UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State’s Department of Food Science will offer “Food Defense --Prevention Planning for Food Processors” at three locations beginning May 7. This short course covers the fundamentals of assessing and managing the risk associated with intentional contamination in food manufacturing facilities.

The course is designed for managers involved in quality control, production, supply-chain and human resources as well as other aspects of food operations and plant security.

Martin Bucknavage, food science extension associate, and Catherine Cutter, associate professor of food science, will be the featured speakers. "The purpose of the course is to help processors develop preventive defense strategies for their food-manufacturing operations,” Bucknavage says. “This course also will review methods for assessing vulnerabilities that allow the processor to understand where improvement is needed.”

Sessions will include “Personnel -- The First Line of Defense,” “Assessing Vulnerabilities through Checklists” and “Developing a Food Security Plan.” The short course will be offered at University Park on May 7, at Penn State Hazelton on May 8, and at the Mercer County office of Penn State Cooperative Extension on May 9. Each course will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with lunch breaks.

The registration fee is $75 per person with a limit of 30 registrants per session. Registration will close 10 days prior to the first day of each session, making April 28 the earliest deadline. Applicants can register online at http://conferences.cas.psu.edu. More information is available by contacting the Office of Conferences and Short Courses by phone (814-865-8301) or by e-mail (shortcourse@psu.edu).

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EDITORS: For more information on conference content, contact Martin Bucknavage at 814-867-1839 or by e-mail at mwb124@psu.edu.

Writer: Donna Abdullah dla5004@psu.edu

Editor Jeff Mulhollem 814-8673-2719 jjm29@psu.edu