GMPs Part 117
Course Overview
This Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) Internet Course is designed to review the requirements of Part 117 Subpart B – Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Title 21 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food. As part of the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), several revisions were made to the current GMPs regulation to update and clarify it. The regulation outlines the basic sanitary controls that are required for all food processing plants, wholesale or distribution firms, and warehouses or food storage facilities that handle, store or process FDA regulated food.
This course provides the text of each section of this regulation (21 CFR Part 117 Subpart B) along with an explanation of its intent, examples and strategies for compliance with these new requirements as well as resources for additional information.
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Course Details
Compliance with Federal Regulations
The Certificate of Completion issued at the end of this online course can be used as a record to document that participants who completed the course received training in the principles of food hygiene and food safety, including the importance of employee health and personal hygiene (21 CFR §117.4(b)(2)). Establishing and maintaining this record is a requirement in 21 CFR §117.4(d).
Important Note:
This course does NOT meet the regulatory requirements for becoming a "preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI)." The Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) developed a course that is a “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA and successfully completing that course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI).” Visit the FSPCA's website for more information on when and where the next PCQI training will be held.
Intended Audience
This course was designed for supervisors, middle level managers, quality control personnel and anyone else who has responsibilities for ensuring that a food processing, wholesale and warehouse operation meets current GMPs requirements.
Course Cost
The course fee is $200. Group discounts are available for groups with 20 or more participants. Please contact Nancy Long at ifstraining [at] cornell.edu (ifstraining[at]cornell[dot]edu) for details. Please note that refunds are not available after payment for the course is received.
How the Course Works
The course consists of 12 different Modules:
- GMP Regulation & Training
- Food Safety: Microbes & Allergens
- Personnel: Health & Hygiene
- Plant Grounds & Pest Control
- Plant Construction & Design
- Sanitary Facilities: Water, Plumbing & Toilets
- Sanitary Operations: Cleaning & Sanitizing
- Equipment & Utensils
- Plant Operations & Raw Materials
- Manufacturing Operations: Process Controls
- Warehousing, Food Disposition & Defects
- Building Sanitation Procedures
Each module concludes with a quiz to test your knowledge. Completing each quiz with a passing score of 100% is required to earn the Certificate of Course Completion, as described below.
Course Registration
The registration steps are as follows:
- Complete the IFS@CU course registration web form;
- Pay for the course; and
- Create an account to access the online course.
Instructions to complete step 2 and 3 will be sent to each participant via email after completion of step 1.
After completing all 3 steps outlined above each student will be notified that they have been enrolled into the online course. Students will have 12 weeks to complete the course from the date of enrollment. All communications related to this course will be by email, and each student must have a working email address to participate. Please note that refunds are not available after payment for the course is received.
System Requirements
The course material is accessed through a browser such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge. For best results please make sure you're using the most current version of your browser software by installing any needed updates. The software application for the online delivery of the course requires one of the following operating systems: Windows 7 and newer; Mac OSX 10.10 and newer; or Linux – chromeOS.
Course Completion Certificate
Students will earn a “Certificate of Course Completion” after passing each module quiz with a score of 100%. The certificate will be issued and emailed to the individual person who registered for the course, and will contain the date of completion. The certificate should be kept on file to show that the individual has received training on GMP regulations including food safety, personnel health and hygiene.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a PCQI course?
The part 117 GMP course does NOT meet the regulatory requirements for becoming a "preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI)" under 21 CFR 117. The Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) developed a course that is a “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA and successfully completing that course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI)” as required for food facilities covered by the Preventive Controls for Human Food rule (21 CFR 117).
Visit the FSPCA's website for more information on when and where the next PCQI training will be held. The Cornell Dairy Foods Extension Program also delivers the FSPCA’s curriculum for PCQI training. Visit the Dairy Foods course calendar to see when they plan to offer the next course.
Is the course offered in Spanish?
Unfortunately at this time, the GMPs Part 117 Online Course is not offered in Spanish.
I paid for the course, but now I don’t need to take it. How do I get a refund for the course?
Unfortunately, refunds are not available after payment for the course is received.
I am having a problem accessing the course. What should I do?
Please contact Nancy Long (ifstraining [at] cornell.edu (ifstraining[at]cornell[dot]edu)) and she will assist you with gaining access to the course.
I completed the course. How can I get my Certificate of Completion?
Certificates of Completion are issued weekly on Friday mornings during business operations. For questions, please contact Nancy Long (ifstraining [at] cornell.edu (ifstraining[at]cornell[dot]edu)). Please note, we sometimes adjust the schedule for University or office closures, but will give enrolled participants advanced notice through announcements in Canvas.
How do I know if I completed the quiz for each module?
You can select “Grades” from the menu bar in Canvas. It will bring up a window that shows your grade for each assignment quiz. If you are missing a grade, then you have not submitted a quiz for that module. You can go back to the course module and submit the assignment quiz.
As a reminder, practice quizzes are not graded. You must complete and submit the assignment quiz in each module to complete the course.
May I have an extension to complete the course?
Participants have 12 weeks to complete the course from the time of payment. If you need additional time to complete the course, please email Nancy Long (ifstraining [at] cornell.edu (ifstraining[at]cornell[dot]edu)) to request a one-time extension. Please note that we do not grant participants unlimited access to the course.
How do I download PDFs of the training modules?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to download the training modules as a single PDF. However, you can access alternative formats for each page in Canvas by clicking on the symbol with the letter “A” followed by a downward arrow. This symbol appears after the title on each page. When you select the symbol for alternative formats, you can select the format you want to view and download it. You can also right click on individual pages, select print and save them as a PDF.
How do I access the links/resources provided in the course?
All of the links/resources shared within the course are available on the IFS@CU’s website, under course resources on the GMPs Part 117 Course web page.