Success StoryBetter Process Control School Certification for Kentucky's Value Added Processors and Senior Food Science Students



Better Process Control School Certification for Kentucky's Value Added Processors and Senior Food Science Students

Author: Paul Vijayakumar

Planning Unit: Animal and Food Sciences

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

In compliance with mandatory USDA and FDA regulations for the prevention of health problems from low-acid and acidified canned foods, Dr. Paul Priyesh and his colleagues in the Food Systems Innovation Center offer the Better Process Control School to provide certification to supervisors regarding thermal processing systems and acidification and container closure evaluation programs. The UK-FSIC, in partnership with FDA and the KY State Department of Health (DPH) offers the Better Process Control School to provide certification in thermal processing systems and acidification and container closure evaluation programs for small- and medium-sized processors and supervisors from food companies and to help them comply with mandatory USDA and FDA regulations and obtain a commercial license. The DPH Food Safety Branch requires this certification for KY processors and food businesses which intend to sell acidified canned foods at retail chains and grocery stores, especially across state lines. This 2-day training program features an FDA-approved curriculum, and to obtain certification participants must score at least 70% in each of the 8 post-chapter tests. In 2023-2024, six small- to medium-sized food processors/food business owners from KY and three senior food science students successfully completed the workshop and obtained the Better Process Control Certification.