Food Safety Lessons for Cannabis-Infused Edibles

Dr. Kathy Knutson works nationwide with food and cannabis manufacturers on recall investigations, problem-solving, training, and FDA compliance. Dr. Knutson writes a food safety blog on ConnectFood. She trains and consults on writing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), food defense, and food safety plans; laboratory methods and results; environmental monitoring; Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs); and FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). As Project Manager with ImEpik, she updated the online curriculum for a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certificate and developed a course for GMPs for the cannabis industry. Dr. Knutson is a consultant with Kornacki Microbiology Solutions, NSF International, EAS Consulting Group, and Kathy Knutson Food Safety Consulting LLC.

1. Introduction2. Overview of the Cannabis Industry3. Begin with the End in Mind® The Dispensary4. Food Safety Builds on a Foundation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)5. Chemistry of CBD and THC6. The Hazard Analysis7. Preventive Controls8. Nobody is Talking About Environmental Monitoring9. Operation: Manufacturing of Edibles10. Operation: Packaging and Labeling of Edibles11. Training Needed in the Cannabis Industry12. Jobs in the Cannabis Industry13. Final Thoughts