Master of Science in Food Safety Regulation

Access to safe, healthy food is one of our most basic needs. Consumers rely on skilled professionals to oversee our food supply from seed to shipment, from farm to table, and from oven to package.

The average household spends 13% of its annual budget on food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2020, 19.7 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sectors—10.3 percent of total U.S. employment. Food safety regulation is undoubtedly crucial to public health.

To protect people from foodborne illness and other hazards, food safety regulation specialists set and enforce standards, provide professional training and consumer education, and track and report recalls and outbreaks.

A Closer Look at Food Safety Regulation

Food safety regulation is a broad field covering everything from agriculture, imports, and food production to college cafeterias, food trucks, and vending machines. Here are just a few examples of processes you’d find inspected or monitored:

• Seed selection
• Fertilization
• Pest control
• Harvesting
• Storage and transport
• Food processing and production
• Labeling and advertising
• Handling, preparing, and serving

A variety of government agencies are responsible for setting (and enforcing) food safety standards, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Study on Your Terms

You don’t need to relocate or rearrange your work schedule to earn a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. Our MS in Food Safety Regulation program is available 100% online.