In-Plant Validation for Food Safety

Why Should You Attend:

Validation is a fundamental component of HACCP, and is required by USDA-FSIS and is included in the Food Safety Modernization Act. Validation has been confused with other HACCP activities including monitoring and verification, but is fundamentally different from these other activities. Validation allows the processor to determine if their investment in food safety interventions are producing the intended effect, namely assuring the safety of the product. Given the investment in food safety and the value of these programs to maintaining the image of the brand, it is important to determine that the programs are delivering their intended benefits. Validation may require a significant investment by a company, and it is important to determine that validation procedures are sufficient to meet both the processors needs and regulatory requirements.

This session is designed for food processors who currently have HACCP plans to assure food safety, or those who implement other food safety programs. The session will aid not only those directly involved in quality assurance, but also those who are required to make informed decisions based on the results of the program. The session will cover the theoretical and regulatory basis for validation, as well as the practical considerations in conducting an in-plant validation process. It will also discuss the limitations of validation, so that the results can be properly interpreted. The goal of this session is to aid food processors in the design and implementation in-plant validation programs, as well as facilitating the understanding of the results.

At the end of this webinar, the speaker will handle your specific questions related to the topic.

Areas Covered in the Seminar:

• Theoretical and Regulatory Basis for Validation
• Scientific and Technical Justification
• In-process demonstration, including experimental design
• Interpretation of Results
• Reporting results of in-plant validation

Who Will Benefit:

• Food processors and manufacturers
• Quality assurance personnel
• Directors/VPs of operations and quality in food companies

Instructor Profile:

Dr. Dickson, is currently a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University and the Professor in Charge of the Iowa State Component of the Food Safety Consortium. Dr. Dickson's research focuses on the control of bacteria of public health significance in foods of animal origin. Prior to his appointment at Iowa State University in 1993, he was employed by USDA-ARS as a Research Food Technologist and lead scientist of the Meat Safety Assurance Program, located at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE. Dr. Dickson was employed in the food industry for three years before joining USDA-ARS.

He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology, and is a Past President of the International Association for Food Protection. He is also active in the American Society for Microbiology and the Institute of Food Technologists.

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