Turabo Food Safety (TuFS) Education and Outreach Initiative

The long-term goal of this pilot project is to establish a self-sustainable program for food safety education and outreach that is accessible to food industry workers, food handling personnel, farmers, and students enrolled in SNST-UT, in particular those enrolled in the food technology and hygiene academic program.The objectives of this project are to:Train four (4) SNST professors and instructors in a one-year period to become Lead Instructors of FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food in order to offer food safety courses and certifications to individuals who are owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, food handlers or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers.Offer courses to train 270 minority Hispanic participants in a 12-month period to obtain the following certifications: GMP, HACCP, Food Safety Management, and FSPCA preventive controls for human foods.Develop the competencies of participant students to become more qualified to join the local workforce with certifications that are required in their future careers.Establish a self-sustaining food safety education and outreach program in Puerto Rico.