
SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A University of Rhode Island food sciences researcher received a six-figure federal grant to find ways to help improve food safety in the state.
Nicole Richard was the beneficiary of a $205,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to develop new food safety education and outreach materials to help bring Rhode Island into compliance with current federal food safety guidelines, the university says. The grant Richard received will run through 2024.
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URI says the long-term goal of Richard’s project is to build capacity within the 251 Rhode Island-based food manufacturers to operate safely, while also building up the state’s food safety system. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 48 million people become ill from foodborne diseases, with approximately 3,000 dying each year, URI said. The university says that health burden is “largely preventable.”
As part of the project, Richard, URI says, will work with Polaris MEP to conduct a needs assessment and then offer food safety programming statewide. The university says appropriate food safety training will help them how to properly and safely produce food.
“I am most excited to help those that need it most to help build their knowledge and confidence in food safety,” Richard said in a statement.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.