Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 9/26/11

The AMI Foundation (AMIF) is offering two back-to-back educational workshops this December that will address two of the most relevant issues in the meat and poultry industry today: Listeria monocytogenes and allergen control.

The Advanced Listeria monocytogenes Intervention and Control Workshop, co-sponsored by the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) and the Canadian Meat Council (CMC), will be held Dec. 6-7 at the Hilton Rosemont in Chicago.

The workshop is designed to help manufacturers of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and meat products examine the issues surrounding control methods, as well as to provide experience in developing appropriate sanitation protocols and testing plans for processing RTE products. In addition to assuring optimal product safety and implementing best practices for RTE process, the workshop offers a key benefit: helping to assure compliance.

Scheduled session topics include an introduction to Listeriosis process control technology and principles; challenges of facility design and sanitary equipment design principles. The workshop will also feature several case studies.

The Allergen Control for the Meat and Poultry Industry Workshop will be held Dec. 7-8, also at the Hilton Rosemont in Chicago. This workshop is being cosponsored by the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Adverse physical reactions to food are of growing concern to both consumers and to food product manufacturers. Liability and recall issues, as well as recent changes to labeling laws, have had an impact on the way meat and poultry manufactures develop and process their products.

In this workshop designed specifically for the meat and poultry industry, attendees will hear strategies used by others in the industry; address allergens in new product development and product reformulation; receive up-to-date information on allergen control programs; and learn how USDA-FSIS approaches food allergens.

Space for each workshop is limited to 60 participants. For more information and to register, click here.

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