Advanced Masterclass on Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Navigating New Regulations
Online Masterclass
- October 10th -11th 2024
- 9.00am – 01.00pm EDT (UTC- 4)
Trainer
Helena Soedjak, PhD
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Introduction
In response to the rise in major foodborne illness outbreaks and increasing bioterrorism concerns post-9/11, Congress and the Obama Administration introduced new food safety measures that revolutionized regulations from farm to fork. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law on January 4, 2011, represents the first major overhaul of the nation’s food safety practices since 1938, bringing significant changes to FDA regulations. FSMA grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new enforcement authority to prevent food safety issues, promptly detect and respond to problems, and improve the safety of imported foods. It establishes
a comprehensive set of regulations for human and animal food manufacturers and processors, food transportation providers, food importers, and farmers involved in the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of specific types of fresh produce. These regulations allow the FDA to prioritize prevention rather than merely reacting to food safety problems. FSMA ensures that imported foods adhere to the same standards as domestic foods.
For the first time, the FDA has expanded authority to inspect facilities, review records, test product samples, issue mandatory recalls, detain potentially non-compliant products, suspend facility registrations, request tracking and tracing of domestic and imported food, and impose penalties, including fines or imprisonment for severe violations. This 2-day training is meticulously designed to clarify FSMA rules and the required actions specific to various job functions and roles to ensure compliance. From business owners to personnel directly involved in food safety, everyone has a role in ensuring safe food from field to fork. Mandatory and documented training is essential to demonstrate an understanding of these roles.
The following FSMA rules will be thoroughly covered:
- Preventive Controls for Human Food
- Preventive Controls for Animal Food
- Produce Safety
- Foreign Supplier Verification Program
- Intentional Adulteration Mitigation
- Sanitary Transport
- Accreditation of Third-Party Certification
- Food Defense Plan
- Traceability/Recall Plan
Who Should Attend
Food Manufacturing (Human and Animal Food)
- Key Employees: Business Owners, Plant Managers, Maintenance Managers, Production Managers, Risk Management Managers, Quality Managers, Regulatory Managers, Supply Chain Managers
- Food Safety/QA Personnel
- Quality Auditors
- Production Supervisors
- Sanitation Supervisors
- Transportation Personnel
Transportation Management
- Managers responsible for shipping specific food products within the US
Importers
- Managers responsible for importing certain food products into the US
Suppliers of Produce for Human Consumption
- This training is ideal for professionals involved in food safety and quality assurance across various roles, ensuring comprehensive knowledge and compliance with FSMA regulations.
Meet The Trainer
Helena Soedjak, PhD, is a seasoned food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory consultant with over 30 years of experience in the food industry. She has held key positions at renowned companies such as Kraft Foods, Gerber Products, BeechNut Nutrition, Leprino Foods, Dairy Farmers of America, Instinct Raw Pet Food, and Darigold.
Her extensive expertise spans a wide range of food types, including dairy, meat, fruit/vegetables, snacks, beverages, cereals, desserts, infant food, and pet food. Helena is well-versed in various processing technologies such as aseptic, cold fill, hot fill, freeze-drying, high-pressure processing, spray-drying, canning, extrusion, and preservation.
Throughout her career, