“HACCP and food safety are becoming increasingly important in the international grain processing industry. Other countries are working to adopt the U.S. principles in the Food Modernization Act that affect grain processing and traceability requirements,” said Mark Fowler, course coordinator and IGP associate director.
This workshop, which was specifically tailored to the grain and grain processing industries, gave participants the opportunity to not only learn and practice applying HACCP principles, but also become certified HACCP program coordinators, Fowler said.
For David Bolden Jr., quality assurance manager for Snavely’s Mill, the most beneficial part of the course was information presented on “the FDA requirements on traceability of bulk products and FDA requirements of a HACCP plan.”
For Bolden’s fellow participant Diana Flores, ingredient quality assurance for Frito Lay North America, this course was beneficial because it gave her a better understanding of the capabilities and challenges of her grain industry suppliers.
“I have learned about the challenges that some of our suppliers may face in the grain industry and also about some of the new technologies that are now available, making their lives easier and giving us a safer product. Now, I have more understanding in what grain mills are capable of delivering or not delivering,” Flores said.
Fowler said that Flores’ discoveries about the grain industry are what this workshop was designed to produce.
“The HACCP principles addressed in the workshop were specifically directed toward food safety concerns in the grain and grain processing industries — unlike other HACCP courses that attempt to cover the full spectrum of food safety from fresh fruits and vegetables to meats and eggs,” Fowler said.
Flores said that the quality of the instruction helped make the workshop a worthwhile experience.
“It was an excellent course. We were fortunate to have been surrounded with experts during the course.”
