Extension Certification Courses

For Registration information contact:
Celika Murphy
Phone: 225-578-5207
Email: cmurphy@agcenter.lsu.edu

Louisiana Retailers eLearning Curriculum

This training is available online through LSU AgCenter Moodle

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identifies specific processes to be conducted under strict operational procedures because of historical foodborne illnesses associated with them. These specialized processing methods are required to be operated under variance registered with the state authorities. In Louisiana, specialized processing methods and variance requirements are governed under the Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51 (LAC 51) and enforced by Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

This nine-module eLearning curriculum aims to provide a roadmap of regulation compliance for food businesses with blended retailing and manufacturing functions, particularly to assist retailers who conduct specialized processing.  

See the Louisiana Retailers eLearning Curriculum page for more information about the training, and registration.

AFDO Sanitation Control Procedures (SCP) For Fish and Fishery Products

Offered twice a year – Winter and Summer
Next course: July 29, 2024

This course is to assist the seafood industry in developing and implementing “Sanitation Control Procedures” as mandated by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Course participants will learn how to draft SSOP's and build monitoring programs for FDA's 8 key sanitary conditions. Participants that attend the standard one-day course will receive a "Certificate of SCP Course Completion” from AFDO.

**Este curso también está disponible en español.

See the SCP page for more information about the training, and registration.

AFDO Basic Seafood HACCP Training

Offered twice a year – Winter and Summer

Next course: July 30 - August 1, 2024

The Association of Food and Drug Officials and the Seafood HACCP Alliance have developed a uniform and cost-effective AFDO/Alliance hazard analysis & critical control point (HACCP) training program for fish and fishery products. The primary purpose of the AFDO/Alliance HACCP Training Protocol is to assist the implementation of HACCP programs in commercial and regulatory settings. Participants that attend the standard three-day course will receive a "Certificate of HACCP Course Completion” from AFDO.

*Este curso también está disponible en español.

See the Basic Seafood HACCP page for more information about the training, and registration.

PSA Grower Training + Optional GAPs Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop

Offered annually.

Next Courses: TBA

Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety should attend this food safety training. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in section 112.22(c) that requires 'At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.

For more information see the PSA-training page

FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food

Offered annually.

Next Course: TBA

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual” who has “successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls”. This course developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”

For more information see the FSPCA page

IHA Meat and Poultry HACCP

Offered once a year - Summer

Next course: June 25-27, 2024

This course covers the fundamentals of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and the application in meat and poultry processing operations. It provides the participant with hands-on experience in developing a HACCP plan. This course is certified by the International HACCP Alliance and meets USDA requirements for HACCP training. Participants that attend the standard three-day course will receive a "Certificate of HACCP Course Completion ”from the International HACCP Alliance.

See the Meat and Poultry HACCP page for more information about the training, and registration.

Sensory Evaluation of Foods

Next Course: TBA

This course is aimed at providing an excellent over-view of sensory evaluation of foods and its applications for food scientists, R&D scientists, QA& QC scientists, and sensory professionals who wish to conduct sensory analysis. This course is appropriate for the beginners who wish to understand basic principles behind the basic sensory tests.

For more information see the Sensory Evaluation of Foods page

Product Safety Alliance - Train the Trainer

Offered annually.

Next course: TBA

This two-day course will provide detailed information about Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), co-management of natural resources and food safety, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and a review of the seven module PSA Grower Training curriculum. The course will also cover principles of adult education, how to incorporate the PSA curriculum into other extension trainings, developing working partnerships, expectations for trainers, and how to register a PSA Grower Training Course with the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO).

Upon successful completion of the full, two-day PSA TTT, you will be a PSA Trainer. Completing this training allows you to deliver curriculum modules as a trainer in a PSA Grower Training, under the direction of a PSA Lead Trainer. Every PSA Grower Training must have at least one PSA Lead Trainer present. Anyone presenting at a PSA Grower Training must be, at minimum, a PSA Trainer.

For more information see the PSA Train-the-Trainier page