C2008 Preventive Controls

About the Course

This course is based on the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA as one way to meet the training requirements for becoming a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) under the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (21 CFR 117).

The FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course – Version 2.0 provides food safety professionals with the necessary training to support the development and implementation of a food safety system based on risk-based preventive controls.

This updated version includes enhanced examples, streamlined content, and an emphasis on the connection between HACCP principles and preventive controls. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive an official FSPCA Certificate of Completion.

Delivery Format

• Private, in person at your facility, three days.
• Delivered by a Lead Instructor for the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food participant course.
• The course uses the FSPCA standardized curriculum, Version 2.0, which FDA recognizes as adequate for PCQI training; successful completion is one way to meet the training requirement under 21 CFR 117.
• Participants who attend the full course and actively participate receive an official FSPCA certificate of successful completion.
• Class size up to 12 participants.
• English by default, Spanish available upon request.
• Printed FSPCA materials included.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for food industry professionals responsible for food safety, regulatory compliance, or quality management, including:

• Food Safety Managers and Food Safety Team Members
• Quality Assurance Professionals
• Operations and Plant Managers
• HACCP Coordinators / food safety team members

Participants are expected to have foundational knowledge of food safety practices and GMPs.

Course Agenda

Day 1

• Introduction to the Course and Preventive Controls
• Food Safety Plan Overview
• Good Manufacturing Practices and Other Prerequisite Programs
• Biological Food Safety Hazards
• Chemical, Physical and Economically Motivated Food Safety Hazards
• Preliminary Steps in Developing a Food Safety Plan

Day 2

• Resources for Preparing Food Safety Plans
• Hazard Analysis and Preventive Controls Determination
• Process Preventive Controls
• Food Allergen Preventive Controls
• Sanitation Preventive Controls

Day 3

• Supply-chain Preventive Controls
• Process Preventive Controls (continued)
• Verification and Validation Procedures
• Record-keeping Procedures
• Recall Plan
• Regulation Overview – cGMP, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the components and purpose of a Food Safety Plan
• Conduct a hazard analysis and identify hazards requiring preventive controls
• Identify and apply Process, Allergen, Sanitation, and Supply-chain preventive controls
• Understand validation, verification, and recall planning
• Navigate the regulatory framework under 21 CFR 117

Why this course will positively impact your business

• Participants learn to identify hazards early, apply risk-based preventive controls, and stop problems before they reach customers.
• Structured approach, a clear roadmap for building and maintaining a compliant Food Safety Plan that your teams can follow consistently across sites.
• Mitigation of operational risks, stronger allergen, sanitation, process, and supply-chain controls reduce nonconformities, rework, and hold-and-release events.
• Audit readiness, documentation, records, and verification activities align with 21 CFR 117 and customer expectations, reducing audit time and findings.
• Cross-functional alignment, a common language for Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain, improves communication and accountability.
• Stronger allergen protection, focused practice on labeling, cross-contact prevention, cleaning verification, and supplier controls lowers exposure to recalls.
• Supply-chain confidence, clearer requirements for ingredient suppliers, improved approval and verification activities, and smarter contingency planning.
• Integration with existing systems, content complements ISO 9001, ISO 22000, and GFSI recognized certification, supporting culture, continuous improvement, and standardized practices.
• Measurable business outcomes, fewer deviations, fewer customer complaints, less waste, more uptime, and a more capable team that protects brand value.

Completion Requirements

Participants must be present for the full duration of the course and actively engage in all exercises to receive the FSPCA Certificate of Completion.