Frequently Asked Questions about the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School
We’ve collected the most frequently asked questions about Acidified Foods Manufacturing School and answered them here.
Questions and Answers
What is an Operating Supervisor?
Under the acidified foods regulation (21 CFR 114.10) an operating supervisor is defined as a person who has attended a school approved by the Commissioner for giving instruction in food-handling techniques, food-protection principles, personal hygiene and plant sanitation practices, pH controls and critical factors in acidification, and who has been identified by that school as having satisfactorily completed the prescribed course of instruction. The supervisor must be on duty during processing, packing operations, and container closure of acidified product.
Does the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School provide the same Certificate of Completion as the Acidified Foods Only Better Process Control School?
Yes, the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School is equivalent to the training received by attending a standard in-person Acidified Foods Only Better Process Control School course.
Do you offer a 100% online Acidified Foods Manufacturing School?
Yes, the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School is 100% online.
My acidified food operation is extremely small. Do I still need an Operating Supervisor Certificate of Completion?
Yes, based on the acidified foods regulation any food company producing acidified food products must comply with the regulations. Even if someone only sells 10 cans of acidified product in a year, they must comply with the regulations.
How long is my Certificate of Completion good for? Will it ever expire?
Your Certificate of Completion for the course is good indefinitely.
Is the course manual required?
The manual is included in the purchase of the course. The manual was updated in June 2018 to reflect the Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food (Preventive Controls) within 21 CFR 117.
Can I share my online course Moodle ID with someone else?
You cannot share your Moodle ID account information with other people. Each person will have their own Moodle ID. Each participant must pay for and complete the 100% online course prior to receiving their Operating Supervisor Certificate of Completion.
Do you offer the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School in Spanish?
No, we do not offer the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School in Spanish. But you can look at GMA’s national Better Process Control School course listing here for offerings in Spanish and other languages.
I am not sure if I am producing an acidified product. How do I find out if my product is classified as an acidified product?
If you want to find out the classification of your product(s), you need to contact a process authority.
This will help classify your product based on regulations and help you determine the safety parameters for your product(s). If your product is classified as acidified, you will need to take the Acidified Foods Manufacturing School to get your Operating Supervisor Certificate of Completion to legally produce your product(s) OR you will need to work with a co-packer who has already received the Operating Supervisor Certificate of Completion.
Is fermented food such as Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Miso, Kefir, or Tempeh an acidified food?
No, it is a fermented food that is exempt from the acidified food regulations.
Is my product an acidified food?
It may be. If your product is formulated with low-acid food to which acid(s) or acid food(s) are added AND has a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or below & a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85 AND is stored, distributed, and sold shelf-stable (unrefrigerated). The determination between a product being classified as an ACID PRODUCT or an ACIDIFIED PRODUCT all depends on the product formulation — a product with a higher percentage of low acid ingredients may fall into the acidified classification.
Learn more
Visit Acidified Foods Manufacturing School for more information.