June 2021 Newsletter
Volume 1: Issue 2
In this issue:
FSPCA Books Now Available on Amazon!
FSPCA’s 5th Annual Conference to be held October 20-21
Attention All Lead Instructors: Register your courses or risk forfeiting certificates
Celebrate World Food Safety Day Everyday
FSPCA Certificate and Bookstore Fees to Increase in January 2022
What’s Coming Up?
Watch for new information in upcoming issues of the FSPCA Newsletter. Here are some of the things to look for in the near future:
  • FSPCA Virtual Lead Instructor course announcements
  • FSPCA Annual Conference updates
  • Additional FSPCA materials available on Amazon
  • Preventive Controls for Human Food curriculum re-development progress
  • Lead Instructor improvement opportunities
Notes from the Executive Director
Hope everyone is continuing to stay safe during the ongoing pandemic. We are especially thinking about our international partners in India, Nepal, Vietnam and other parts of the world with the raging coronavirus pandemic. Hope you and your families are staying safe.

In this issue of the newsletter, we are happy to announce the FSPCA Annual Conference dates and let you know that it’s never been easier to order FSPCA manuals and exercise books, both of which are available on Amazon. In addition, the Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments (IA VA) team is completing the first virtual Combo Course pilot delivery as this email goes out, and additional virtual Lead Instructor (LI) courses will be offered soon. The Preventive Controls for Human Food and Foreign Supplier Verification Program LI courses are in the process of being virtualized and approved LI candidates will be receiving an email about course enrollment when courses dates have been determined.

I want to end this note, by reminding you about ‘World Food Safety Day’, which falls on June 7th. For those of us in food safety, every day is food safety day, but having a special day to recognize and celebrate the great work of the profession is welcome.

Stay safe and please reach out if you have any questions or comments.

Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D.
IIT Vice President and Director
FSPCA Executive Director
FSPCA Books Now Available on Amazon!
Ordering your FSPCA training materials just got a whole lot easier. In addition to the traditional FSPCA Bookstore, FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food (PC HF) participant course manuals and exercise workbooks are now available on Amazon. And your order may include free shipping. The Amazon option can solve the challenges of shipping books to destinations outside the mainland U.S. because Amazon uses “print-on-demand” services that are close to the delivery location.

Additional Products Coming Soon! FSPCA Preventive Controls for Animal Food participant course manuals, exercise workbooks, and other materials will soon be available on Amazon, so look for announcements in future newsletters and emails.

When ordering on Amazon, be sure to watch for books that are authored by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) as there are imitations out there.
Save the Date! FSPCA’s 5th Annual Conference to be held VIRTUALLY October 20-21, 2021
The FSPCA’s annual conference will be held October 20th and 21st from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. U.S. Central Time each day. This year’s conference will be virtual. The FSPCA is exploring an in-person option that would be limited in size to accommodate social distancing. As the Alliance’s flagship event, the conference focuses on the latest U.S. food safety regulatory updates and tips on teaching, implementing, and complying with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). More information about registration and an agenda will be coming soon.

FSPCA Conference: Operating at the Crossroads of Pre- and Post-COVID 
The FSPCA Annual Conference highlights the food industry’s leading experts, allowing for discussion of current topics within the industry. After more than a year of interim inspection procedures and debilitating public health challenges, we are making progress toward a more predictable operating environment, but we aren’t there yet. So what does food safety compliance look like in this “in-between” stage? Join the FSPCA and your colleagues as the food industry continues to grow through events such as this conference. The conference committee is currently identifying potential speakers from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), academia and industry. If interested, please contact fspca@iit.edu. 
Attention All Lead Instructors: Register your courses or risk forfeiting certificates
This is a reminder to all FSPCA Lead Instructors and their administrative staff that ALL FSPCA Participant Courses (in-person, virtual, and asynchronous) must be registered with AFDO at least two weeks before delivery. IF YOUR COURSE IS NOT REGISTERED AND APPROVED, course participants will NOT receive their FSPCA certificates. Click here to register your courses. If you have questions, or need assistance registering a course, please contact fspca@iit.edu.
Celebrate World Food Safety Day Everyday
June 7 is World Food Safety Day. This day, declared so by the United Nations, draws global attention to the health consequences of contaminated food and water. Visit FDA’s World Food Safety Day webpage for sample social media messages, downloadable consumer food safety tips, safe tips for cooking at home, and more. As a vital link in the food supply chain, industry knows that food safety is not an endpoint but a continuous journey. So, celebrate World Food Safety Day every day by staying vigilant and sharing what you and your company do to provide safe food.
FSPCA Certificate and Bookstore Fees to Increase in January 2022
On January 1, 2022, the cost of FSPCA certificates and participant manuals will increase nominally by ten U.S. dollars each (USD 10.00). This is the first increase in these fees since FSPCA began issuing PCFH certificates in 2015. The fees will help cover increases in course-related costs such as printing, shipping, and translation services.
Published by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance