Food Quality and Safety Symposium
to Shift Gears for 2010

Don't miss out on the 12th annual Almond Industry Food Quality and Safety Symposium, which will be held at the Modesto Centre Plaza on July 1. Over the past few years we have concentrated on nut food safety with a specific focus on how to mitigate the risk of microbial contamination through the implementation of programs such as GAPs, GMPs and pasteurization. We have recently developed a Pathogen Environmental Monitoring (PEM) program, and are now shifting gears to focus efforts more on recontamination control and facility programs to eliminate sources of contamination in your operation. Key highlights of the program are as follows:

• Lessons learned from a recall. Keys to recontamination control: A case study by Setton Farms
• Use of pesticides and fumigants and their role in food safety
• The "Nuts and Bolts" of food safety from the FDA, covering obligations, requirements and impact of regulation on almond industry growers and handlers
• So, you want to be an approved supplier? Quality programs and food safety requirements from a major manufacturer
• Factors to consider for elimination of pests and microbial vectors in your operation: Practical Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Accurate prediction of almond shelf life under various conditions and almond use in different applications

Finally, for the first time we will be hosting a social mixer upon conclusion of the symposium. This will be a great opportunity to discuss the topics of the day with your colleagues and presenters in a relaxed environment! Please register soon by contacting Bunnie Ibrahim at (209) 343-3228. We look forward to seeing you at the best symposium yet!

Learn more about food safety issues.