UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- From baked goods and snack foods to dairy products and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, more of America’s meals and snacks are being prepared outside of the home. Employees and managers looking to keep food production sanitary and safe now can take a new online course from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences on food safety and sanitary practices for commercial enterprises.

“Food Safety and Sanitation for Food Manufacturers” is an introductory-level, Internet-based course that teaches the essentials of food safety, food microbiology, sanitary design principles for facilities and equipment, worker hygiene practices, correct procedures for cleaning and sanitizing, food security, and more. Course creator Luke LaBorde, associate professor of food science, says the course is for anyone in the food manufacturing or processing industry.

“There are no prerequisites for this course,” he says. “All you need is a drive to acquire new knowledge and skills that you can immediately apply to your job. Your ‘classroom’ is anywhere you have access to the Internet, so there’s no need to take valuable time off for long trips to training sites, no expensive transportation and no hotel bills. Because it’s an independent study course, you work in your own space at your own pace: at work, at the library, in your home. It’s ideal for the busy professional on a budget and with limited time for training.”

A course chapter titled “Foodborne Illness and Injury” addresses microbial, chemical and physical hazards and the types of illness or injury they cause; foodborne disease intoxication and infection; and food allergies and intolerances. The “Food Microbiology” chapter focuses on pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms; bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi in food; and the “temperature danger zone” concept. Other chapters cover food protection, worker hygiene practices that cause food contamination, and the design, use and maintenance of equipment and utensils. A summary of each of the course’s 12 chapters, sample demonstrations of the course text and interactive learning activities are available at the course’s Web site at http://www.foodscience.psu.edu/e-learning.html.

The $385 registration fee provides access to the complete course materials (including 12 chapters of text and interactive activities) and the Learning Library, an online resource containing more detailed information on specific topics not included in the course. Upon successful completion of the course, the Penn State Department of Food Science will issue enrollees a signed certificate of achievement that demonstrates their commitment to producing safe foods.

To review course materials or request registration or other information, contact Penn State’s Office of Conferences and Short Courses by email (shortcourse@psu.edu) or by phone (814-865-8301 or toll-free 877-778-2937).

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Luke LaBorde at 814-863-2298 or lfl5@psu.edu.

Editor Gary Abdullah Phone: 814-863-2708 E-mail: gxa2@psu.edu