InFORM: Principles of Microbial Food Safety and Quality

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Purpose of Badge

InFORM, which stands for Introduction to Food Operations, Regulations, and Management, is a series of online trainings aimed at professionals working in the food industry for continuous education.

As part of this series, the Principles of Microbial Food Safety is an interactive, online badge intended to provide basic knowledge of food safety and quality to those new to the food industry or to professionals seeking refresher training in these topics. The training covers a broad scope of key topics including the fundamentals of food microbiology, how to identify food safety hazards, and key concepts in processing for safety and quality.

Designed to be completed in 4-6 hours, those finishing the program will receive an eye-catching digital badge, which can be displayed on social media as a symbol of competency in the safe manufacturing of foods.

Intended Audience

A digital badge is a microcredential indicating knowledge, skills, and competencies gained through various learning and professional development opportunities and can be displayed across various digital platforms such as social media and digital portfolios.

If you are interested in broadening your knowledge about food science and technology and other industry related content, please refer to these other badges for additional training: https://foodscience.unl.edu/online-programs

Topics Covered

Introduction to Food Safety: The topics covered under this module will include definitions associated with food safety and related to intentional and unintentional adulteration of foods, relevance of foodborne diseases, overview of foodborne outbreak investigations, food recalls and historically relevant outbreaks, introduction to food safety systems, and microorganisms relevant to foods.

Food Safety Hazards: This module will include definitions and general information associated with hazards (physical, chemical, and biological), as well as information related to identifying and addressing food safety hazards.

Processing for Microbial Quality and Safety: This third module will provide an introduction to the basic concepts of processing for quality and safety. It will include definitions and general information associated with microbial growth, along with processes to control it in foods.
 

What is a Digital Badge?

 

 

A digital badge is a microcredential indicating knowledge, skills, and competencies gained through various learning and professional development opportunities and can be displayed across various digital platforms such as social media and digital portfolios. If you are interested in broadening your knowledge about food science and technology and other industry related content, please refer to these other badges for additional training:


https://foodscience.unl.edu/online-programs

Digital badge

Digital Badge Earning Criteria

Badge earners will have completed an asynchronous, online training consisting of three modules (1) Introduction to Food Safety; (2) Food Safety Hazards; and (3) Processing for Microbial Quality and Safety

Each module within this course includes a final assessment that must be completed with a minimum score of 70% before the participant can proceed to the next module. All modules must be completed to earn the digital badge. The entire online training is expected to take approximately 4-6 hours to complete.

 

Instructors

Dr. Andreia Bianchini
Associate Professor - UNL Department of Food Science and Technology

Dr. Jayne Stratton
Research Professor - The Food Processing Center
Microbiology Laboratory Services Manager - The Food Processing Center

Dates

Enrollment and completion for this badge training are ongoing throughout the year, with no set start or end date (self-paced).

Computer Requirements

To have the best possible experience in this program, a reliable computer with high-speed internet connection is required. It is also recommended to use the most recent versions of Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, etc.

Fee

This training will be offered at an introductory price of $250 per person, marked down from the standard $350 fee per person. Please note that this special introductory pricing is only valid for a limited time.

Registration