Food Science Extension Outreach Program

Every year we hear about incidents of food-borne illness on the news. Many times these incidents could have been prevented or at least minimized, with proper food safety guidelines and training. The current focus of the University of Georgia  Food Science Extension Outreach Program is to provide the public and industry with unbiased, research-based food safety education.  Our workshops and on-site training programs enable businesses in the food industry to develop and implement a food safety plan tailored to their own operation, thus preventing or minimizing the risk of contamination of their food product by human pathogens. 

Extension Outreach personnel also work closely with various food commodity organizations in Georgia, including the Georgia Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, Southeastern Food Processors Association, the International Fresh-cut Produce Association, the Georgia Poultry Federation, the Southeastern Meat Association, United Fresh Produce Association and others to provide practical applications for research findings in their particular area of expertise.

Other educational services provided to individual firms assist them in improving products, extending product shelf-life, new product development, plant layout and design, solving waste disposal problems, conducting quality/safety audits and assisting in employee training. This department also 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.

Please see the Workshop Calendar for dates and registration information on all of our workshops. The Extension Outreach Program specialists also provide numerous other services to the food industry, ranging from plant layout and design to nutritional labels and process approval. For resources to start a new food business, please see the Starting a New Food Business page with links to many food safety Extension bulletins to print out.