IEH Academy

Preventive Controls for Human Food - PCQI Training (FSPCA)

Course details

Instructor-Led

20 Hours

Dr. Peyman Fatemi

The course curriculum is based on the guidelines from the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) in conjunction with the FDA. Group panels & discussions will be utilized through virtual breakout rooms which will reinforce knowledge and allow students to share experiences.

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Overview

The course curriculum is based on the guidelines from the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) in conjunction with the FDA. It is an online, instructor-led course spanning 5 days (4 hours per day). Provisions have been made to allow group work & discussions through the use of virtual breakout rooms. These activities will reinforce knowledge and allow students to share experiences. Participant attendance and engagement will be monitored during the course. Certification after the courses requires that participants be present for all FSPCA modules. Individuals who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion accredited by FSPCA and AFDO.

Under the current FDA preventive controls for human food rule domestic and foreign facilities producing human food must develop and implement a food safety plan based on conducting a hazard analysis and identifying appropriate risk-based preventive controls. The written food safety plan must be prepared, or its preparation overseen, by one or more PCQIs (preventive controls qualified individuals). The rule (current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation § 117.3) defines the PCQI as: “A qualified individual who has completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA or is otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system.”

To become a PCQI an individual must complete training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA (or have acquired equivalent knowledge through job experience).

Benefits and Learning Objectives

  • Understanding the similarities and differences between HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and FSP (Food Safety Plan)
  • Learning how to identify appropriate process preventive controls (PCs), and specifying critical limits that will control identified hazards
  • Learning where other preventive controls (PCs) such as prerequisite programs, sanitation, supplier specifications, environmental monitoring, and allergen plans fit into a food safety plan and how to set parameters and values for each PC to control identified hazards
  • Learning about the monitoring of critical limits and PC parameters and values to ensure that the process stays in control
  • Understanding what verification and validation are, and how they are applied to show that PCs are being applied and working as intended
  • Understanding how to develop and implement documents and records to demonstrate that the food safety plan is operating effectively
  • Provide training using an FDA-recognized standardized curriculum
  • Qualify students who meet the training criteria as Preventive Control Qualified Individuals
  • Provide an FSPCA, AFDO accredited PCQI certificate

Agenda

Students will progress through a series of modules that address the following subject matters:

  • Overview of applicable food regulations
  • Elements of a food safety plan
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Prerequisite Programs (PRPs)
  • Biological food safety hazards
  • Chemical food safety hazards
  • Physical food safety hazards
  • Economically motivated food safety hazards
  • Available resources for preparing food safety plans
  • First steps in developing a food safety plan
  • Performing a hazard analysis
  • Determining which preventive controls are appropriate: (Process preventive controls, Sanitation preventive controls, Food allergen preventive controls)
  • Supply-chain preventive controls
  • Preventive control verification and validation procedures
  • Record-keeping practices
  • Recall plan overview

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is for the person(s) at a food facility who will be responsible for developing, implementing, and modifying the facility’s food safety plan in the role of being a PCQI, or for anyone else at the facility who wishes to know more about the preventive controls for human food final rule and the elements that a Food Safety Plan must-have. Individuals who believe that they are qualified to be a PCQI based on work experience, or who have other food safety certifications (e.g. HACCP, SQF, etc.), may still consider taking this course to ensure that their knowledge is equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA, and to demonstrate equivalency by receiving a training certificate.

Individuals who may wish to take this course include:

  • Directors/Vice Presidents/Managers of Food Safety
  • Plant Managers
  • Production Managers/Leads
  • Training Managers
  • Quality Assurance Managers and staff
  • Sanitation Managers
  • Ingredient Suppliers
  • Supply Chain Managers
  • Operations & Maintenance Managers

Meet the Instructor

Dr. Peyman Fatemi