Full course description
Course description
This in-person, on-campus course will provide knowledge of fundamental food science concepts that are routinely used in industrial operations to maintain the safety and quality of foods. We will cover key food chemistry (e.g.; pH, water activity, color and texture), food microbiology (e.g.; characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms and microbial death kinetics) and food quality (GMPs, HACCP and shelf-life life estimation) topics that are essential for food industry professionals. We will then focus on routine food processing operations such as pasteurization, sterilization and conclude with how to maintain safety of specific commodities. We will also have several hands-on laboratory sessions to strengthen the learning. Tentative syllabus of the course can be found here.
Course registration
Click on the Enroll button above. To register for the course and access the instructional materials, you will need to create a FREE associate account with the University of Maryland. We will also use the email you supply when creating the account to communicate with you prior and during the course.
Structure of the course
Upon registration, you will be able to access University of Maryland's online educational platform (https://elms.umd.edu/). All the instructional material will be available to you on UMD's educational platform. This is a 3-day in person course. On each day, the course will start at 9:00 AM Eastern US and end at 5:30 PM Eastern US. The total instruction time will be 20 hours spread over three days and participants are required to remain engaged throughout the duration of course. There will be quizzes and group activities to ensure engagement and you are required to participate in them. On day 1 and 2, there will be hands-on laboratory activities in the afternoon. We will supply the personal protective gear needed for the laboratory. You will get breaks throughout the day. While we will provide snacks and water, we will not provide breakfast and lunch. The campus has several dining options less than 5 minutes walk from the classroom. You attendance is required throughout the duration of the course.
About instructors
Dr. Rohan V. Tikekar, lead instructor: Rohan is an associate professor and extension specialist in the department of nutrition and food science at University of Maryland. His research focuses on investigating food-processing technologists for their impact on food safety and quality. His extension work primarily focuses on FSMA related food safety training and providing technical assistance to small and medium scale processors. His research has resulted in over sixty peer-reviewed publications in food safety, quality and processing.
Dr. Shauna Henley, co-instructor: Shauna is a senior agent at University of Maryland Extension. She has been involved with teaching food preservation workshops throughout the state, as part of the "Grow It, Eat It" series. Shauna is actively engaged in food safety education along the food supply chain. At the farm level, Dr. Henley is a FSMA Produce Safety Rule instructor, assists with On-Farm Readiness Reviews and co-teaches Good Agricultural Practices. At the production level, Dr. Henley is a Lead Instructor for FSMA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food, and works with an interdisciplinary team to educate food entrepreneurs on Cottage Law, and other regulations related to a food business. In addition to these activities, Shauna is a ServSafe instructor and exam proctor.
Refund policy
If cancellation occurs prior to the start of the course, you will receive a full refund, except any processing charges, per UMD OES policy .
Contact
For any further questions, please contact Dr. Rohan Tikekar at rtikekar@umd.edu or 301-405-4509. For refund and other OES related questions, submit an inquiry here: https://exst.umd.edu/contact.