12th Microbial Challenge Testing for Foods Workshop - 2022

12th Microbial Challenge Testing for Foods Workshop
June 7-8, 2022
Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago O'Hare Rosemont
Chicago, Illinois

SOLD OUT - Contact Julie Cattanach to add your name to the waitlist: jcattanach@foodprotection.org

Workshop Fees 
IAFP Member:
Early $625
Late (after May 10): $725

Non Member:
Early $750
Late (after May 10): $850

For hotel reservations click here

The food industry routinely uses challenge testing to determine whether foods require
time/temperature control for safety, are suitably formulated or have valid lethality processes. When
laboratory testing is used to support a change in how the product is handled in a food establishment
(e.g., refrigerated to unrefrigerated holding, extending shelf-life, increasing ambient temperature
storage or eliminating the need to date marking), the data are submitted to a state or local regulatory
agency or directly to the FDA in the form of a variance application for approval. Food establishments
or manufacturers submitting laboratory data to support their proposals must ensure the study is
appropriate for the food and pathogen of concern and incorporate the necessary elements into the study to yield a valid design and conclusion. Because of the many questions raised by regulatory
and industry professionals about the appropriate use of challenge studies, the National Advisory
Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) was asked to provide guidance on the
topic of challenge studies and their use. This workshop will present the NACMCF report and
instructors will guide the students through use of the material in the report to develop actual
challenge study protocols based on NACMCF recommendations.

Topics

• Overview of challenge study design (purpose of study, product description, product assessment,
  pathogens of concern, sampling intervals, test conditions, other controls, pass/fail criteria).
• Introduction to models and their use (examples of models, applicability of models to different foods,
  pathogen growth ranges used in modeling programs).
• Purpose of study, product description and assessment (purpose of the study, time/temperature
  control, lethality, formulation efficacy, product, ingredients, preparation, storage, pH and
  water activity).
• Pathogens of concern (selection criteria, ecology and epidemiology, use of models and the literature,
  inactivation study parameters).
• Sampling intervals and test conditions (growth vs. inactivation studies, strain selection, inoculation
  methods, packaging, sample size and replicates).
• Other controls and pass/fail criteria (surrogates, un-inoculated controls, pass/fail criteria selection
  and limitations of study).

Instructors
Kathy Glass, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Linda Harris, University of California-Davis
Don Schaffner, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Intended Audience
Food industry professionals, testing lab personnel and regulators

Schedule
June 7 - 8:00 a.m. (registration) 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (workshop)
June 8 - 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m

Terms and Conditions
Cancellation Policy: Registration fees, less a $100 administration fee and any applicable bank
charges, will be refunded for written cancellations received by May 10, 2022. No refunds will be
made after May 10, however, the registration may be transferred to a non-registered colleague
with written notification. Registration fees cannot be applied to future meetings. Refunds will be
processed when received.

Photo Policy:  We occasionally use photographs of attendees in our promotional material.  By
attending, you agree to the usage of your likeness in such a manner.

Other: Any modifications to payment method will incur a $25 processing fee.

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