FOOD SAFETY
Building a Blueprint for Excellence in Food Safety
By Robyn Randolph , manager , Integrated Food Safety Systems
In June 2024 , APHL completed the development of the National Curriculum Standard ( NCS ) Laboratory Curriculum Framework ( LCF ). This national effort aims to standardize training and competency in human and animal food testing laboratories , increasing confidence in and use of state laboratory data . The framework spans four professional levels ( entry , mid , expert , director ) and depicts the content areas in which laboratory professionals must possess competencies ( i . e ., knowledge , skills , abilities , behaviors and attributes ) to successfully perform their job functions . These competencies are categorized into core content areas for all laboratory professionals , and programspecific content areas for specialists in chemistry , microbiology or other focused programs . Although the LCF was designed with regulatory human and animal food testing in mind , many content areas , such as laboratory ethics and basic laboratory math , are broadly applicable across various types of laboratory testing .
Supporting a New Training System
In April 2024 , the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) announced the design of the Regulatory and Laboratory Training System ( RLTS ) to establish a standardized training protocol for all regulatory and laboratory professionals involved in an Integrated Food Safety System . The RLTS focuses on delivering consistent , high-quality training to create a highly competent , integrated workforce . It utilizes the competencies outlined in the LCF and the NCS Food Protection Professionals Framework as guides for developing training opportunities . Through the RLTS , various partners — including state and federal agencies , associations , academia and industry — can design and deliver competency-based training to regulatory and laboratory professionals . The RLTS will also define learning paths for these professionals , detailing the necessary competencies and associated training for their current positions and career advancement .
Competency Blueprints
Each content area in the LCF is supported by a blueprint document that lists the competencies and behavioral anchors required for those testing human and / or animal food . A competency statement represents the target benchmark against which an individual is assessed . A behavioral anchor provides observable evidence that a person possesses a specific competency . The LCF competencies describe an ideal analyst ’ s knowledge , skills or abilities . These competencies can be acquired through appropriate classroom or on-the-job training . These competencies were validated by members of the governmental human and animal food testing laboratory community , ensuring consensus on important concepts and competencies beyond the NCS LCF development group .
Course Development
APHL is developing training opportunities to accompany the LCF . To date , APHL has completed 14 online courses aligned with entry level core topics , with eight more in development . These online , asynchronous learning modules are available on the APHL Learning Center and can be found by searching “ LCF .” Additionally , APHL is working with FDA ’ s Office of Training , Education and Development ( OTED ) and Office of Regulatory Science ( ORS ) to create two instructor-led trainings on various methodologies , which will be available to FDA and state participants in 2025 .
Significance for Public Health Laboratories
The NCS LCF promotes consistent , high-quality work among laboratorians nationwide . Laboratory supervisors can use the competency blueprints to assess staff proficiency in various content areas and identify individual training needs . These courses can supplement in-house training , offering additional resources for new-hire orientation and continuing education . Additionally , the LCF provides a structured approach for documenting staff competency and completed
Figure 1 . FDA OTED Competency Development Process
training , helping laboratories meet ISO / IEC 17025 and other accreditation standards . The framework also aids in retaining and transferring knowledge by cataloging essential competencies for laboratorians . With many states facing workforce shortages due to impending retirements of senior-level staff , the LCF helps preserve institutional knowledge by outlining key competencies that should be passed on to future laboratorians .
To learn more about the LCF and how to use the LCF competency blueprints in your laboratory , please contact Robyn Randolph , manager , Integrated Food Safety Systems , at robyn . randolph @ aphl . org . g
APHL collaborated with a number of partners on this project , including :
• US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA )
• Association of Food and Drug Officials ( AFDO )
• Association of American Feed Control Officials ( AAFCO )
• International Food Protection Training Institute ( IFPTI )
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency ( CFIA )
• US Department of Defense ( DOD )
• State laboratory partners
• Independent consultants
26 LAB MATTERS Fall 2024
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