-2015/on-farm-practices-of-beef-producers-and-processors-what-are-the-gaps-in-food-safety/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Norton, R. 2015. Food Defense in the Age of Domestic Terrorism. Food Safety Magazine eNewsletter. http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/enewsletter/food-defense-in-the-age-of-domestic-terrorism/
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Banerjee, P. 2015. Basic Food Microbiology. AUFSI Training iBook. (available in AUFSI Training App from Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
|
Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audience: The target audience for this project is very broad and with varied emphases. This audience includes food safety professionals, aspiring food entrepreneurs, students, faculty in food-systems-related disciplines, regulatory officials, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? OBJECTIVE 6. Establish Food Entrepreneur Initiative to engage in research, testing, and training activities that enable the execution of food safety regulations and requirements for the startup of new food system businesses AUFSI is increased its focus on developing a Virtual Food Entrepreneur Initiative for aspiring food entrepreneurs. We have already sponsored two annual two-day Food Entrepreneur Conferences and are planning the third. Currently we are seeking funding to create a web portal to all the services available at Auburn University and elsewhere to help food entrepreneurs. OBJECTIVE 7. Develop quality credit & non-credit education for adult learners in safety and quality of food systems' related disciplines AUFSI is one of five partners helping the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to create an integrated, standardized food safety training program for inspectors nationwide. Twelve courses are complete and currently available (Feed Mill Virtual Tour, Basic Food Microbiology, Laboratory Techniques in Food Microbiology, Layer Housing Systems, Listeria, Oral Communications, Rapid Methods-Immunology and Serology, Rapid Methods-PCR, Sanitation 1 and 2, Specialty Eggs, Vibrios, and Salmonella). Seven courses are currently in development ( E. coli, Norovirus, Campylobacter, Parasites in Food, Basic Food Microbiology, Retail Foodservice Virtual Tour, Foodservice Manufacturing Virtual Tour, aa Seafood HACCP iBook, and a Poultry HACCP iBook. Several additional courses have been approved, including HACCP for the Retail Foodservice Sector, Voluntary Retail Regulatory Standards Guidelines, a Layer Housing Virtual Tour, and Egg Sampling. AUFSI's technology staff is creating interactive iBooks for use with the online, on-demand food safety training that is being created for inspectors of FDA-regulated foods as well as for industry. AUFSI has completed the rigorous process of becoming an authorized provider of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits through the International Association of Continuing Education & Training. Although many organizations offer CEUs, very few have made the effort to adhere to IACET's standards IACET accreditation requires an extensive peer review process, including an on-site visit. IACET benchmarks an organizations policies and practices against the standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the U.S. To expedite course enrollment, AUFSI has implemented Canvas Catalog, a one-stop front-end portal that enrolls students, accepts payment, allows access to the course, automatically creates individual certificates and promote the use of badges for accomplishing goals. This saves staff from having to perform this work manually. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? OBJECTIVE 9. Create and improve public awareness about food systems related health, economic, and implementation issues AUFSI staff has worked with core faculty members to write articles for trade magazines such as Food Quality and Food Safety. Articles have been published about sanitation, traceability, the pathogen Vibrio, specialty eggs, gaps in food safety practices among small beef producers and processors, and the effect of the Food Safety & Modernization Act on seafood suppliers and processors. The audience for these publications includes professionals involved in food safety, quality assurance, product development, purchasing, processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance. Auburn Speaks: On Food is the 2013 edition of the Auburn Speaks series created by the Office of the Vice President of Research. The book showcased Auburn's research having to do with food and hunger. Dr. Pat Curtis served as editor. The book was designed to acquaint a lay audience with the work of Auburn University researchers. As a way to educate the public about where their food comes from, AUFSI in late 2013 used the Thanksgiving holiday to showcase articles about subjects from turkeys to pumpkins, with content coming from the AU College of Agriculture, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, trade organizations, and AUFSI staff. In 2014, the website became a Holiday site, and AUFSI partnered with Suffolk County Community College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, to incorporate entertaining and educational videos into the content. The effort was widely publicized in the New York City metro area as well as locally. AUFSI's staff also created an app for iPhones and iPads called "Tailgate Times" with the purpose of educating the general public about foods and food production. Issues were created in connection with each home football game. The first issue, in connection with the Auburn University-University of Arkansas game, introduced readers to the poultry industry that is so important to both states. OBJECTIVE 10. Interact and participate with the local, state, national, and international food system communities AUFSI staff members continue to attend conferences to forge external partnerships. In addition to participation in the AFDO and AFDOSS conferences, AUFSI was a sponsor of a recent National Institute of Animal Agriculture symposium, and staff members participated in the Institute of Food Technologists annual expo, the Alabama Food Safety and Defense Conference, and the annual meeting of the Alabama Association for Food Protection. