Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO
JARDIN BOTANICO SUR 1187
SAN JUAN,PR 00926
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
What is the current issue or problem that the research addresses and why does it need to be researched?USDA Extension food safety programs nationwide recognize that consumers and the foodservice industry need reliable COVID-19 and food safety information to keep the food supply secure and to learn how to mitigate community spread of the virus. It is critical that hospitality management and culinary arts students are trained with up-to-date knowledge and skills in adequate food production facilities to make use of the most current developments and best practices in the area of food safety.In recent years, more restaurants and chefs in Puerto Rico have taken part in a world-renowned movement known as "farm-to-table," a trend that strives to serve dishes that include the freshest local ingredients, preferably from an on-site garden or farm. Each region consumes what is produced within it. The concept is also intimately linked to organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices. The best-known chefs within the farm-to-table trend on the Island are part of a new generation of local experts who have managed to stand out without distancing themselves from the signature Puerto Rican flavors. These are chefs whose creations have been reviewed internationally by top food critics and renowned F&B publications. Locals and foreign visitors alike have enjoyed the sublime cultural and culinary experience in these distinctive restaurants, and the Government of Puerto Rico, through the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, has promoted these "farm-to-table" operations. However, no hospitality management and/or culinary arts programs on the Island prepares its graduates to become active participants and entrepreneurs in the "Latino Farm-to-Table" business model and ecosystem.To provide this much-needed training to students and agricultural workers, the SHRA has identified the need to revise the courses that focus on F&B operations management in the bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration, as well as the imperative need to create an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts with strong food safety and Latino Farm-to-Table components. This is the first time that programs with those two focuses will be developed in Puerto Rico. The SHRA dean and faculty have participated in meetings with students, the Advisory Board, professional associations, and alumni to discuss the need for the revision of F&B courses and the new academic program in culinary arts and have actively listened to their opinions, recommendations, and needs.The development of a unique and innovative culinary arts program with a strong Latino Farm-to-Table focus will provide students with a profound knowledge of where food ingredients come from, the advantages of buying local produce, various farming, and production methods, and how to continue to make the best sustainable and ethical agricultural product choices throughout their culinary careers. In addition, an emphasis on food safety is especially important because F&B businesses are full of safety hazards such as cleaning chemicals, broken glass, bacteria, viruses, and toxins, among others, and the only way to protect customers, the business, and employees is through ongoing food safety training, practice, and education. Participants in the NRA ServSafe Certificate course will acquire the skills and knowledge required to handle food safely and uphold high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Well-trained and certified food handlers coupled with a complete and up-to-date food safety guide are the keys to ensuring food safety in the foodservice industry.SHRA will closely collaborate with the USDA- Food and Nutrition Services Office in Puerto Rico and with the Innovation Fund for Agricultural Development in Puerto Rico (FIDA) to participate in events related to this proposal. This joint effort will offer participants the opportunity to connect with and shadow farm owners and restaurant chefs who are practicing strict food safety protocols and farm-to-table procedures.Basic methods and approaches to collect and produce data/results:The data will be collected quarterly and will be analyzed to determine differences in learning outcomes from the baseline, and years one and two after implementation. In addition, a pre and post-test will be carried out to evaluate students' learning experiences with the new food safety content. A pre and post faculty survey will be used to evaluate the quality of the teaching experience with the revised course structure. A survey of graduates will include questions related to the laboratory experiences and their effect on graduates' professional performance.This data, collected throughout the project, will be disseminated through a web page created solely for this purpose. The webpage will reside on UPRCa's main server, in accordance with institutional policies regarding structure and style. F&B Operations Management and Culinary Arts courses syllabi will be freely available to other institutions via the project web page. The syllabi, which will be available in Spanish, may be of interest to institutions with Hispanic students in the US, as well as to institutions in Latin America.A second important dissemination strategy will be publications of electronic promotional materials, such as digital brochures, which will be distributed among other HSIs with similar interests. The project's accomplishments will be shared in educational materials published in Spanish, widely distributed to high school counselors and officials, and presented at UPRCa's open houses, the UPRCa Food Safety and Latino Farm-to-Table Forum, the Hospitality Job Fair, the Guest Speaker Series, and the rest of SHRA's events.Articles regarding the project will be published in the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association's newsletter, in local newspapers and at the Puerto Rico USDA-FNS and FIDA websites, upon prior consent. A research paper will be prepared from the project outcomes.What ultimate goals does the project hope to achieve and what is the general impact expected to be if this goal is met? What societal benefits may be realized?All participants will gain first-hand knowledge of food and agriculture careers through opportunities with project partners in government and private enterprises from specially designed activities at the UPRCa and through field trips to farmers markets, "Latino Farm-to-Table Restaurants and Local Farms. Participants in the NRA ServSafe Certificate course will acquire the skills and knowledge required to handle food safely and uphold high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Well-trained and certified food handlers coupled with a complete and up-to-date food safety guide are the keys to ensuring food safety in the foodservice industry.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The project supports the NIFA's Food Safety goals as well as the following USDA goals: "Improve and increase the production of goods and services from working lands while protecting the nation's natural resource base and environment" and "Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce."The primary goal is to benefit over 120 participants in a two-year period. The proposal will fulfill the following priority need areas: a) attract and support undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to food and agricultural sciences; b) increase the number of underrepresented graduates in this discipline, and c) align UPRCA's and US Department of Agriculture-Food and Nutrition Services (USDA-FNS) effort in supporting the academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups. The proposal addresses the educational need areas: a, b, c, e, & f. The primary academic focus is the creation of a new Associate Degree in Culinary Arts with a strong focus on Food Safety and Latino Farm-to-Table methodology. Trained faculty members will create and offer Latino Farm-to-Table and ServSafe certifications to over 100 UPRCa students and rural food service employees. In conjunction with the USDA-FNS and Innovation Fund for Agricultural Development in PR (FIDA), we aim to develop over ten professional development, educational, and networking events in Puerto Rico related to the culinary industry, in Spanish and for the Hispanic market.With the SHRA mission statement, the UPRCa's institutional learning outcomes, and the graduate profile as a guide, SHRA faculty formulated seven (7) program learning outcomes (PLOs) that clearly define the program's goals regarding student learning. At the conclusion of the hospitality management program, students will have the ability to: identify the principles and skills of global hospitality management, describe and apply customer service skills, demonstrate effective bilingual communication (Spanish and English), demonstrate effective critical thinking skills, evaluate the issues and trends that affect the global hospitality industry, exemplify of effective leaders in the hospitality industry, and develop a sense of social awareness and community involvement at the local and global level.
