Shannon M. Coleman, Amanda J. Kinchla, Matheus Cezarotto, Ashley Gutierrez, Ruth Torres Castillo, Rachel Boren, Barbara Chamberlin and Adina Arshad

Many small food processors come from nontraditional agriculture backgrounds. These include small food businesses in urban, suburban and rural communities. Shared‑use kitchens and commercial incubator kitchens have also created new opportunities for these processors to produce and sell products. However, owners and managers face many challenges, such as understanding food safety rules, completing required training, managing limited time and running a successful business.

Because of these challenges, there is a strong need for focused and practical food safety training for production‑level employees. Federal food safety rules require that anyone who makes, processes, packs or stores food be adequately trained or experienced in safe food handling. Many food safety courses are available, but they are usually designed for supervisors or managers, not for those from nontraditional agricultural backgrounds. To fully meet these requirements at the production level, food safety information must be taught in clear, easy‑to‑understand ways and offered in the native languages of production‑level employees.

One effective solution is the use of virtual labs, which provide interactive, flexible learning experiences. Many people in this audience run their food businesses as second jobs while working full time elsewhere. Online training available 24/7 allows them to learn at their own pace and gain the knowledge they need for their food production processes.

To meet this shared need for practical, flexible food safety training, LSU AgCenter experts joined a multistate team to develop the Interactive Tools to Improve the Practice of Food Safety (iTIPS) program, which includes an interactive game and an on-demand, self-paced online curriculum. This collaboration was created to support small food processors and production-level employees nationwide, especially those in underserved urban, suburban and rural communities. Many of these workers have limited access to training that fits their schedules, languages and job roles, making streamlined programming especially important.

The iTIPS game suite is available online at no cost in both English and Spanish. It includes an engaging online game that allows learners to practice food safety skills in a fun, interactive way without being tied to a course or program. The iTIPS game suite also includes an animated overview, a comprehensive on-demand course and a companion social media campaign that reinforces key food safety messages. The on-demand online curriculum also offers self-paced online training modules through New Mexico State University’s fee-based, on-demand learning platform. Together, these tools give learners flexible options to build food safety knowledge at any time from anywhere. Both program items are available at www.itipsfoodsafety.com.

Learning Tools That Make Food Safety Understandable

iTIPS offers engaging, easy-to-use training for a broad audience. The iTIPS Food Safety suite includes an animated video that gives a clear overview of good manufacturing practices and sanitation standard operating procedures. This animation helps learners understand key food safety basics in a simple, visual way.

The program also includes an interactive online module, a comprehensive self-paced food safety training course and a companion social media campaign that reinforces key lessons from the modules. Both the interactive suite and the on-demand online curriculum outline essential areas of a shared-use kitchen, including the breakroom, processing floor, warehouse, and facilities and grounds. The team included quizzes and scenario-based learning and a fast-paced food safety training course.

The iTIPS project team recognized that while the interactive module was practical for introducing food safety practices, many learners also needed more guidance, details and examples to understand why specific rules and behaviors are required. To address this need, the team developed a self‑paced, on‑demand food safety curriculum to expand the concepts introduced in the game and provide deeper explanation and context. The iTIPS on‑demand course is designed for small food processors and production‑level employees and focuses on applying good manufacturing practices and sanitation standard operating procedures in real-world settings. Using practical examples and interactive activities, the course guides learners through key areas of a food facility, including the office and breakroom, processing floor, warehouse and distribution areas and facility grounds. Topics include personal hygiene, handwashing, use of personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitizing, allergen control, safe storage and facility maintenance. Knowledge checks and scenario‑based learning help reinforce how daily actions impact food safety and product quality. Delivered through New Mexico State University’s fee‑based on‑demand platform, the course allows learners to move at their own pace, making it ideal for busy workers. Together with the iTIPS animation and interactive game, the on‑demand curriculum provides a complete and flexible food safety training experience.

The project team conducted a post-training survey to assess participants’ perceptions of the knowledge gained about food safety concepts after completing the iTIPS online training modules. A total of 104 participants participated, and overall, they reported a higher level of understanding of key areas after completing the module activities. These data indicate the tool’s effectiveness in teaching food safety concepts to small processors. Additionally, regarding how relevant the modules were for their work, of the 104 participants who responded, over half (54 respondents) indicated “very relevant,” with “somewhat relevant” selected second most often (31 respondents).

Designed for Accessibility and User Engagement

As part of the team’s commitment to effective design, the iTIPS team developed the module to maximize accessibility and user engagement, applying established best practices throughout the design and development process. To meet accessibility needs, the team incorporated keyboard control, enabling users with motor impairments to interact with the module more easily. The design team also chose to use clear and straightforward language for content delivery, ensuring that users with limited reading skills or cognitive needs could access the information. Furthermore, the module was developed in English and Spanish, allowing more learners to access the content in their native language.

All characters represented in the module were intentionally designed to reflect the variety of individuals working in small facilities and incubator kitchens, with a majority being Hispanic (the main demographic for this project), including characters with mobility assistance, hair coverings and a variety of appearances, creating a richer experience for users. In addition to visual representation, characters have Hispanic names such as “Fátima,” “Anita” and “Alonso,” which facilitate learners’ connections with the characters and, consequently, with the content, as they see themselves represented.

Program Impact

Ebony McCallister, owner of Posh Pop Gourmet Popcorn and an LSU AgCenter Food Innovation Institute (FOODii) business incubator tenant, shared how the iTIPS food safety training modules made a meaningful impact on her growing business. She said the program was “extremely relevant,” offering practical guidance that applied directly to daily production, packaging, storage and mobile vending operations.

After completing the training, Posh Pop strengthened its food handling protocols, improved labeling and storage practices, expanded temperature monitoring and set clearer expectations for staff across all locations — including busy stadium and festival settings.

Looking Ahead

The iTIPS team plans to continue expanding and improving the program to support small food processors better. A key focus for future updates is allergen awareness and control, as allergens remain a significant challenge for small food businesses and can have serious impacts on product safety, recalls and consumer trust. The team has identified a strong need for more explicit guidance and practical training on allergen management at the production level. To address this, the group has applied for additional funding to develop new content and tools that strengthen allergen education and build on the success of the current iTIPS program. These future efforts aim to support small processors further and help them maintain safe, compliant and successful food operations.

Funding acknowledgement

This work is supported by the Food Safety Outreach Program project award no. 2021-0654-1027178 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Shannon M. Coleman is an associate professor and state specialist for the LSU AgCenter. Amanda J. Kinchla is an extension professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Matheus Cezarotto is an assistant professor and educational technology extension specialist at New Mexico State University. Ashley Gutierrez is an assistant director of FOODii at the LSU AgCenter. Ruth Torres Castillo is a postdoctorate researcher at New Mexico State University. Rachel Boren is the director of the SOAR Evaluation and Policy Center at New Mexico State University. Barbara Chamberlin is a professor at New Mexico State University, and Adina Arshad is a graduate research assistant at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

To meet a shared need for practical, flexible food safety training, LSU AgCenter experts joined a multistate team to develop the Interactive Tools to Improve the Practice of Food Safety (iTIPS) program, which includes an interactive game and an on-demand, self-paced online curriculum. Image provided by New Mexico State University Learning Games Lab

To meet a shared need for practical, flexible food safety training, LSU AgCenter experts joined a multistate team to develop the Interactive Tools to Improve the Practice of Food Safety (iTIPS) program, which includes an interactive game and an on-demand, self-paced online curriculum. Image provided by New Mexico State University Learning Games Lab