Michigan State University is offering a free, online two-week food fraud overview course from Nov. 5-26 that will provide students with insight into the corporate need for effective food fraud management.
The massive open online course, or MOOC, includes two live two-hour webinars from 8 to 10 a.m. (EST) on Nov. 12 and 19. The second lecture includes a special section on food fraud trends in products, policy and in practice.
Food fraud includes adulteration, misbranding, tampering, overruns or licensee fraud, theft, diversion, simulation and counterfeiting, among other issues, which can lead to threats to public health and the economy.
The course will be taught by John Spink, MSU assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and director of MSU’s Food Fraud Initiative. Course content will include readings, lectures and a weekly assessment quiz.
It is open to any participant in the world interested in food fraud and food fraud prevention. It is designed to raise awareness of the concept of food fraud and the vulnerabilities it causes to help foster effective intervention, response and prevention.
Students will receive an MSU Food Fraud Overview MOOC Credential for completing the course.
The Food Fraud Overview course was developed with the assistance of MSUglobal Knowledge and Learning Innovations, an MSU innovation and strategy hub that assists faculty in creating, facilitating and implementing impactful projects that lead to new research and funding opportunities.
To register for the course, visit http://foodfraud.msu.edu/ and click on the ‘MOOC Registration’ icon.