The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is pleased to offer three food safety certification courses at PROCESS EXPO taking place October 8-11, 2019 in Chicago’s McCormick Place. The three, 3-day courses will include Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Training course; FSPCA Foreign Supplier Verification Program, and the Preventive Control of Animal Food course. The three courses will be led by William Bremer, Principal – Food Compliance, Roberto Bellavia, Sr. Consultant and Frank Ferko, Sr. Consultant of Kestrel Management LLC.   For more information about PROCESS EXPO and these new courses, visit www.myprocessexpo.com.

“Food safety is an integral part of food processing and we are pleased to be able to offer these important training courses along with other food safety focused education programs at the 2019 PROCESS Expo event,”  said Jarrod McCarroll, chairman of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) and President of Weber, Inc. “We are also pleased to announce that FPSA will subsidize a portion of the costs of these courses to assist processing companies in their efforts to train employees.”

The food safety preventive controls regulations were issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for humans and animals put measures in place to help prevent foodborne illness by implementing preventive controls for hazards. The FDA training helps industry, particularly small- and medium-sized companies, to comply with the new preventive controls rules.  The three courses being offered at PROCESS Expo, include:

HACCP Training: Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological, chemical and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished product to be unsafe and designs measures to reduce these risks to a safe level.  This 2-day course is for Professionals representing all industry segments—bakery, beverage, dairy, meat, pet foods, and prepared foods—should take advantage of this opportunity and is recognized by GFSI and meets the GFSI requirements. 

Course topics include Understanding the relationship between HACCP and food safety systems; GMP’s, prerequisite programs (PRP’s), and applications; Importance of SOP’s, CMP’s and SSOP’s; HACCP concepts and hazard categorization for training certification; Seven principles/12 steps required for HACCP; Flow chart, diagram requirements, and critical equipment of process and products; Proper methods to establish critical limits, preventive measures, validation of critical control points and monitoring requirements; Process, requirements and importance of effective recordkeeping; and Effective HACCP program verification processes and procedures.

Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) Course Description: This 2.5-day course will provide participants with the knowledge to implement the requirements of the “Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals” regulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This regulation is one of a number of regulations and guidance that implement the provisions of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which focuses on safe food practices. The Foreign Supplier Verification course meets FSMA compliance and FSPCA certificates will be issued upon successful completion of the course

New in 2019! FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food Course PROCESS EXPO is offering the 2.5-day Preventive Controls course for all pet food and treat processors. Developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), the Preventive Controls for Animal Food Course is being made available in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) final rule issued for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals. Under the rule, covered animal food facilities are required to establish and implement an animal food safety system that includes an analysis of hazards and implementation of risk-based preventive controls. To do so, the rule requires a “preventive controls qualified individual” (PCQI) to develop and implement a written animal food safety plan for the facility. Completing this course meets the FSMA requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”

The three courses will take place on Monday, October 7 through Wednesday, October 9. All participants in the course will be given full access to PROCESS EXPO which runs until 5:00 pm each day followed by networking receptions. The cost to attend each course is $699 early bird (before August 19) and $799 after August 20.  With the assistance of FPSA, these rates are significantly less than other programs being offered. To register, click here. 

In addition to these Certification Course, PROCESS EXPO is working closely with the Food Safety Summit to offer an Education Theater where subject matter experts will lead complimentary courses on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Listeria, Litigation, Food Fraud, Food Defense and Emerging Trends. PROCESS EXPO is the nation’s largest trade show dedicated to bringing the latest technology and integrated solutions to all segments of the food and beverage industry. Processors gain a competitive advantage with the innovative technology on the show floor, where food processing and packaging experts demonstrate their machines and products.

For more information on attending the show visit www.myprocessexpo.com.  For more information regarding exhibiting at PROCESS EXPO 2019 contact Brent Ausink at brent@fpsa.org or (757) 268-2021.