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Food: Safety
Current trends show that more and more of the food we eat is sourced from outside our local community, and public concern regarding food-borne illness and ethical farming practices is growing. People want to know where their food is coming from, and how it is being grown or produced, stored, and transported. This is where the expanding field of food safety and traceability comes in.
Videos
Infographics
- The Advantages of Wireless Food Safety Monitoring: See how a new generation of wireless food safety monitoring tools is helping to reduce the risks and give chefs, restaurant owners, caterers and consumers peace of mind in this infographic created by Checkit.
Articles
- Food Safety News: Extensive information about food safety issues including recalls, outbreaks, and politics. The website includes original, in-depth reports published daily, complemented by contributed articles and opinion pieces written by food safety leaders from every sector of the industry.
Student Groups
Programs and Courses
- FSN 275, Elements of Food Safety - Introduction to food safety from farm-to-fork. Topics include good agricultural practices, good manufacturing practices, food safety regulations, and an overview of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Emphasis on control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards to assure food safety.
- FSN 375, Food Safety - Principles, practices, and regulations governing and ensuring the chemical, physical, and biological safety of the food supply. Topics include Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), risk assessment, import safety, food bioterrorism and defense, product recalls, and traceability. Prerequisite: FSN 370
- FSN 335, Food Quality Assurance - Microbiological and physical methods of analyses of foods used in food quality assurance and product development laboratories. Organization and management of quality assurance programs utilizing basic statistical control. Development of food production standards and interpretation of specifications. Prerequisites: FSN 125 or FSN 230; junior standing
- Explore Cal Poly's Food Safety Lab - Capable of testing and monitoring bacterial and viral activity in food products/processes. We can analyze food products and determine what potential food safety concerns are associated, as well as provide general testing support.
Professional Connections
- National Environmental Health Association - NEHA (based in Denver) is a not-for-profit membership organization that advances the environmental health professions.
- International Association for Food Protection - IAFP represents a broad range of members with a singular focus — protecting the global food supply. Within the association, you will find educators, government officials, microbiologists, food industry executives, and quality control professionals who are involved in all aspects of growing, storing, transporting, processing and preparing all types of foods.
- The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) - This LinkedIn group is a collaboration between the world’s leading food safety experts from retailer, manufacturer, and food service companies, as well as service providers associated with the food supply chain.
- Food Safety and Quality Assurance - Provides a forum for discussions, provide news, post jobs, network with peers and announce products and services that help promote better food safety and quality.
Internship Opportunities
- National HS-STEM Summer Internship Program - The Department of Homeland Security offers internship opportunities in various mission-relevant research areas at federal research facilities and DHS Centers of Excellence, including the National Center for Food Protection and Defense.
Example Job Titles
- Consumer Safety Officer
- Epidemiologist
- Extension Agent Food Law Specialist Food Microbiologist
- Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Program Manager
- Food Toxicologist
- Plant Pathologist
- Public Health Inspector
- Quality Control Specialist
- Risk Communication Specialist
- Food and Drug Administration Agent
- United States Department of Agriculture Meat Inspection Agent
Job Listing Links
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, and our nation’s food supply. Follow this link to find out more about working at the FDA.
- Institute of Food Technologists: Advancing the science of food, and the people who practice it. Check out these job listings through IFT.