Crunch Pak and Food Service Slicing are meeting the letter of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) through investment in employee training.  Recently, the value-added fruit-based company utilized the Impact Washington team for training 24 employees as Food Safety Preventive Controls for Human Food Qualified Individuals.  The Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) course is a two-and-a-half-day training (about 20 hours), and attendees receive a certificate of training from the FSPCA, IFISH (Institute for Food Safety and Health), IFPTI (International Food Protection Institute), and AAFCO (Association of Food and Drug Officials). 

 

Crunch Pak PCQI’s Cashmere, WA May 2017

But the industry-leading company was not done investing in its valued employees.  They also had nearly 150 employees in Cashmere, and Selah attended Impact Washington’s Food Safety for Food Processors course.  The 3-4 hour course is designed for the line food processing employees. Food Safety training is required under FSMA 117.4

Excerpt from the FDA regulation on cGMP, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based

Crunch Pak PCQI’s in Impact Washington training May 2017.

Preventive Controls for Human Food.

117.4 Qualifications of individuals who manufacture, process, pack, or hold food (b) Qualifications of all individuals engaged in manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding food. Each individual engaged in manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding food (including temporary and seasonal personnel) or in the supervision thereof must:

(1) Be a qualified individual as that term is defined in 117.3; i.e., have the education, training, or experience (or a combination thereof) necessary to manufacture, process, pack, or hold clean and safe food as appropriate to the individual’s assigned duties; and

(2) Receive training in food hygiene and safety principles, including the importance of employee health and personal hygiene, as appropriate to the food, the facility, and the individual’s assigned duties.

The course includes sections on Personal Hygiene, Biological Food Safety Hazards, Chemical Food Safety Hazards, Physical and Economically Motivated Food Safety Hazards, Processing Food Safety, and Cleaning and Sanitizing.

Some comments from employees that received this training include: “I enjoyed it and that it was better than other training courses that I have had.” “I was very impressed personally with the employees and their attentiveness.” ” I am looking forward to making this an annual event.”

Contact Impact Washington to schedule your Food Safety onsite training.

Craig Doan, Account Executive

Craig has 30+ years in the food industry and academics specializing in food safety, food processing, and product innovation. Craig has developed, launched, and/or reformulated over 200 products for the retail, small business, and food service markets. He has authored and co-authored multiple professional journal publications, patents, and technical book chapters. His background includes executive food consultant, senior manager product research & development for the Kraft Heinz Company, and food microbiologist for the state of Idaho, University of Idaho. Craig has served in many capacities for the Institute of Food Technologists and the Washington State University-University of Idaho Combined School of Food Science. Craig can be reached at cdoan@impactwashington.org.