Acidified Foods Workshop 2015

The Acidified Foods Workshop will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 23-24, 2015 in Webb City, MO.

This workshop is a Better Process Control School (BPCS) event specifically for processors of acidified food products and meets the requirements of 21 CFR Part 114 for FDA regulated food manufacturers. Please contact Dr. Andrew Clarke at the University of Missouri Food Science Program (573-882-2610) or ClarkeA@missouri.edu) if you have any questions about the Acidified Food Workshop.

Processors of low acid canned foods should attend a BPCS event designed for thermal processing (retorting) of low acid products such as one offered at Oklahoma State University (http://fapc.biz/workshops/processcontrol.html) June 10-12, 2015 or at the University of Arkansas (http://www.uark.edu/depts/ifse/bpcs2.html) November 3-5, 2015.

Workshop Faculty

Andrew Clarke, Ph.D.

University of Missouri-Columbia

William McGlynn, Ph.D.
Oklahoma State University

Steve Seideman, Ph.D.
University of Arkansas

Registration

The registration fee is $425 for the first person from a company and $325 for each additional person from the same company or farm. There are a limited number of $200 scholarships available for specialty crop growers. All participants will be provided with workshop materials as well as lunch and refreshments during breaks.

Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.

Registration is limited to 50 participants. Registration deadline: March 9, 2015.

To register, please send an e-mail with contact information (participant name, company name, address, telephone and e-mail) to:  eileennichols@sbcglobal.net

We will confirm your registration and provide directions to the meeting location by e-mail reply. If you have any questions or do not have e-mail access for registration, please contact Eileen Nichols, 417-483-8139.

Cancellations

Cancellations, with refund, will be accepted until two weeks prior to the start of the course. Cancellations after March 16, 2015 will be charged $100 to cover preparation costs.

Lodging Information

There are limited lodging facilities available in Webb City, Missouri but more options are available in Joplin, Missouri about 15 minutes away. The Holiday Inn at 3615 Rangeline Road in Joplin, MO has a group rate of $87 per room per night, including breakfast for two (ask for the Better Processing School rate) at 417 782-1000. Reservations must be made by March 15.  Other options do exist and most chains provide directional advice on their websites. Participants make their own reservations and lodging is not included in the cost of registration for the Acidified Food Workshop.

Workshop Location

The workshop will be held at the Webb City Public Library at 101 S. Liberty, Webb City, MO.

Details

Manufacturers of Acidified Food Products are invited to send representatives to our new Acidified Foods Workshop at the Webb City Public Library on March 23-24, 2015. This workshop was developed in conjunction with partners at the University of Arkansas and Oklahoma State University to satisfy regulatory requirements for processors of acidified foods. The workshop will help participants to understand basic food safety principles and comply with 21 CFR Part 114.

The two-day (7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) workshop is best for managers or process operators responsible for the safety of acidified foods. New or relatively inexperienced employees are welcome and a reduced registration fee will be available for multiple representatives from a single company. The registration fee will cover all educational materials, exams, and a food safety textbook plus refreshments. In addition, the registration fee includes a laboratory analysis of the pH and water activity for one product per participant.

At the end of the program, there will be a "walk-through" of the paperwork needed to file an acidified food process with FDA conducted by a Process Authority. Every participant that successfully completes the workshop will receive a certificate that may be used to verify the training for FDA or Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services records.

The Better Process Control School for thermally processed low acid foods and the Acidified Food Workshop for acidified foods are available for companies or agencies at their site. Please contact Dr. Andrew Clarke at 573-882-2610 or ClarkeA@missouri.edu for more information and scheduling.

HACCP

The University of Missouri will also host a workshop for Implementation of HACCP for the Meat and Food Industry on March 25-27, 2015. Separate registration is required for this workshop which is accredited by the International HACCP Alliance for certificate-based instruction that satisfy USDA and FDA training requirements. Contact either Andrew Clarke at ClarkeA@missouri.edu or Starsha Ferguson at FergusonSD@Missouri.edu for more information about the HACCP Workshop.

Schedule

Day 1

7:30-8:00 AM   Registration

8:00-8:10         Welcome and Course Introduction, Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

8:10-8:45         FDA Regulations (Chapter 1), TBD, Consumer Safety Officer, FDA

8:45-10:15       Microbiology (Chapter 2), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA

10:15-10:30     Break

10:30-11:45     Acidified Foods (Chapter 3), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

11:45-12:45     Lunch

12:45-1:45       Principles of Thermal Processing (Chapter 4), Dr. William McGlynn, OSU

1:45-3:00         Food Plant Sanitation (Chapter 5), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

3:00-3:15         Break

3:15- 4:30        Food Container Handling (Chapter 6), Dr. William McGlynn, OSU

4:30                 Questions & Discussion

4:45                 Adjourn*

Day 2

7:30- 8:00 AM  Exam Retakes

8:00- 9:30        Records for Product Protection (Chapter 7), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

9:30-10:30       Process Room Instrumentation, Equipment and Operation (Chapter 8), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA

10:30 10:45     Break

10:45-12:00     Closure of Glass Containers (Chapter 16), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

12:00-1:00       Lunch

1:00-2:15         Closures for Semi-rigid and Flexible  Containers (Chapter 17), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA                                     

2:15-4:00         Process Authority Services and Filing Process Schedules with FDA, Dr. William McGlynn, OSU                          

4:00                 Questions, Evaluations

4:30                 Workshop Concludes

* A confidential analysis of pH and water activity of one product per participant is included in the workshop registration. Additional products can be tested for a fee (please contact Andrew Clarke at ClarkeA@missouri.edu for rates)