Updated Food Safety Training, Solution for Upcoming FSMA Challenges
The demand for increasing awareness of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has never been greater, and with this demand comes an increasing requirement for training to facilitate a proper food safety management system. To meet these demands, the industry needs to see dramatic improvements in the quality and quantity of food safety trainings. While the cost of training is high, it is negligible compared to overall costs of a product recall or possible food safety-related health issue raised from consuming an unsafe food product.
There are several challenges ahead for proper food safety training at all levels and job descriptions; these challenges include, but are not limited to, numbers of training hours, type, content, and facilitation procedures. Applications of customized base training, mass custom training, and tools such as e-leaning could have dramatic impacts on food safety management systems, improvements in FSMA compliance, and employee productivity.
Successful training programs are based on the following three steps for the development of a customized base training (Figure 1):
Step 1: Develop a list of specific company knowledge and skill requirements based on employee hierarchy (the company input)
Step 2: Develop clear educational objective(s) specific to the required knowledge and skills including, but not limited to, employee level, content, time, quantity, and training goals (trainer input)
Step 3: Develop a detailed course curriculum verified by company human resources and management, incorporate their recommendations, and then proceed (both trainer and the company)
Training Tools for Improving FSMA Compliance
There are several tools to improve an effective food safety program. The most productive food safety training program requires a matrix-based educational system addressing FSMA priorities. Examples of food safety educational improvement objectives could be awareness about food temperature, safer handling of utensils and products, proper cleaning/sanitizing, and general food safety principles. The training content could be designed based on two main learning categories: constructive and authentic.
The constructive content learning method assumes students have a prior education related to the topic (in this case, food safety) and will construct additional learning based on previous information. This approach enables the connection of new information to prior knowledge using variety of educational tools.
The authentic content learning method assumes that student do not have prior education related to food safety and will learn the content for the first time.
Either method could be developed to encompass five distinct food safety training levels:
Level 1: Entry
Both Constructive and Authentic: All learning is received through the instructor with little room for interpretation as most tasks involve memorization.
Level 2: Adoption
Constructive: Educational and technology learning tools (such as graphic organizers) are used to build on prior knowledge and construct meaning.
Authentic: Technology tools are incorporated to develop some content specific activity.
Level 3: Adaptation
Constructive: Educational and technology tools are used independently to learn and build related knowledge.
Authentic: Educational tools and technology are used to develop activities that are beyond the instructional setting.
Level 4: Infusion
Constructive: Technology tools are used in a way that makes for an improved version of understanding.
Authentic: Technology tools are used to achieve goals beyond instructional setting.
Level 5: Transformation
Both Constructive and Authentic: Educational tools and technology allow exploration and extension in projects that may have been impossible without.
In the examples below, we use the above definition to develop a personal hygiene training course in a facility:
Personal hygiene operation: Constructive Learning (Entry)
Course Description: This professional development course gives an overview of basics of personal hygiene and its effects on food safety, which helps familiarize students with general personal hygiene practices as a food safety management system requirement. This characteristic is concerned with the flexible use of technology to build knowledge in the modality that is most effective for each student.
Course Goals: This class aims to teach the basic principles of personal hygiene, so that students will be able to utilize best personal hygiene practices to build on prior knowledge and construct meaning.
Target Audience: This course is designed for staff involved in receiving, processing, storage, and shipping, retailers and suppliers, dairy plant managers, corporate office staff, as well as those who require retraining, as defined by the customer.
Course Resources: Will be determined
This course will include 2 hours of a better food hygiene practice and methods of transmitting pathogenic microorganisms plus 1 hour of proper documentation and weekly incentives for a better personal hygiene.