The health and well being of millions depends on manufacturers’ and packagers’ ability to maintain a safe and sterile environment during production. This is why professionals in this sector are held to much stricter standards than other industries. With such high expectations from consumers and regulatory bodies, a growing number of food companies are opting the use cleanrooms.
Cleanrooms are sealed off from the rest of a laboratory or production facility. Through stringent ventilation and filtering systems, they protect against contaminants that might be found in an unrestricted environment. Mold, mildew, dust and bacteria are sifted from the air before they can enter the space.
Personnel who work in a cleanroom are required to adhere to rigorous precautions, including clean suits and masks. These rooms also closely monitor temperature and humidity to ensure the optimal climate.
Cleanrooms can be found in numerous applications throughout the food industry. Specifically, they are used in meat and dairy facilities, as well as in the processing of foods that need to be gluten and lactose free. By creating the cleanest possible environment for production, companies can offer their customers peace of mind. Not only can they keep their products free from contamination, but they can extend shelf life and increase efficiency.
If you want to learn more about cleanrooms and their classifications, take a look at the accompanying infographic. It details the essential requirements and standards for facilities in the food industry and beyond.
Events across the globe have been postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus. COVID-19 is taking down many industries and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without jobs. At Innovative Publishing Company, our top priority is safety. In light of the recent travel restrictions and our concern over attendees’ safety, we are postponing the Food Safety Consortium until December 2–4, 2020. We selected this timeframe for several reasons: (1) We wanted to distance ourselves as much as possible from the coronavirus outbreak that has yet to peak in the United States; (2) the Presidential election will be decided; (3) The Food Safety Summit has rescheduled their annual event to occur during the same timeframe (October 19–22) as our originally scheduled event (October 21–23) and in Chicago; (4) FSPCA is holding its event during the same week in Chicago; and (5) SQF is scheduled to run their event the following week.
This December, the Food Safety Consortium is scheduled to take place at its usual location, the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL, but we are also prepared to convert the event to a virtual platform if COVID-19 continues to be a serious health concern throughout the fall season. This is very possible.
We are also converting our Food Labs/Cannabis Labs, scheduled to take place in Rockville, MD on June 2–5, to a virtual event. This will still be an interactive conference, and we are in the process of reorganizing the agenda to give our attendees the full benefit of sessions over a period of June 1–5. Recognizing the strain on the industry, this event will be free to attendees and underwritten by our sponsors. We look forward to seeing everyone virtually there.
About Food Safety Tech
Food Safety Tech publishes news, technology, trends, regulations, and expert opinions on food safety, food quality, food business and food sustainability. We also offer educational, career advancement and networking opportunities to the global food industry. This information exchange is facilitated through ePublishing, digital and live events.
About the Food Safety Consortium Conference and Expo
Food companies are concerned about protecting their customers, their brands and their own company’s financial bottom line. The term “Food Protection” requires a company-wide culture that incorporates food safety, food integrity and food defense into the company’s Food Protection strategy.
The Food Safety Consortium Conference and Expo is an educational and networking event for Food Protection that has food safety, food integrity and food defense as the foundation of the educational content of the program. With a unique focus on science, technology and compliance, the “Consortium” enables attendees to engage in conversations that are critical for advancing careers and organizations alike. Delegates visit with exhibitors to learn about cutting-edge solutions, explore three high-level educational tracks for learning valuable industry trends, and network with industry executives to find solutions to improve quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in the evolving food industry.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected consumers and businesses across the globe. As the virus is now spreading throughout American soil, the food industry is faced with mitigating the risk and minimizing the impact on business while ensuring that employees and consumers are protected. On March 25, Food Safety Tech is bringing together three experts in food safety to discuss the affect that the novel coronavirus is having on food safety and the greater industry. Sponsored by RizePoint and Sterilex, this is a complimentary webinar event.
