This course is one of a series of six courses that are part of North Carolina State University's Food Safety Certification program (includes certification for HACCP Coordinator and Food Safety Manager). In order to obtain additional information on these two programs, please visit the Food Safety Certification Program web site at: http://www.foodsafetytraining.info

"Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP's) in Food Safety Control" is a very practical course addressing current federal regulatory requirements for seafood, meat, and poultry processing operations. The course also addresses the international dimensions of sanitary standards in food trade. The course is designed to provide the student with the background necessary to develop, implement and maintain a sanitation plan based on sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP's). It is developed with the educational needs of industry personnel in mind. However, considering industry demand for university-level graduates trained in programs associated with the control of food safety hazards, this course is being offered to undergraduates on a credit basis.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Explain the significance of SSOPs within a food safety control program.
2. Be able to write an SSOP for a FDA and USDA inspected food processing facility.
3. Describe the significance of sanitation standards in the international trade of food products.

No text is required. All students will be required to have access to an active Internet connection in order to complete the course. All required reading material is contained within the course or is available through the World Wide Web links provided within the course content. A web links page is available within the course as a readily accessible reference resource. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, you will need to go to the following web site and follow the instructions to download a free version.

GRADING

Students will be required to read every lesson and complete the graded quiz located at the end of each lesson. While referring back to the course material during the quiz is not prohibited, the quizzes are timed (20 minutes) and you should review the lesson and know the material well before beginning.

There are numerous links to supplemental material included in each lesson. It is suggested that the student follow and at least browse these sites. Required reading will be noted as such.

Students will also be graded on three major writing assignments. For more information, see the Assignment links from the home page.

It is very important to maintain the proper pace to complete the lessons and quizzes by the designated dates. You will need to complete the quizzes anytime before, but you will not have access to those quizzes after the designated dates. This is for your benefit in completing the course within the semester time limit! See course calendar for submission dates for quizzes and assignments.

---

	Percentage
Lesson Quizzes:	40 %
FDA Assignment :	20 %
USDA Assignment :	20 %
Final Writing Assignment:	20 %
Total:	100%

 

THE PLUS/MINUS GRADING SYSTEM IS IN EFFECT. Letter grades are based on the percentage of points earned of the total available
							A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F	= = = = = = = = = = = = =	97.0-100% 92.0-96.9% 89.0-91.9% 86.0-88.9% 82.0-85.9% 79.0-81.9 % 76.0-78.9% 72.0-75.9% 69.0-71.9% 66.0-68.9% 62.0-65.9% 59.0-61.9% < 59.0%

Instructor's Policies on Incomplete Grades and Late Assignments:

The instructor expects all work to be completed and submitted on the dates requested. If students encounter a problem, they must notify the instructor prior to the due date, and accommodation may be negotiated. Otherwise, late assignments will be reduced a letter grade for each day they are late. Assignments over four days late will be given an automatic zero.

If a student has a valid reason (medical, family emergency, etc.) that prohibits them from completing the course within the semester of initial enrollment, and if they inform the instructor on a timely basis, the instructor will assign an "incomplete". The student will be given the opportunity to complete all missed assignments during the following semester and a letter grade assigned, per university policies. Student and instructor will negotiate dates for submission of all missed assignments.

Comment on the Grading of All Written Assignments:

Grades will be based on comprehension of subject matter as evidenced by the written submissions. Clear and comprehensible communication is expected. Points will be deducted for ambiguity. Grammar is important, as well as spelling. Points will be deducted on assignments that demonstrate a persistent pattern of poor grammar and misspelled words.

This course will focus on basic compliance with both USDA and FDA regulatory SSOP requirements. At the completion of this course, students will be aware of common sanitation concerns within meat, poultry and seafood processing plants. Students will also learn what is necessary for regulatory compliance in the development, implementation, and maintenance of sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP's) within both FDA (seafood) and USDA (meat and poultry) processing plants. In addition to the sanitation standards and control measures mandated by US regulatory agencies, the student will be expected to understand the implications of sanitary standards and controls to international trade. Students will understand the role of international organizations such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization.

---

COURSE OUTLINE:

INTRODUCTION: HACCP REVIEW

Review of HACCP Rules Governing USDA/FSIS and FDA (Quiz)

UNIT 1: SANITATION AND THE FOOD AND DRUG ASSOCIATION (FDA) IN SEAFOOD PROCESSING PLANTS

Introduction to SSOP's and the FDA
Lesson 1: Water Safety (Quiz)
Lesson 2: Protecting Food Contact Surfaces (Quiz)
Lesson 3: Prevention of Cross Contamination (Quiz)
Lesson 4: Hand Washing and Toilet Facilities (Quiz)
Lesson 5: Adulterants (Quiz)
Lesson 6: Proper Labeling (Quiz)
Lesson 7: Employee Health (Quiz)
Lesson 8: Pests (Quiz)
Conclusions

UNIT 2: SANITATION AND THE FOOD SAFETY INSPECTION SERVICE (FSIS) OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)

Lesson 1: Introduction to Government Sanitation and Food Safety Programs (Quiz)
Lesson 2: Introduction to Basic Food Sanitation Principles (Quiz)
Lesson 3: Five Steps to a Compliant SSOP Program (Quiz)
Lesson 4: Sanitation Performance Standards (Quiz)
Lesson 5: Writing the Sanitation Performance Standards (Quiz)
Conclusions - Putting everything into perspective

UNIT 3: INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF FOOD SAFETY CONTROL AND SANITARY STANDARDS

Lesson 1: Role of International Organizations (Quiz)
Lesson 2: International Standards (Quiz)

Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines for academic integrity as found in the NCSU Code of Student Conduct

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY:

Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with:

Disability Services for Students
1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509
515-7653

For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

This course was developed through the combined efforts of Dr. Donn Ward and Christina Moore. A very special thanks to Joanna Foegeding for her exceptionally capable assistance with the course.