HACCP Managers Public Training Courses:

Link to site:  http://www.foodqualityservices.com/haccp-training/

HACCP Managers Public Training Courses:

Newark NJ – We will be offering our two day HACCP Manager training course on April 4th and 5th, 2013, followed by the Certified HACCP Manager Exam at the conclusion on the second day
Horsham PA – We will be offering our two day HACCP Manager training course on April 15th and 16th, 2013, followed by the Certified HACCP Manager Exam at the conclusion on the second day. See details below.
The Newark, NJ course will be limited to seven participants. This course will be designed for manager level participants. It will be conveniently located in Newark, NJ at the Historic Military Park Building located at 60 Park Place. The Military Park Building is a block away from NJ PAC and it is walking distance from Newark Penn Station. See map below.

All participants must register for the class no later than March 25 2013. The
registration fee of $450, includes the official NEHA
HACCP text book, which will be shipped as soon as the registration fee is received.
The fee also includes lunch on both days and the proctored HACCP Manager certification exam, which will be given at the end of the second day.
The Horsham, PA course will be offered in the new and state-of-the-art QC Laboratories food testing laboratory. The registration fee is $400 and includes the official NEHA
HACCP text book, which will be shipped as soon as the registration fee is received.
The fee also includes lunch on both days and the proctored HACCP Manager certification exam, which will be given at the end of the second day. QC laboratories is offering an addition 10% discount for their customers. QC labs will offer a tour of their food testing laboratory during one of the breaks. See map below.

If you are interested in attending either course, please Email GREG@FOODQUALITYSERVICES.COM for registration materials.
AGENDA
Day 1
8:30 – 9:00am Check In
9:00-9:15am Introductions

9:15-10:45

• What is HACCP
• Understanding Hazards and Target Consumers
• Hazards and HACCP
  • Chemical Hazards
  • Physical Hazards
  • Biological Hazards
  • Hazards and Foods
  • Why It Is Important – Consequences of Hazards

10:45: 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:30

• Contemporary Laboratory Analysis
  • Qualitative Analysis
  • Quantitative Analysis
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Allergen Analysis
  • Filth Analysis

11:30 – 12:00 Exercise #1 Understanding Hazards
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-2:45

• GMPs
• SOP’s
• SSOP’s
• Prerequisite Programs – Applying Controls In Food Processing

2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-4:30

• Step 1 Creating The HACCP Team
• Step 2 Describing The Products in Your HACCP Plan
• Step 3 Looking at the Ingredients
• Step 4 Understanding and Documenting the Flow
• Step 5 Verifying The Flow

4:30-5:30 Exercise #2 Understanding Controls
Day Two
8:30-9:00 Check In
9:00-10:45

• Principle 1 The Hazard Analysis
• Principle 2 Identifying Critical Control Points
• Principle 3 Establishing Critical Limits
• Principle 4 Establishing Monitoring Procedures

10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00

• Principle 5 Corrective Actions
• Principle 6 Verification
• Principle 7 Record Keeping

12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:30 Exercise #3 Understanding the Principles of HACCP

• Review of Course Material

1:30-3:30 HACCP Managers Certification Exam
It is required in HACCP that at least one member of the HACCP team be formally trained in HACCP. GFSI standards including, SQF, BRC and ISO 22000 PAS 220 require that all training show proof of comprehension. To address the increasing need from our customers to offer a certified HACCP training course with proof of comprehension, we are now offering this training course and the prestigious Prometric Certified HACCP Manager exam. It is a nationally recognized, challenging and scored 80 question exam. The participant must pass the exam to receive the HACCP Managers Certificate.

 

 

Epi-Ready What is it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is Epi-Ready?

Developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Epi-Ready is a two-day in-person workshop for environmental and public health professionals with responsibility for investigation of foodborne illness outbreaks. With a team-based approach to training, Epi-Ready focuses on how to efficiently and effectively respond to an outbreak by understanding the roles and responsibilities of the disciplines involved—using the analogy of the 4-legged stool. What happens to a stool (investigation) if one leg is broken or missing?

 

The Epi-Ready 4-legged stool represents collaboration between the three disciplines involved in a foodborne illness investigation, environmental health specialists/sanitarians, epidemiologists and laboratory staff. The fourth leg of the stool comprises all others who directly or indirectly are involved in outbreak investigations, including public health nurses, health educators, industry, risk communication/public information officers, and others.

Workshop content is designed to follow the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR) Guidelines.

 

Topics are covered through a combination of lecture, question and answer sessions, interactive group exercises and final case study.

Epi-Ready goals are that each leg of the stool…

• Better understand the roles and responsibilities of all disciplines in an investigation.
• Build a more efficient working relationship and open lines of communication with partners.
• Understand that collaboration is KEY!

Click here to view a recording of a free webinar on Epi-Ready and Epi-Ready for Industry (I-FIIT-RR).