Shawn Stevens, Food Industry Attorney, Food Industry Counsel, LLC
April Bishop, Senior Director of Food Safety, TreeHouse Foods Services, LLC
Jennifer McEntire, Ph.D., VP Food Safety & Technology, United Fresh Produce Association
The agenda for the 2020 Food Labs / Cannabis Labs conference has been announced. The event, which will address regulatory, compliance and risk management issues that companies face in the area of testing and food laboratory management, is scheduled to take place on June 3–4 in Rockville, MD.
Some agenda highlights include a special morning session on June 3 that discusses the proposed FSMA rule on lab accreditation: “FSMA and the Impact on Laboratories and Laboratory Data Users” and “FSMA Proposed Rule on Laboratory Accreditation: What it says and what it should say” presented by Reinaldo Figueiredo of ANSI and Robin Stombler of Auburn Health Strategies, respectively. FDA has also been invited to speak on the proposed rule. Sessions will also cover the role of labs as it relates to pathogens, with presentations from Benjamin Katchman, Ph.D.(PathogenDx) about a novel DNA microarray assay used for detecting and speciating multiple Listeria species and Dave Evanson (Merieux Nutrisciences) on pathogen detection and control. The full agenda is listed on the Food Labs / Cannabis Labs website.
The early bird discount of $395 expires on March 31.
Innovative Publishing Company, Inc., the organizer of the conference, is fully taking into considerations the travel concerns related to the coronavirus. Should any
disruption that may prevent the production of this live event at its physical location in Rockville, MD due to COVID-19, all sessions will be converted to a virtual conference on the already planned dates. More information is available on the event website.
Angela Anandappa, Ph.D., founding director of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation and member of the FST Advisory Board
Join Food Safety Tech next week for the first in a series of complimentary webinars, called Drivers in Food Safety Testing, about the important components and issues that encompass food safety testing. Angela Anandappa, Ph.D., founding director of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation and member of the FST Advisory Board, will lead the discussion with a presentation about Technologies Leading the Way. The complimentary webinar is aimed at food safety professionals within quality assurance and control, compliance, food lab and contract lab management, and risk management. A technology spotlight given by Lyssa Sakaley, senior global product manager for molecular pathogen testing at MilliporeSigma will follow Anandappa’s presentation. The event will conclude with an interactive Q&A with attendees.
Drivers in Food Safety Testing: Technologies Leading the Way
Wednesday, March 18 at 1 pm ET Register now!
In an announcement from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Paul Kiecker has been named the administrator of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The move comes with the departure of Carmen Rottenberg, who served in the role as administrator for almost two years, and is leaving federal service altogether.
“As Administrator, Rottenberg spearheaded efforts to modernize the agency and implemented several key initiatives to target foodborne illness. Through her leadership and oversight, an unprecedented level of collaboration was achieved with federal, state and municipal agencies and other stakeholders,” according to a USDA press release.
Paul Kiecker began serving as deputy administrator for FSIS in May 2018 and was the USDA’s acting administrator until January 2019. He has been at FSIS for 30 years, beginning his career at the agency as a food inspector.
Haven’t mastered your pest management processes yet? Don’t miss next week’s complimentary webinar, “New Technology’s Impact on Pest Management in the FSMA Regulated World”. Steven Sklare, president of Food Safety Academy, will guide attendees through how technology can help with FSMA compliance, namely as it relates to pest management. He will also discuss how the IoT has made the mouse trap concept smarter, and how you can use this to your advantage in your company’s facility.
The event, which takes place Thursday, March 5 at 12 pm ET, is sponsored by Bayer Digital Pest Management.
On Friday FDA announced the approval of a drug to mitigate allergic reactions to accidental peanut exposure in children. Manufactured by Aimmune Therapeutics, Palforzia is intended for use in children who are four years through 17 years old. FDA points out that there is no cure for a peanut allergy and so peanuts must continue to be avoided.
