Food Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Certificate
The Food Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Certificate in the School of Pharmacy at Temple University provides students with a broad knowledge of the regulatory and quality practices of food and food medicines. This three-course certificate is offered through the school’s regulatory affairs (RA) and quality assurance (QA) graduate program and is available online. A master’s degree is not required to earn this certificate, but it can be completed at the post-master’s level, and students in this program can obtain an additional certificate.
The certificate is designed to foster professional development, while preparing students for supervisory and managerial positions. Key topics include the basics of food quality practices, good manufacturing practices (GMPs), preventative controls, and hazard and risk analysis. Students will develop a working knowledge of the legal and regulatory requirements involved in a food company’s processing activities, learning about the key regulatory agencies that govern food safety: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Faculty and guest speakers include regulators and professionals from the Philadelphia area’s extensive food industry, which includes major manufacturers (Campbell Soup, Kraft, Nabisco, Heinz, Lipton, Hershey and Blommer Chocolate) and distributors (Aramark, Sysco and Fresh Del Monte).
There are many parallels between the regulation, manufacturing and quality practices for drugs and food. Since the early 1990s, employees of the food industry, as well as industry professionals working in nutritional products, have often pursued the MS in RA and QA to deepen their knowledge of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, while also learning about quality practices. In response to these student populations, Temple’s regulatory affairs and quality assurance graduate program has developed courses focusing on food law, regulation and manufacturing practices. The Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2011 encompassed some of the most sweeping reforms of food safety laws in more than 70 years, shifting the focus of food safety to preventative action and regulation rather than just responding to contamination. Food safety vigilance became a primary concern to prevent salmonella outbreaks and occurrences of e. coli in produce and meats. As a result, the FDA hired close to 5,000 new inspectors, opening new venues for professionals with credentials in quality practices and regulation.
All courses in the Food Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Certificate are offered online, enabling students throughout the country to participate in this program. Pursuing courses in food RA and QA will open additional career avenues for RA and QA students. Matriculated students in Temple’s RA and QA graduate program are welcome to earn the Food Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Certificate in addition to one certificate before receiving the master’s degree. (For instance, a matriculated student could earn both the Drug Development Certificate and Food Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Certificate before receiving the MS.) To receive the certificate, candidates must complete the required courses and application procedures.