FSPCA preventive controls for animal food are the guidelines put in place to ensure that any domestic or foreign facility that is in charge of animal food production gets to produce quality food. They outline the steps that need to be taken by the facility to reduce or eliminate food safety hazards. This rule is mandated by the 2011 FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
Who Do the Requirements Apply To?
These requirements apply to anyone that is in charge of manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding animal food for consumption in the United States. The key thing is if the food is to be consumed in the United States. So, whether the facility is located in the country or in a foreign country, these rules apply as long as the food is to be consumed in the US.
The FSPCA Preventive Controls for Animal Food Course
This is a course that’s intended to ensure safe manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding of food products for animal consumption in the United States. The course basically teaches learners the best practices for preventative controls. The course has two parts, an online course which is the first one, and then an instructor-led course that follows once you’re done with the online course. It is also important to point out that the course isn’t mandated by the FDA but would highly benefit anyone looking to get a better understanding of Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals.
It is worth noting that both the HACCP Systems Final Rule of USDA and the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods regulations of FDA have included provisions for plants to meet in relation to cleaning and sanitizing. This course might be helpful in one’s understanding of that since it outlines the requirements for both sets of regulations. It also addresses the science of cleaning and sanitation as well as how to prevent biofilm formation, how to maintain sanitary conditions before and during operations, and things that should be emphasized in the management of sanitation procedures, among others.
The course also specifically addresses the needs of plants that produce ready-to-eat (RTE) and heat-and-serve (HAS) products.
Why Take the Course?
There are plenty of reasons to take the FSPCA preventive controls for animal food course, and learners are set to benefit by a really significant margin. For starters, they get to have a better understanding of current good manufacturing practices. With this, one can easily work in a manufacturing plant and would have a significant advantage over those that haven’t gone through the course.
Also, learners get to be introduced to the requirements for personnel, plants and grounds, sanitation, plumbing, and the water supply, equipment, as well as plant operations, holding, and distribution. Upon completion of the course, they will have been exposed to requirements for facilities that process both human and animal food. In addition, the learners are expected to further appreciate the flexibility associated with applying CGMP requirements within their own operations. This course is a must-have for anyone with responsibilities associated with sanitation and/or its effectiveness.
