Penn State Extension is offering a new online course, “Keeping Apples Safe in the Packinghouse,” for apple packing house operators that want to provide food safety training to employees.
The digital curriculum covers essential practices and procedures to ensure product safety. The course includes 21 videos recorded in commercial packing facilities, addressing topics such as microbial, chemical and physical hazards that can cause foodborne illness or injury, potential contamination routes, sanitation and personal hygiene best practices, and guidelines for recordkeeping, according to a Penn State news release.
A teaching guide with discussion questions helps reinforce topics introduced in the videos. Videos and discussion questions are available in both English and Spanish. Apple packing house operators can stream and use the videos alongside their company’s training materials and facilitate discussion using the provided questions. An internet connection is required to stream videos, according to the release.
Employees will learn how to:
—Understand the importance of food safety and the potential negative impacts of a food safety incident.
—Identify how microorganisms can spread throughout the packing house and implement strategies to minimize cross-contamination.
—Demonstrate good personal hygiene practices.
—Apply basic sanitation concepts to meet the goals of the company’s sanitation program.
—Implement best practices for documentation and recordkeeping.
The registration fee is $300. For more information, call 877-345-0691, or visit the website at: https://extension.psu.edu/keeping-apples-safe-in-the-packinghouse.
—by Matt Milkovich
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