IAFP Announces Three Pre-meeting Workshops at IAFP 2009

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The International Association for Food Protection announces three workshops to be held in conjunction with IAFP 2009 in Grapevine, Texas.

Workshop I

Friday and Saturday, July 10-11, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Your Toolkit for Cleaning by Design...What Can Go Right

The concept of sanitary design has long been recognized by the food industry as an integral part of developing, implementing and maintaining a successful food safety program. Whether building a new facility, remodeling an existing food plant and retail establishment, purchasing new equipment, or simply repairing existing structures or equipment, participants will receive practical information from experts in meat, liquid, dry and retail food processes in designing cleaning and sanitation programs that can be implemented to advance food safety and quality. Attendees will gain practical and theoretical understanding of hygienic design and be able to identify non-hygienic features, improve equipment designs and make better informed decisions about equipment purchases and/or modifications.

Workshop II

Saturday, July 11, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Microbiological Sampling and Testing in Food Safety Management

This 'hands-on" workshop will (re-)introduce participants to the principles and limitations of microbiological sampling and testing for food safety assurance. Participants will learn how the performance of a sampling can be determined and how suitable sampling plans for particular pathogens and foods and intended consumers are established. Some calculations of the statistical aspects of sampling will be illustrated, like detection probabilities, effects of log-normal distributions of organisms, operating characteristic curves, and within-lot and between-lot testing. The use of sampling and testing in food safety management will be discussed and illustrated from both the governmental and industry perspectives.

Workshop III

Saturday, July 11, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Beyond Food Safety Management - How to Create a Food Safety Culture

Food safety awareness is at an all time high. Accordingly, retail and foodservice establishments, and food producers at all levels of the food production chain, have a growing responsibility to ensure that proper food safety and sanitation practices are followed, thereby, safeguarding the health of their guests and customers. Achieving food safety success in this changing environment requires going beyond traditional training, testing, and inspectional approaches to managing risks. It requires a better understanding of organizational culture and the human dimensions of food safety. This workshop will be the first of its kind designed to teach participants how to create a food safety culture - not just a food safety program. Designed as a series of lectures and participatory, hands-on sessions, workshop participants will be divided into teams to work through different case studies.

Detailed descriptions and registration information regarding these workshops may be obtained by visiting our Web site at www.foodprotection.org.