The University of Tennessee

Better Process Control School

September 28-October 1, 2004

Holiday Inn Select Cedar Bluff

Knoxville, Tennessee

SPONSORED BY:

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


 

Requirements

Areas of Instruction

Manual, Certificates and Reporting

Schedule

Registration Cost

GO TO REGISTRATION FORM

Cancellations/Substitutions

Lodging

Faculty

 

 

The Better Process Control School offers instruction which fulfills the FDA and USDA Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements to certify supervisors of retort operations, acidification and container closure evaluation operations during the canning of low acid and acidified foods. Companies which manufacture low acid and acidified foods must operate with a certified supervisor on the premises when processing as specified in 21CFR Part 108.25(f) and 108.35(g) (FDA) or 9CFR 318.200 and 281.300 (USDA).

 

Areas of Instruction

FDA and USDA require approved BPC schools to follow certain guidelines. To assure the safety of canned foods, the schools must cover the critical factors supervisors must know when processing low acid and acidified foods. Participants seeking certification are required to attend a BPC school and pass examinations on these topics:

! Microbiology of Thermally Processed Foods

! Food Container Handling

! Records for Product Protection

! Food Plant Sanitation

! Principles of Thermal Processing

! Process Room Instrumentation, Equipment and Operation

 

Participants seeking certification in specific processing systems must attend that session and are required to pass the respective examination. Process systems offered for certification include:

! Acidified Processing

! Still Retorts - Steam

! Still Retorts - Overpressure

! Hydrostatic Retorts

! Agitating Retorts - Continuous

! Agitating Retorts - Discontinuous

! Aseptic Processing

 

Participants seeking certification for a specific container closure system must attend that session and pass the respective examination. Closure sessions offered for certification include:

! Glass containers

! Metal containers

! Semirigid and flexible containers

 

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 Examination questions are prepared by the National Food Processors Association/Food Processors Institute with the approval of FDA and USDA. Each examination consists of 10-40 questions requiring a minimum score of 70 to pass. Participants seeking certification for all systems will need to allow 4 days to complete the course. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions regardless of their intention to take the qualifying exam. Those not seeking qualification in a specific system area are not required to take that exam.

 Manual, Certificates and Reporting


Cost of the instruction manual, Canned Foods -Principles and Thermal Process Control, Acidification and Container Closure Evaluation (6th ed., 1995), is included in the registration fee. Within 30 days following successful completion of the course, the participant=s name, company affiliation, and a list of course sections certified will be reported to FDA and USDA along with verification to the employer.

 

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Agenda

Day 1

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

7:30 am

Registration

8:00

Introduction Announcements

8:30

FDA representative

9:00

FDA/USDA Regulations

9:30

Microbiology of Canned Foods

12:00 pm

LUNCH

1:30

Acidified Foods

3:15

Food Container Handling

5:00

End day 1

 

 

Day 2

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

8:00 am

Food Plant Sanitation

9:30

Records for Product Protection

11:00

Principles of Thermal Processing

12:15 pm

LUNCH

1:30

Process Room Instrumentation

3:15

Still Retorts -Steam

5:00

End day 2

 

 

Day 3

Thursday, September 30, 2004

8:00 am

Still Retorts - Overpressure

9:30

Hydrostatic Retorts

11:00

Agitating Retorts - Continuous

12:15 pm

LUNCH

1:30

Agitating Retorts - Continuous (cont=d.)

2:30

Agitating - Discontinous

3:45

Aseptic Processing

5:15

End day 3

 

 

Day 4

Friday, October 1, 2004

8:00 am

Aseptic Processing (cont'd)

9:30

Container Closure Evaluation

10:00

Closures for Metal Containers

12:00 pm

LUNCH (on your own)

1:30

Closures for Glass Containers

3:15 Closures for Semirigid and Flexible Containers

4:30

Wrap-up

 

 

 

Registration and General information

The $500 (subject to change) registration fee includes instruction materials, supplies, three lunches, morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, tuition and certificates earned.

Lodging, breakfast and evening meals are not included.

 

 

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Enrollment

Pre-registration is mandatory. To enroll, mail the enclosed registration form and a check or money order payable to The University of Tennessee and mail to Better Process Control School, j Dr. William C. Morris, Coordinator, Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Tennessee, 2509 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-4539. (PH: 865/974-7334, FAX 865/974­-7332; e-mail: wcmorris@utk.edu). The University reserves the right to limit enrollment; however, no school will be offered to fewer than 25 participants.

 Cancellations/Substitutions

If a participant must cancel, please notify the Coordinator by telephone or mail by 5:00 pm on September 15, 2002. No refunds will be made for cancellations after September 15. If the BPC School is canceled for any reason, all registration fees will be completely refunded. Substitution of an individual in a prepaid enrollment slot may be made at any time prior to the start of the course provided the course coordinator has been notified.

 

Lodging

Participants are responsible for arranging their own lodging: 

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Select Cedar Bluff, 304 N. Cedar Bluff Road (exit 378 on I-40/75)  PH: 865-693-1011. 

For a list of surrounding motels please email W.C. Morris (wcmorris@utk.edu) or P.M. Davidson (pmdavidson@utk.edu)

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Faculty

Dr. P. Michael Davidson mailto:pmdavidson@utk.edu

Food Microbiologist

University of Tennessee

 

Dr. William C. Morris mailto:wcmorris@utk.edu

Fruit and Vegetable Specialist

University of Tennessee

 

Dr. John R. Mount mailto:jmount@utk.edu

Food Processing and Safety Engineering

University of Tennessee

  

The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

 

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