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Objective 1: Explore the creation of an industry advisory board. Objective 2: Continue to work with current interdisciplinary working groups and form new interdiciplinary working groups as needed to address food system challenges. Evaluate the effectiveness of the obesity working group website. Objective 4: Continue to facilitate and pursue collaborative funding opportunities Objective 6: Plan and host an entrepreneur workshop. Objective 7: Continue to develop and offer online food system training courses. Objective 11: Assess effectiveness of exhibits as the annual meetings of the Institute of Food Technologists and the Association of Food and Drug Officials
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
OBJECTIVE 1. Establish internal and external advisory boards to provide feedback and quarterly and annual reviews Both advisory boards have been established and have met. OBJECTIVE 2. Maintain an interdisciplinary, cross?departmental venture for core faculty and working groups throughout the Auburn University network A major focus for the coming year is strengthening working groups, which are groups of faculty from different disciplines and center who come together to plan interdisciplinary research projects and seek extramural funding. A model is the Obesity Working Group, which meets monthly. Members from nursing, nutrition, kinesiology, geography, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and education have made presentations on their work and are planning several interdisciplinary projects. AUFSI staff are preparing a public website that introduces the group, with a member's only site where group members can share ideas and discuss project proposals. OBJECTIVE 3: Maintain cadre of content experts in core science and technology focus areas The AUFSI core faculty consists of faculty from different disciplines across campus, from food science, poultry, and meat science to veterinary medicine, fisheries, and horticulture. In 2014 the core faculty grew to 29 with the addition of faculty from disciplines such as nutrition and biology. The core faculty also includes faculty from Purdue University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. OBJECTIVE 4. Facilitate and pursue collaborative funding opportunities AUFSI was part of an interdisciplinary team that wrote a proposal to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support public health efforts to reduce obesity and obesity-related diseases in 14 Alabama counties where more than 40 percent of the population is obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will administer the three-year, $790,000 grant, which will use the existing Extension infrastructure to implement programs. AUFSI's latest funded project is Virtual Chicken: The Digestive Tract. The USDA-funded project is a collaboration between AUFSI, Suffolk County Community College, and Pennsylvania State University. Virtual Chicken I is a realistic 3D animation showing the progress of an egg through a hen's reproductive tract. The new Virtual Chicken project utilizes Unity 4, cross-platform engine used to build simulations, to model the progress of a grain of corn through the 3D digestive tract of a chicken. The simulation starts with the gross anatomy of organs and goes on to illustrate substructures of the digestive tract, demonstrating enzyme action, digestion, and immune response. AUFSI provides support in securing extramural funding, assistance in assessment requirements for grants, and assistance in post-award management, and assistance with technology. AUFSI has recently teamed with AU's new Statistical Consulting Center to provide help with study design, analysis, etc. AUFSI staff participated in writing 10 grants during the past year. That total is expected to increase in 2015. OBJECTIVE 8. Develop quality education for K-16 learners in food safety and related environmental issues An interdisciplinary food systems graduate certificate program is near approval. The program will expose graduate students from agriculture, business, engineering, veterinary medicine, and biology to food-systems-related topics from other disciplines. The students will pursue master's degrees in their own disciplines but take courses in other food-systems-related disciplines as well as attend an introductory seminar course to examine problems from the perspective of the entire food system instead of from the perspective of only their own disciplines. OBJECTIVE 10. Interact and participate with the local, state, national, and international food system communities Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, Suffolk County Community College, and the Southeastern Extension and Research Working Group are now AUFSI partners. They join North Carolina State University, Purdue University, and the University of Memphis. AUFSI continues to work with the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO) and the Association of Food & Drug Officials of the Southeastern States (AFDOSS), as well as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and state and/or county officials in Alabama, North Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. OBJECTIVE 12. Build relationships with local, state, and federal government representatives that impact the food system See Objective 10.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Arias, C., & Kochak, J. (2013-2014, December/January). Vibrios and human health. Food Quality & Safety Magazine, (Issue 7).
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Curtis, P. (Ed.). (2014) Auburn Speaks: On Food. Auburn, AL: Auburn University
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Keener, K., & Kochak, J. (2013, October/November). Keep it clean. Food Quality & Safety Magazine, (Issue 5).
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