Palforzia is a powder made from peanuts and administered in capsule and sachet form via three phases, the first of which occurs under the supervision of a healthcare professional. This first phase, called “initial dose escalation”, involves administration of a single capsule. The second phase, “up-dosing”, is a phase of 11 increasing dose levels over a period of several months (the first dose of this phase is also administered under watch by a healthcare professional, while the remaining doses can be taken daily at home). Following completion of the second phase, a patient begins the “maintenance” treatment, which is delivered via a sachet (the powder can be mixed with foods such as applesauce and yogurt).
“Peanut allergy affects approximately 1 million children in the U.S. and only 1 out of 5 of these children will outgrow their allergy. Because there is no cure, allergic individuals must strictly avoid exposure to prevent severe and potentially life-threatening reactions,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in an agency press release.
Palforzia is available through healthcare providers, healthcare settings and pharmacies that receive special certification and are educated on the risk of anaphylaxis in using the drug. Patients interested in receiving the drug must be part of FDA’s risk evaluation and mitigation strategy program.
EDGARTOWN, MA, January 22, 2020 – Innovative Publishing Company Inc., publisher of Food Safety Tech, has announced that Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response at FDA, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2020 Food Safety Consortium Conference & Expo on October 21. The Consortium is the industry’s leading food safety event for networking and educational opportunities, and takes place October 21–23 in Schaumburg, IL (just outside Chicago).
“At last year’s Food Safety Consortium, Frank Yiannas spoke about the ‘sea change’ happening at FDA and the increased efforts on the part of the agency to drive more transparency and traceability. We look forward to his insights, as well as learning more about FDA’s progress on its initiatives, especially the New Era of Smarter Food Safety,” says Rick Biros, president of Innovative Publishing Co., Inc. and director of the Food Safety Consortium Conference & Expo.
This year’s Food Safety Consortium Conference & Expo features three breakout tracks: Food Safety, chaired by Angela Anandappa, Ph.D., founding director of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation; Food Integrity, chaired by Steven Sklare, president of The Food Safety Academy; and Food Defense, chaired by Jason Bashura, senior manager, global food defense at PepsiCo.
Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for food policy & response, addresses the ways that the public and private sector must work together as part of the agency’s initiative, the New Era of Smarter Food Safety during the 2019 Food Safety Consortium.
About Food Safety Tech
Food Safety Tech publishes news, technology, trends, regulations, and expert opinions on food safety, food quality, food business and food sustainability. We also offer educational, career advancement and networking opportunities to the global food industry. This information exchange is facilitated through ePublishing, digital and live events.
About the Food Safety Consortium Conference and Expo
Food companies are concerned about protecting their customers, their brands and their own company’s financial bottom line. The term “Food Protection” requires a company-wide culture that incorporates food safety, food integrity and food defense into the company’s Food Protection strategy. The Food Safety Consortium Conference and Expo is an educational and networking event for Food Protection that has food safety, food integrity and food defense as the foundation of the educational content of the program. With a unique focus on science, technology and compliance, the “Consortium” enables attendees to engage in conversations that are critical for advancing careers and organizations alike. Delegates visit with exhibitors to learn about cutting-edge solutions, explore three high-level educational tracks for learning valuable industry trends, and network with industry executives to find solutions to improve quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in the evolving food industry.
With the passage of the Farm Bill, there has been a great deal of interest from the food industry in cannabis-infused foods and beverages, which includes hemp and CBD. The Food Safety Consortium is co-located with The Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo, an educational and networking event for cannabis safety and quality solutions. Serving the Midwest market with a unique focus on science, technology and compliance, the Cannabis Quality Conference enables attendees to engage in conversations that are critical in finding solutions to improve regulatory compliance, quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in a quickly evolving cannabis marketplace. Both conference programs run concurrently, thus, Food Safety Consortium registrants can attend any of the Cannabis Quality Conference presentations and vice versa. This year’s event takes place October 21–23 in Schaumburg, IL and is co-located with the Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo.
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