ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
existing rules. For example, food salvage and disposal (KA21) is an important topic because of the increase in environmental disasters and also newer guidance on upcycling food waste for donations (Gupta, 2016). Traceability and recalls (KA58) are not a daily duty of retail food safety sta but are becoming increasingly important in retail food (a recent example is romaine lettuce; Spalding et al., 2023). The new Food Traceability Rule imple- mented by FDA (2024) requires compliance with recordkeeping and information sharing about specific foods on the food traceability list by January 2026. Thus, it will continue to be important for retail food safety special- ists to be trained in traceability and recalls. Food defense (KA17) is important because it is considered a critical thinking topic used to plan for large-scale risks to food safety and security (Mitenius & van de Ligt, 2023). Based on the job-level analysis of KAs in quadrant 1, we identified several KAs that can be prioritized by job level. This knowl- edge can inform the development of trainings that reflect the levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed at each point of the retail food regulatory career. Notably, food systems and sustainability (KA23) are in quadrant 1 across all job levels, meaning that all job lev- els could benefit from more exposure to this KA. This topic could be seen as “low-hanging fruit” for the immediate development of addi- tional training materials. Other KAs in quadrant 1 vary substantially by job level, reflecting the di erent needs and duties at di erent job levels. Account- ing for these di erences at various job levels will ensure a more well-rounded EPH work- force with substantial expertise in food safety. This consideration will also ensure readiness to take on more responsibility as workers advance from one job level to the next and help to sustain the workforce as turnover becomes an increasing concern. Quadrant 2 (High Exposure/High Relevance) When examining the workforce overall, we found that 72% of the KAs we examined were in quadrant 2. This finding shows that the workforce often receives training that is most relevant to their jobs. When stratifying by job level, we found that quadrant 2 contained 27 of the 59 KAs at all job levels (Figure 6). It is essential to include KAs in quadrant 2 in the
FIGURE 6
Knowledge Areas in Quadrant 2 by Job Level
Entry Level
Journey Level
Technical Level
Leadership Level
Active Managerial Control Allergens Communications Skills Cottage Foods Employee Safety Environmental Health Safety Epidemiology
FDA Food Code , Local Ordinances, Codes Foodborne Illness Investigation and Response Food Preparation Techniques Food Processing and Preservation Food Service Grocery Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Inspections, Compliance, and Enforcement Investigations Jurisdiction Labeling Pest Control Plan Review and Faculty Design Plumbing Preventive Control
Professional Skills (Soft Skills) Retail HACCP and Variance Risk Analysis Standardization Temporary Food Establishments
Note. FDA = Food and Drug Administration.
discussion because retail food regulatory pro- fessionals need to maintain their training in those KAs. Ongoing resources are necessary to ensure that sta remain trained in these KAs and to ensure new sta are adequately trained and retained. Quadrant 3 (High Exposure/Low Relevance) and Quadrant 4 (Low Exposure/Low Relevance) While quadrants 3 and 4 were not identified as locations for priority needs, the KAs in these quadrants can provide valuable insight into the training landscape. For instance, our analysis of KAs by job level showed a large number of KAs in quadrant 4 (low exposure/ low relevance) for entry-level workers (Fig-
ure 4). As job levels advanced, however, the number of KAs in quadrant 4 decreased. This finding might show increasing knowledge or shifts in perceptions of relevance as job lev- els increase. We also examined the KAs that remain in quadrant 4 as workers reach the leadership level to understand whether some KAs should be prioritized or de-prioritized in trainings at certain levels. Additionally, while KAs rarely fell into quadrant 3 (high expo- sure/low relevance) in our analyses, it will remain important to monitor this quadrant moving forward to ensure that training time is appropriately allocated on relevant KAs. As stated previously, the EPH workforce makes up a large proportion of public health personnel, with a variety of backgrounds and
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Volume 87 • Number 1
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