Online PCQI Training

According to the FSMA Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Human Food, all food companies regulated by the FDA must utilize a food safety plan developed and implemented by a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI).

 

A PCQI must undergo extensive training in risk-based predictive controls and how to implement a food safety system successfully. The PCQI is then responsible for ensuring that the food safety plan adheres to FSMA regulations. 

Learners interested in becoming a PCQI do not have to enroll in a specific PCQI training course. Instead, they will enroll in a course that is based on the FDA’s standard curriculum and includes any updates that have been made to the first version of the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) guidelines. 

 

FDA auditors do not look for any specific PCQI certification; rather, they look at a facility’s food safety plan and how it is implemented to determine if the requirements of PCQI training have been met.

Signed into law by President Barack Obama in January 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a series of guidelines designed to improve food safety and prevent foodborne illnesses. Among other measures, the federal guidelines require that all personnel “who handle covered produce or food contact surfaces, or who are engaged in the supervision thereof, must receive adequate training, as appropriate to the person's duties, upon hiring, and periodically thereafter, at least once annually.”

Beyond the regulatory requirement, PCQI training ensures your facility has at least one individual with the knowledge and training necessary to implement preventive controls training for food safety, elevating your safety culture and food safety plan.  

The course is designed for food safety professionals interested in becoming a PCQI and learning what it takes to develop and implement food safety plans. These include professionals in a wide range of roles, from food safety managers to quality assurance supervisors and human resources. 

The course covers a wide range of subjects over around 18 hours of learning. The chapters include:

• Overview of the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course
• Current Good Manufacturing Practices and Prerequisite Programs for Human Food
• Biological Food Safety Hazards for Human Food
• Chemical, Physical, and Economically Motivated Food Safety Hazards for Human Food
• Preliminary Steps in Developing a Food Safety Plan for Human Food 
• Hazard Analysis for Human Food 
• Preventive Controls Determination for Human Food
• Process Preventive Controls for Human Food - Parameters and Values, Including Critical Limits 
• Process Preventive Controls for Human Food - Monitoring and Corrective Action 
• Process Preventive Controls for Human Food - Verification and Recordkeeping
• Food Allergen Preventive Controls for Human Food 
• Sanitation Preventive Controls for Human Food
• Supply Chain Preventive Controls for Human Food
• Food Safety Plan Implementation and Management for Human Food 
• Recall Plan for Human Food 
• Regulation Overview - Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food
• FDA Regulation – Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food 

The course does not require purchasing additional hardware if you already have a smart device or personal computer. 

The course has no prerequisites.

Under the PCHF rule, facilities must develop and implement a food safety plan that includes an analysis of hazards and risk-based preventive controls to minimize or prevent the identified hazards. 

Yes! Like all of our courseware, our PCQI training is 100% online and self-paced - No need to schedule virtual lessons. This is in keeping with our mission to make food safety training available to learners anytime and anywhere.

All learners will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course.