Departmental programs provide current technological information to facilitate competitiveness and profitability of the industry. Educational services are provided to individual firms to assist them in improving products, extending shelf life, new product development, plant layout and design, solving waste disposal problems and assisting in employee training. This department has the responsibility of working with state and federal agencies, news media, county agents, industry firms, cooperatives and other clientele to disseminate research information and provide educational demonstrations which improve processing and preservation methods so that safe, quality food can be produced with better consumer acceptance.
Emphasis is on the control of food safety and quality.
Course content includes food spoilage, food poisoning and food infection, cleaning and sanitizing, personal hygiene, and basic microbiology. Targeted audiences are school lunch employees, restaurants, nursing homes, day care, retail markets and other industry food handlers. Professional food science personnel utilize an in-depth training program on food safety. Nationally standardized test is administered for certification. Quality Control workshops are provided for training quality assurance personnel.