Food Safety and Defense Graduate Certificate Program Summary

Description What it is: The Food Safety and Defense graduate certificate program serves the needs of industry and agencies that must protect the human food supply from accidental or deliberate contamination with pathogenic microbes and/or toxicants. In an era of terrorism and global food systems, effective control of food borne hazards requires advanced education. Who it's for: Professionals with a bachelor's degree who are working in a food industry related field and are interested in furthering their knowledge of food safety and defense. Potential career paths include: Food safety analyst Quality control specialist HACCP consultant Plant manager Food safety engineer Delivery: All courses are completed online through Great Plains IDEA, a consortium of 11 universities. Students admitted to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Safety and Defense certificate program will take courses delivered via distance technologies by Nebraska and the other participating institutions. How to apply If you are already admitted to a degree program, please see your advisor to set up a plan of study for the certificate program. Otherwise, you will first need to be admitted as a non-degree student. Required by Office of Graduate Studies Application for Graduate Admission as a non-degree student $45 non-refundable application processing fee One set of official transcripts showing conferral of a bachelor's or higher degree Required by Food Science and Technology Letter stating background and professional goals in pursuing this certificate Three letters of recommendation Minimum TOEFL: Paper-525 Computer-195 Internet-71 Application Deadline Rolling admission

Food Safety and Defense The online format of the Food Safety and Defense certificate program allows professionals to continue education in their field without taking time off to complete courses. Contact Staff Contact Diane Wasser 402-472-6251 dwasser1@unl.edu Faculty Contact Dr. Robert Hutkins 402-472-2820 rhutkins1@unl.edu Department Address 143 Filley Hall Lincoln NE 68583-0919 Department Websites Food Science and Technology Great Plains IDEA

Required courses

The online certificate includes a minimum of 12 credit hours with 9 credit hours in core courses and a minimum of 3 elective credit hours.

Unless otherwise noted, all courses are 2 credit hours.

Core Courses

FDST 871 A Multidisciplinary Overview of Food Safety and Security
This course provides students with an overview appreciation and understanding of the many multidisciplinary aspects of food safety and security. Such an overview will inform and enhance preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery related activities.

FDST 805 Food Microbiology (3 cr)
Nature, physiology, and interactions of microorganisms in foods. Introduction to food borne diseases, the effect of food processing systems on the micro flora of foods, principles of food preservation, food spoilage, and foods produced by microorganisms. Food plant sanitation and criteria for establishing microbial standards for food products.

FDST 872 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System
A comprehensive study of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System and its application in the food industry.

FDST 873 Food borne Toxicants
Quantization, metabolism and mechanisms of action of major food borne toxicants. Toxicant defense and control systems, risk analysis and assessment and application of food laws.

Elective Courses

FDST 855 Microbiology of Fermented Foods
Physiology, biochemistry, and genetics of microorganisms important in food fermentations. How microorganisms are used in fermentations and the effects of processing and manufacturing conditions on production of fermented foods.

FDST 874 Food Laws and the Regulatory Process
History of the development of the current federal and state food regulations. Guidelines that govern the practice of regulating the wholesomeness of red meats, poultry, and eggs. Presentations by state and federal food regulators. Non major graduate credit.

FDST 875 Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology
Rapid Methods and Automation is a dynamic area in applied microbiology dealing with the study of improved methods in the isolation, early detection, characterization, and enumeration of micro-organisms and their products in clinical, food, industrial and environmental samples. This workshop will focus on the practical application of conventional and new commercial systems of rapid identification of micro-organisms from medical specimens, foods, etc.

FDST 876 Risk Assessment for Food, Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (3 cr)
Risk assessment principles as applied to biological systems. Exposure and effects characterization in human and animal health and ecological risk assessment. Risk analysis frameworks and regulatory decision-making. Introduction to quantitative methods for risk assessment using epidemiological and distributional analyses. Uncertainty analysis.

FDST 877 Advanced Food Microbiology and Biotechnology
Principles of food biotechnology, including introduction of molecular biology and enzyme immobilization. Theory and concepts of current biotechnology trends as it relates to food safety and security issues.