For more information on Epi-Ready Team Training, please contact Ginny Coyle, gcoyle@neha.org, phone: 303-756-9090, ext 346.

Abstract Submissions for NEHA's Annual Educational Conference 2013

Deadline Extended Abstract Submission Deadline Extended to October 19, 2012 There is still time to submit an abstract for the opportunity to present at the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) 2013 Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition. The deadline to submit an abstract has been extended to October 19, 2012. NEHA is seeking abstracts for the AEC that bring the latest advances and unique responses to environmental health and protection problems. This is your opportunity impart knowledge that helps advance and motivate environmental health professionals. Simultaneous training and educational sessions are offered at the conference covering over 20 different environmental health topics. NEHA offers two different types of learning environments at the AEC—Lecture and Learning Lab. For Lecture sessions, applications for single or multiple speaker presentations are being accepted. For the Learning Lab, NEHA is accepting abstracts for hands-on demonstrations, tabletop exercises, panel discussions, poster presentations, roundtable discussions, and other types of interactive and innovative presentation formats. To participate in the Call for Abstracts, visit neha2013aec.org. The NEHA 2013 AEC will be held July 9-11, 2013 in the Washington, DC area. The NEHA AEC is the premier event for environmental health training, education, networking, advancement, and more! National Environmental Health Association 720 S Colorado Boulevard Suite 1000-N Denver, Colorado 80246 US

CDC research shows outbreaks linked to imported foods increasing

Fish and spices the most common sources

Foodborne disease outbreaks caused by imported food appeared to rise in 2009 and 2010, and nearly half of the outbreaks implicated foods imported from areas which previously had not been associated with outbreaks, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented today at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta.

“It's too early to say if the recent numbers represent a trend, but CDC officials are analyzing information from 2011 and will continue to monitor for these outbreaks in the future,” said Hannah Gould, Ph.D., an epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases and the lead author.

CDC experts reviewed outbreaks reported to CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System from 2005-2010 for implicated foods that were imported into the United States. During that five-year period, 39 outbreaks and 2,348 illnesses were linked to imported food from 15 countries. Of those outbreaks, nearly half (17) occurred in 2009 and 2010. Overall, fish (17 outbreaks) were the most common source of implicated imported foodborne disease outbreaks, followed by spices (six outbreaks including five from fresh or dried peppers). Nearly 45 percent of the imported foods causing outbreaks came from Asia.

“As our food supply becomes more global, people are eating foods from all over the world, potentially exposing them to germs from all corners of the world, too,” Gould said. “We saw an increased number of outbreaks due to imported foods during recent years, and more types of foods from more countries causing outbreaks.”

According to a report by the Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. food imports grew from $41 billion in 1998 to $78 billion in 2007. Much of that growth has occurred in fruit and vegetables, seafood and processed food products. The report estimated that as much as 85 percent of the seafood eaten in the United States is imported, and depending on the time of the year, up to 60 percent of fresh produce is imported. ERS also estimated that about 16 percent of all food eaten in the United States is imported. The types of food causing the outbreaks in this analysis aligned closely with the types of food that were most commonly imported.

Gould warned that the findings likely underestimate the true number of outbreaks due to imported foods as the origin of many foods causing outbreaks is either not known or not reported.

“We need better - and more - information about what foods are causing outbreaks and where those foods are coming from,” Gould said. "Knowing more about what is making people sick, will help focus prevention efforts on those foods that pose a higher risk of causing illness.”

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has have stepped up its efforts to conduct environmental assessments to determine the root cause of outbreaks. With lessons learned from outbreaks, measures will be taken to prevent such outbreaks in the future. The newly enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is also a major step in establishing a prevention based food safety system that would address domestic as well as imported foods. CDC, FDA and USDA will continue to work together to prevent foodborne illness and stop harmful products from entering commerce.

Additional information on CDC’s foodborne outbreak surveillance is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/outbreaknet/surveillance_data.html

NEHA Accepting Applications for Food Safety Specialist

Department: EZ
Title: Food Safety Specialist
Reports to: Program Administrator EZ
Based at: National Environmental Health Association in Denver, CO

Job Purpose:

The Food Safety Specialist will be a central resource and subject matter expert for NEHA with regards to food safety and food safety initiatives. This position is responsible for overseeing major food safety training requirements and developing training programs and schemes. This position is also charged with keeping abreast of state and federal food safety legislative initiatives and making recommendations.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

