The majority of Dr. Worobo’s extension outreach has been focused on microbial food safety and quality concerns associated with fruit and vegetable products, sanitation during fruit and vegetable production and beverage plant sanitation. Dr. Worobo works closely with other researchers, government regulators, extension agents, food processors, food producers, distributors, retailers and consumers.
Dr. Worobo has realized the importance of educating food manufacturers on the proper food handling procedures through various outreach methods such as workshops, information pamphlets, publications and web information sources. This proactive approach is capable of educating more people effectively rather than answering individual queries.
Dr. Worobo provides training and assistance to the food and beverage industries, state and federal inspectors and specifically the fruit and vegetable based food industries that includes New York State apple cider producers. Outreach activities include workshops, conferences, Juice HACCP Certification training. Informal outreach is a significant portion of his extension which entails providing direct assistance with the various food industries, organizations and consumers. To date, he has trained and certified over 500 cider processors in juice safety, and as a result of it compliance rate with federal Juice HACCP regulations in NYS, is one of the highest in the country with over 97%.
Dr. Worobo is the lead instructor of the Juice HACCP Certification Course. Dr. Worobo actively participates in FDA organized Juice HACCP and Conducting Juice HACCP Inspections training courses across the United States. He serves as the juice microbiology expert and provides industry juice processing expertise. He finds this interaction very valuable due to the enhanced understanding of the regulatory perspective that he then uses to educate the juice, beverage and food industries he trains and proactively interacts with on a continuing basis.
Dr. Worobo developed his outreach program to be as “hands-on” and informational to assist people in fully understanding the “material” or information he intends to deliver. This approach has been very well received based on course evaluations and comments of the participants. Dr. Worobo believes that people learn better when they can see first hand what they are supposed to be doing rather than reading or listening to what they should be doing. Of course, not all education can be hands-on, but effective tools such as examples and demonstrations that relate directly to the material have proven to be successful.