Ready-to-Eat/Shelf-Stable Course (Self-Paced)
(RTE-SS_2025-1903)
September 2, 2025 – September 22, 2025
Nominations are due: Monday, August 11, 2025
OFO and State nominations are to be entered in the Registration Application via OFO District Resource Coordinators or State POCs. Nominations from all other program areas are to be submitted to CFL Class Registration on the attached Excel spreadsheet through Outlook. Please include the employee’s full legal name.
Access to this course begins on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 6:00 am ET and ends on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 11:30 pm ET.
This course will be available 24 hours a day and should be accessed only during official duty hours.
Course Overview
Ready-To-Eat and Shelf Stable (RTE/SS) Course covers topics including RTE and SS processes, hazards, controls and preventive measures, inspection verification for Listeria monocytogenes regulations, RTE sanitation, RTE sampling, Lethality and Stabilization and Food Ingredients of Public Health Concern. The RTE/SS training is an independent 16-hour online training that is self-paced. However, participants have up to 4 weeks to complete this training. Participants do not have to complete the entire 16-hour training in two days, as long as it is completed within the 4-week timeframe.
Target Audience
Consumer Safety Inspectors who have been assigned to establishments which produce ready-to-eat or shelf stable products. Prior to attending, CSIs should have attended both the FSRE Sanitation, Raw HACCP, and the Public Health Information System (PHIS) training for CSIs. Employees who have attended the Inspection Methods training do not need to enroll in this course.
Course Logistics
Participants will need a government computer (not shared during the training), and the ability to connect either directly to the USDA network or to the VPN via MiFi, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet. Firefox or Google Chrome are the preferred web browsers. If a government computer is not available for the entire training session, a training computer and other equipment will be shipped to the address provided during registration prior to the training session.
Prior to the class, CFL will provide the District POCs with instructions to share with participants for accessing the training. These instructions will include logging into the computer (if needed) and accessing the training.
Participants should test the functionality of the training computer and other equipment prior to the beginning of the class. For technical assistance with a training computer or with accessing the training, please call 1-833-275-6333 (1-833-ASK- OEED) on Monday - Friday between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm ET or send an email to CFLHelpDesk@usda.gov. Do not contact the CEC Help Desk.
Participants must return the training computers and other equipment within 3 business days after completing the course. Participants in this course will not receive credit in AgLearn until their equipment is returned to CFL.
After completing the RTE/SS online training, only CSIs who work in establishments that produce these products must complete Ready-to-Eat/Shelf Stable On-the-Job (OJT). CSIs will have up to 3 weeks following the Ready-to-Eat/Shelf Stable training to complete OJT. Upon completion of OJT, participants should keep a copy of the form for their record and self-certify completion via sending an email to FSISAgLearn@usda.gov stating completion of OJT. The email should include the participant’s name, the course number, and the date of completion.
If you have any questions regarding the course, send an email to CFL.ClassRegistration@usda.gov
The upcoming course calendar and course materials can be accessed on the FSIS website at: Inspection Training & Videos | Food Safety and Inspection Service (usda.gov).