Recipient Organization
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
WEST LAFAYETTE,IN 47907
Performing Department
Food Science
Non Technical Summary
Food industries, regardless of their sizes, need to provide safe food to consumers. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) Subpart A (21 CFR 117.4) has specifications for food industries on employee training. Previous research showed that small-scale food processors have unique barriers to food safety regulation compliance, also demonstrated the importance of developing audience-targeted food safety training to address those barriers. After the COVID pandemic, high turn-over rate made food safety training even more difficult for those processors. Low-cost virtual training is preferred by many small processors, since it saves their travel time and allows them to self-pace their learning experience. Traditional virtual training is often criticized for missing the hands-on component, which was an essential success factor for effective food safety training. The project team will develop a Transformative Learning Program (TLP) to address those challenges. The first step (TLP 1.0 ) is proposed in this project, which is to develop and evaluate virtual simulation modules to engage small food processors and to build the food safety culture in their business. The objectives are (1) Identify module content and address the needs of small-scale food processors using the Delphi method; (2) Evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual simulation modules and assess behavior-change via surveys, game analytics, and case studies with observations and interviews; and (3) Develop a train-the-trainer course among extension educators and food safety professionals to sustain the impact of the TLP. Our proposal aligns with USDA's strategic goals 1,2,4, and 7. We will ride the tide of virtual simulation learning and make more audience-targeted food safety training for our small food processors to increase their self-efficacy of food safety management and to improve the economic health and viability of the food manufacturing communities.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this project is to develop a low-cost and effective transformative food safety program using virtual simulation, to engage small and very small food processors. Our proposal aligns with the USDA's strategic goals #1, #2, #4, and #7. The objectives of this project serve primarily small-scale food processors, aligning with the Food Safety Outreach Program audience. This project will help strengthen the ability of small-scale food processors to comply with legal responsibilities for taking and conducting food safety training by tailoring a transformative food safety program to fit their needs.Objective 1: Identify module content and address the needs of small-scale food processors using the Delphi method.Objective 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual simulation modules and assess behavior change via surveys, game analytics, and case studies with observations and interviews.Objective 3: Develop a train-the-trainer course among extension educators and food safety professionals to sustain the impact of the TLP.
Project Methods
Objective 1: A Delphi method will be used to evaluate the development of the virtual food safety materials, including the identification of barriers that impede small-scale food processing facilities from incorporating the virtual training modules. Activity 1 (Virtual materials development and evaluation - Delphi method): We will identify experts, from extension food safety specialists/educators and stakeholder representatives (see Letters of Support), to serve as panels for the material content development and evaluation. The PD, Feng, has used the Delphi method to develop and evaluate a food safety curriculum for high school students (7). For this proposed project, a panel of 15 experts will evaluate the content, delivery format, and implementation of the virtual materials (Figure 3). The virtual materials will be evaluated via three rounds of online surveys to attain a consensus. Activity 2 (Virtual materials development): We will develop the TPL [JM1]virtual simulation modules and other program materials that were informed by the expert panel (activity 1). The proposed topics for the virtual materials are environmental monitoring, allergen management, and two more topics from the expert panel.Objective 2 (Identifying participants): Upon IRB approval, we will identify potential participants through the Purdue Extension programs, processors' associations, and state agencies from Indiana and other states. We will recruit at least 30 employees from small-scale food processors to evaluate the virtual materials. Participation in this study will be voluntary, and participants will receive a small honorarium.Activity 1 (Surveys): A validated online pre- and post-survey, developed in Qualtrics XM (Provo, UT), will be administrated as quantitative tools for evaluation of the virtual materials among participants (small-scale food processors). Both surveys will collect data on participants' knowledge, and behavior-change predictors (from TPB, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms). The pre-survey will also collect participants' demographic characteristics, while the post-survey will assess the perceptions and future improvement of the virtual materials. Activity 2 (Game analytics): We will use game analytics to evaluate participants' evolution on the virtual materials. Game analytics is the process of discovering and communicating patterns inside a virtual game, and it helps solve problems or make predictions (14). Because our aim is to understand the effectiveness of the virtual simulation, we are focusing on participants' behavior, which is what participants do while taking the program (24). Some example metrics include the time an individual spends in the different sections of the virtual materials, or the number of clicks needed to perform specific actions. Activity 3 (Case studies with observations and interviews): A case study (17) of three small food processors will be conducted to better understand the effectiveness of TPL using virtual simulation. The case study will include observations of small-scale food processors regarding their daily food safety practices and interviews among participants. These activities will start one week after participants take the food safety training. The PD, Feng, has previously designed observational study protocols (5). The observations for this project will be of one shift per day[TMS3], and each participant will be observed for one week (5 business days). Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected through observational journals and checklists that will quantify the performance of food safety practices. After the last day of the participants' observations, we will conduct a one-hour-long semi-structured interview to evaluate participants' knowledge, food safety behavior in their daily operations, food safety culture, and the perception of the virtual simulation training. The interview sessions will be audio-recorded (upon participants' consent), transcribed verbatim, and reviewed for accuracy.Objective 3: We will disseminate this new food safety training approach among our peers by presenting it at training workshops. We will develop and facilitate at least two workshops (Year 2) to communicate the use of the food safety virtual simulation training among extension specialists and educators, and food safety managers from small-scale food processing facilities. It will present the results on the effectiveness of the food safety virtual simulation training (Objectives 1 and 2) and how to use the virtual materials. We will deliver it in person and online (via Zoom). The train-the-trainer appointee will sustain the impact of the TLP after the funding period. PD Feng's lab website (click to access) will include all the program materials developed from this project.