• Develop and maintain databank of associations and their key members with regards to food safety initiatives, recommendation councils, collaborations and regulatory work groups
• Develop and maintain databank of key NEHA members with regards to food safety training and initiatives including panels and boards on which they sit.
• Develop and maintain appropriate communications lines with state and federal regulatory agencies to ensure up-to-date information on activities and initiative
• Maintain current information on actions and requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
• Assist in Grant writing and RFPs appropriate for NEHA Food Safety.
• Develop and maintain social media communication, including monthly e-newsletters on pertinent food safety information.
• Assist in development and maintenance on NEHA Food Safety training agendas including subject material and instructor training
• Research and report on possible new food safety credentials
• Orchestrate job task analysis panels for current and new credentials and maintenance program
• Oversee Food Safety Credential Registry and ensure program is meeting expected milestones
• Advise on key food safety concerns
• Follow state and federal food safety legislative initiatives and advice NEHA management.
• Advise Executive Director on Food Safety Issues
• Travel as appropriate to represent NEHA’s interests in various food safety related events

Qualifications:

Possess excellent verbal and written communications skills with the ability to effectively express abstract ideas. Individual must have a strong background in food safety with a working knowledge of private sector and regulatory food safety programs. The individual must be highly motivated, self-driven, results-oriented with a positive outlook, and a clear focus on high quality work. This individual must be able to work independently with minimal direct supervision. The person should have a strong working knowledge of adult training schemes. Knowledge of IACET standards is a plus. This individual must be a team player

Educational and Work Experience Expectations:
• 5 plus years in a food safety work environment
• Bachelor’s degree or higher

NEHA Food Handler Training meets California Requirements 10-18-2011

NEHA Food Handler Training Certificate Program
is accredited by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
10/4/2011

CONTACT:
Rance Baker
National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
303-756-9090 x 306 (Mountain Standard Time)
FAX 303-691-9490
rbaker@neha.org
www.neha.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Receives Accreditation from ANSI for Food Handler Training Certificate Program.

Denver, CO, - The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) announced today it has received accreditation from American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the NEHA Food Handler Training Certificate Program. NEHA sees this opportunity as a means to ensure that their food handler training is standardized, peer reviewed, policy and regulatory compliant, meets quality standards, and is updated on a regular basis.

This ANSI accreditation ensures that the NEHA Certificate Program meets the California Food Handler Card Law, SB 303, which requires training providers to be accredited through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The accreditation will also ensure that NEHA’s Certificate Program will continue to be in compliance with the new CA law, SB 602, starting January 1, 2012.

About the National Environmental Health Association
Located in Denver, Colorado, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) stands as a strong professional society with over 4,500 members in the public and private sectors as well as in universities and uniformed services. NEHA's mission, "to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all" is represented in the products and services offered by NEHA to advance the environmental health professional through training, education, networking, professional development, and policy involvement opportunities. The basis for the association’s activities is the belief that the professional who is trained, educated, and motivated is the professional who will make the greatest contribution to the healthful environmental goals, which we all seek. Learn more about NEHA at www.neha.org or by emailing support@neha.org

NEHA Receives FDA Grant - 9/28/2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Rance Baker National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
303-756-9090 x 306 (Mountain Standard Time)
FAX 303-691-9490
rbaker@neha.org
www.neha.org


National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Receives Grant from FDA to Develop Regulatory Food Safety Training


Denver, CO, - The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) announced today it has received multi-year funding under a cooperative agreement with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a National Food Safety Curriculum for the regulatory food safety workforce at all levels to help ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply. NEHA, in conjunction with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), sees this opportunity as a means to pursue a strategy to ensure that all food protection training is standardized, peer reviewed, policy and regulatory compliant, meets quality standards, and is updated on a regular basis.

Funding through the “Integrated Food Safety System’s National Food/Feed Training Program” will be used to develop a national food safety training system that provides knowledge and skills to regulators and environmental and public health partners at all levels of the government in a timely and efficient manner as well as implement a national certification system to help assure both comparable and competent performance of staff at all levels of government.

Funding through the cooperative agreement will support NEHA’s and FDA’s goals to establish the quality standards that must be met for both individual training courses and instructors. The funding will also support NEHA’s current actions in training food safety professionals to identify core competencies and tasks that are not covered by existing training. As a national association of environmental health and protection professionals, NEHA is uniquely positioned to deliver these programs.

About the National Environmental Health Association
Located in Denver, Colorado, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) stands as a strong professional society with over 4,500 members in the public and private sectors as well as in universities and uniformed services. NEHA's mission, "to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all" is represented in the products and services offered by NEHA to advance the environmental health professional through training, education, networking, professional development, and policy involvement opportunities. The basis for the association’s activities is the belief that the professional who is trained, educated, and motivated is the professional who will make the greatest contribution to the healthful environmental goals, which we all seek. Learn more about NEHA at www.neha.org.

About Underwriters Laboratories
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization. UL has tested products for public safety and written Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 21 billion UL Marks appearing on 71,000 manufacturers’ products each year. Since the founding in 1894, UL has held the undisputed reputation as the leader in U.S. product safety and certification and is becoming one of the most recognized, reputable conformity assessment providers in the world. UL services extend to helping companies achieve global acceptance for their products, whether it is an electrical device, a programmable system, or a company’s quality process. Learn more about UL at www.ul.com.

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