Project Methods
The Project Director (PD) and the Project Co-Director (PCD) will be responsible for efficiently planning and accomplishing the following activities:F&B Operations Administration Curriculum Redesign - An initial part of this proposal is the revision of seven (7) regular three (3) credit courses that will be enhanced with innovative teaching strategies and activities related to Food Safety and Latino Farm-to-Table issues. This course revision process will include the following courses: Introduction to F&B Management, Purchasing for Foodservice Operations, Nutrition and Food Safety, F&B Cost Control, F&B Services, Basic Food Production, and Advanced Food Production. The program will undergo a significant transformation including updated food safety information and the consistent practice of safe and hygienic food production laboratory sessions at the SHRA. Adding farm-to-table educational material to each of the seven courses will represent a 100% increase in this type of training, as well as a 100% increase in the use of Latino Farm-to-Table practices in the SHRA food production laboratory sessions. It is an innovative approach to retaining underrepresented Hispanic students by providing hands-on experiences and contact with public and private Farm-to-Table operations in real-life settings.National Restaurant Association ServSafe (Food Safety) Certification and Latino Farm-to-Table Certification Offerings - A key activity of this proposed project is the ServSafe Food Safety Certification of two (2) new SHRA faculty members to become instructors, and the participation of 50 SHRA students and 50 rural foodservice workers in both certification programs. SHRA faculty will develop the Latino Farm-to-Table Certification during the first year. During the grant'sthird quarter, the three faculty members will start to offer both certification trainings and complete all the required steps to certify 50 participants per year (25 SHRA students and 25 rural foodservice workers). Benefits of these certifications include: a) having three (3) food safety and Latino Farm-to-Table certificate facilitators linked to the UPRCa, the USDA-FNS, and FIDA; b) increasing by one hundred (100) new future and existing students and foodservice employees with the latest food safety and farm-to-table facts in two years; c) helping the USDA-FNS and FIDA improve knowledge and practice of proper food safety handling and farm-to-table methods among foodservice facilities in rural areas; d) exposing students and the community to a foodservice operation model with the latest food safety codes for proper food handling and Latino Farm-to-Table logistics; e) offering both certifications in the years beyond the proposal duration through the UPRCa's Continuing Education Division (UPRCA-DECEP); f) collaborating with the USDA-FNS and FIDA on at least 5 initiatives per year, such as Guest Speakers Series presentations, a Hospitality Job Fair, a Food Safety and Latino Farm-to-Table Forum, field trips to local farms, and Latino Farm-to-Table restaurants visits, among others.A faculty selection committee comprised of the PD, PCD, the Dean of SHRA and another F&B professor will advise and assist SHRA's students. The PD and PCD will be responsible for planning and managing the projects. An Administrative Assistant will perform clerical work and provide general secretarial support to the PD and PCD. The PD, PCD, and the USDA-FNS management team will recruit the 50 rural area workers.Associate Degree in Culinary Arts Curriculum Development - An innovative UPRCa Culinary Arts Associate Degree curriculum will directly address Latino Farm-to-Table and Food Safety needs, becoming a Hispanic model for future hospitality management and culinary arts programs in Puerto Rico and the continental United States. The specialized curriculum will likely contain 60-70 credits in total and begin in 2023 as part of this USDA HSI initiative. The initial class will consist of twenty (20) Hispanic students. Culinary Arts courses will be taught in Spanish and cater specifically to underrepresented Latino communities. This new academic program is expected to become part of UPRCa regular educational offerings. The proposed Associate Degree in Culinary Arts will benefit the sustainability of the labor force in culinary arts, provide a solid foundation in food safety and farm-to-table practices for workers, and train well-rounded chefs, food service workers, and kitchen managers among other leadership positions for the Island's growing tourism and agriculture labor force.