2009 PRESS RELEASES
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September 11, 2009
PEANUT FOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 29 – 30, 2009
Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804.786.7686
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is sponsoring a food safety workshop for peanut producers and processors September 29 – 30 at the Tidewater Agriculture Research and Extension Center, 6321 Holland Road, in Suffolk.
According to VDACS Commissioner Todd P. Haymore, “Although Virginia companies have an excellent track record regarding food safety, recent national outbreaks of foodborne illness have drawn attention to the importance of continually examining and improving food safety protocols. To that end, VDACS is working with both large and small peanut producers to ensure that their practices continue to result in a delicious, safe and wholesome product.”
The focus of the two-day course will be on development of appropriate Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans to control biological, chemical and physical hazards that are likely to occur in the peanut processing environment The food safety workshopcourse also will address peanut microbiology, current guidance on control of Salmonella, on-farm food safety, and pre-requisite programs. The course will teach attendees the process of developing an appropriate, HACCP-based food safety program for the processing of peanuts and related products as well as how to identify and control foodborne hazards, monitor control procedures, correct deviations and document activities.
The first day will cover Foodborne Outbreaks Associated with Peanuts, Microbiology of Peanuts, Good Agriculture Practices for Peanuts, Pre-requisite Programs: cGMPs, SSOPs, and Controlling Salmonella in low moisture foods. Day two will focus on HACCP and will discuss the Critical Control Points, Critical Limits, CCP Monitoring, Corrective Actions, Record Keeping and Verification Procedures.
Each day’s session begins at 9 a.m. Instructors include Dr. Robert Williams, Extension Food Microbiologist, Virginia Tech; and Dr. Fletcher Arritt and Dr. Trevor Phister, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University.
“Many peanut processors are reexamining already established food safety programs or are establishing new food safety programs to ensure the safety of their products,” said Haymore. “We hope that all Virginia peanut product manufacturers with responsibility for food safety in their operations will attend. The course is appropriate for managers, supervisors, HACCP coordinators and team leaders, and technical consultants, and it’s an excellent resource for owners of small peanut businesses,”
Click here for a registration form, or contact Gail Moody Milteer in VDACS’ Division of Marketing, at gail.moodymilteer@vdacs.virginia.gov or 757.569.1100.