Progress 07/01/22 to 02/06/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Small and very-small value-added food processors in the upper Midwest, with a focus on education and training for food processors in Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Processors involved in direct-to-consumer sales (retail establishments) were the main focus of the work. Efforts: Extension educators and researchers in Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin delivered science-based training and one-on-one support to small value-added processors in the North Central region of the United States. Educators and researchers at Kansas State University provided product testing or training services to 55 food companies, issued 78 process authority letters, 62 nutritional facts labels and conducted 2 shelf-life studies in 2023. Kansas State University also provided training to 16 small acidified food processors. Extension specialists at the University of Missouri supported Kansas State University in offering the Better Process Control School - Acidified workshop, and offered the Better Process Control School (low-acid foods) to an additional 33 participants. Specialists also offered HACCP training to 24 registrants, provided food testing and nutritional facts labeling services to more than 20 food processing companies and authored 7 processing authority letters. The Extension food safety specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offered training to 70 individuals processing low-acid or acidified foods through the FDA Better Process Control School. Through training and one-on-one follow-up support, the specialist worked with 863 small and emerging food businesses in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest in food safety plan review, in support of food business licensing, and in establishing good food manufacturing practices. As a processing authority, the specialist authored 321 process reviews for small, value-added food processors. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training offered: Training of small, value-added food processors is a key component to the work accomplished. Educators working on this grant provided FDA Better Process Control School - Acidified and Low-Acid to over 100 key personnel in the upper Midwest. Educators in Missouri also offered HACCP training to the target audience. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Extension educators and researchers associated with Food Safety by Design worked with stakeholders in their respective states, i.e. state Departments of Agriculture or Department of Health/Human Services, industry trade groups, regulatory programs, and through Extension networks to promote food safety education and follow-up support for small, value-added food processors. Each of the three primary project directors: Ingham, Channaiah, and Getty - are processing authorities for their respective states and work within the scientific network to promote food safety education and food business support systems in the upper Midwest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
University of Wisconsin: Barbara Ingham, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Professor of Food Science and Food Safety Specialist, Division of Extension. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has provided food safety training to food entrepreneurs engaged in canning. Training is tailored to the size and scope of the food business, from highly mechanized food business operations to non-electrified, homestyle canning operations, and ranges from 12 to 24 contact hours per person per training. Seventy individuals attended training in the first year of the FSOP grant, and 30 completed an end of session evaluation. Retrospective post-pre evaluation results indicated that 100% of program participants (n=30) increased their understanding of the science and practice of safe food processing as a result of the training. Prior to training, 50% of respondents (n=15) were 'a little' or 'somewhat' confident in their knowledge of food safety practices, and 50% were 'confident.' After the training, all respondents indicated increased confidence; 100% reporting that they were 'confident' or 'very confident' as a result of the training. As a result of the training, all respondents expressed increased confidence in their ability to formulate safe food. Prior to training, 60% of respondents were 'not at all' or 'somewhat' confident in their ability to formulate safe food; after the training 100% were 'confident' or 'very confident' that they understood how to formulate safe food for manufacturing. Participant confidence in their understanding of the rules and requirements for processing safe canned food for sale increased from 24% to 93% as a result of the training. Finally, whereas prior to the training, 15% of participants were confident of their ability to access help they may need to process safe food for sale prior, after the training, 100% of respondents were 'very confident' in their ability to find help to support them in manufacturing safe food for sale. Additional workshops in Wisconsin the first year of the FSOP grant focused on food safety for value-added food production across other commodities important to the state, the manufacture of maple syrup (n=38), value-added farm market vendors (n=35) and home-based food businesses (n=78). During 2023, Dr. Ingham worked one-on-one with 863 small and emerging food businesses in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest in food safety plan review, in support for food business licensing, and in establishing good food manufacturing practices. As a Process Authority, Dr. Ingham supported the development of 321 food safety plans for product manufacture. University of Missouri: Dr. Lakshmikantha Channaiah, Assistant Professor of Food Science and State Extension Food Processing Specialist, University of Missouri The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri (co-partner for this project) has provided food safety training cum workshops and services to food entrepreneurs engaged in manufacturing value added food products. In 2023, the MU provided food safety testing and/or training services to 94 companies in total. The Specialist averages ~15 one-on-one contacts with food processors each month. The services include, testing pH, water activity, testing for Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli/ coliforms, yeast/mold, aerobic lactobacillus, nutritional facts labeling, better process control school (BPCS) for acid, acidified, and low acid canned foods) BPCS (acidified foods), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) training, and process authority letter services for various small and medium scale food processors in Missouri and beyond. Specifically, the University of Missouri provided BPCS trainings to 49 registrants, HACCP training to 24 registrants, food testing & nutritional facts labeling services to more than 20 food processing companies and 7 process authority letter services for various acid and acidified food products. Pre and post evaluation results indicated that 100% of participants (trainees) increased their understanding of the science and practice of safe food processing as a result of the training and workshop. The audience for each of these programs was primarily food businesses based in Missouri, with some participation from Kansas. For the year 2024, the University of Missouri is offering applied food safety microbiology (seminar), environmental monitoring program (workshop) BPCS (acidified and low acid canned foods), BPCS (acidified foods), HACCP, safe home canning workshops in addition to developing food safety extension factsheets. Kansas State University: Kelly Getty, Kansas State University Londa Nwadike, Kansas State University and University of Missouri Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University In 2023, Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas provided food safety testing or training services to 55 companies in total. Additionally, the KSU has issued 78 process authority letters, 62 nutritional facts labels, 2 shelf-life studies and provided 54 analytical services such as pH, water activity, gluten testing for products etc. Last but not the least, KSU in collaboration with University of Missouri (MU) provided Better Process Control School (for Acidified Foods) - online training on November 2-3, 2023. This training was attended by 16 food processors in Kansas, and all participants provided positive feedback at the end of the training.
Publications
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Progress 07/01/22 to 06/30/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Small, value-added food producers operating primarily at retail. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To achieve project goals in year 1, our collaborative team has been conducting a series of training and/or workshops on cottage foods law, Better Process Control School (BPCS)-acidified foods, BPCS-acidified & low acid canned foods, HACCP training, environmental monitoring program, process validation & verification, hands on workshops on food preservation, and food labeling through in-person and online platforms. In addition, the project team has worked within the North Central food safety extension network (NCFSEN) to support a regional approach to food safety education and processor support. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Pilot training is ongoing in key areas: GMPs, risk assessment and management, HACCP, environmental monitoring, Better Process Control School (Acidified/LACF), process validation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our focus in Year 2 will be to continue with collaborative training program while establishing an outreach program that delivers ongoing support of key food safety messages.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project team has collaborated on building and piloting food safety educational programs for small, value-added food businesses operating in the upper Midwest and selling primarily at retail.The training team has adapted standard food safety industry training materials to address the needs of retail audiences operating under varied regulatory systems from cottage food (home-based) food manufacturers to small canning operations and robust retail manufacturers.
Publications
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