Retort Processing Certification

Low-Acid Canned Foods and Retort Processing

This certification provides the training required for individuals responsible for the supervision and production of thermally processed low-acid canned foods. The program focuses on the scientific and regulatory principles used to achieve commercial sterility and produce safe shelf-stable food products.

Participants will learn about food microbiology, thermal processing, sanitation, container integrity, and retort operations. The curriculum covers batch retorts, continuous rotary retorts, overpressure retorts, hydrostatic retorts, and other systems commonly used throughout the food industry.

Through online lessons, videos, and assessments, participants will develop the knowledge necessary to understand retort operations, process monitoring, and food safety requirements for low-acid canned food manufacturing. The FDA approved text,Canned Foods: Principles of Thermal Process Control, Acidification and Container Closure Evaluation, is included with your registration - a $125 value included in your course price.

Regulations addressed in this training include FDA requirements for thermally processed low-acid foods packaged in hermetically sealed containers under 21 CFR Part 113, along with the related emergency permit control, establishment registration, and process filing requirements under 21 CFR 108.35. For USDA-regulated meat and poultry products 9 CFR Part 431 serves as the primary regulation for thermally processed, commercially sterile products. Depending on the product and operation, related USDA-FSIS requirements may also include 9 CFR Parts 317 and 381 for labeling, 9 CFR Part 416 for sanitation, 9 CFR Part 417 for HACCP, 9 CFR Part 424 for ingredients and standards, and 9 CFR Part 430 for ready-to-eat product controls. These regulations emphasize proper product classification, commercial sterility, use of a scheduled process established by a qualified process authority, control of critical factors, retort operation and monitoring, container closure integrity, sanitation, lot coding, deviation handling, recall procedures, and recordkeeping.

By the end of the certificate, students will:

• Understand FDA requirements for low-acid canned foods.
• Explain the principles of commercial sterilization and thermal processing.
• Recognize microorganisms of concern in shelf-stable products.
• Understand the operation and control of retort processing systems.
• Support safe and compliant low-acid canned food production.

Prior Learning

This professional skills training course is beginner-friendly, with no prior expertise required. However, to ensure success, students should:

• Be comfortable reading and understanding English, as all materials are provided in English.
• Have basic computer skills, including navigating the internet, downloading/uploading files, installing software, and using applications like Microsoft Word.
• A basic understanding of math principles such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions is recommended.

These foundational skills will help you engage fully with our primarily online courses.