The Better Process Control School (BPCS) is an international certification course for processors of low acid and acidified foods. The UWI is recognised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an approved University for delivery of the BPCS programme. Monitoring of the operations and administration of the School is carried out by regulatory agencies. In its more than 30 years of operation the BPCS at UWI has certified over 550 participants. There are often several registrants from the wider Caribbean region attending each course.

Factories processing low acid or acidified foods in order to be compliant with Jamaican regulations must have persons supervising thermal processing operations who have successfully completed an approved course of study. Traditionally this has been the Better Process Control School. The BPCS satisfies the relevant US Code of Federal Regulations (21CFR Parts 108, 113 and 114). For each processing operation in the factory, manufacturers of acidified and low-acid foods must have a supervisor present, who has been certified as having satisfactorily completed the BPCS. In many instances this means that at least 2 certified supervisors must be employed to each establishment to provide adequate coverage.

Additional information may be obtained from mona-chemistry@uwi.edu.

Donna Minott-Kates, BPCS Coordinator

For more information on short courses see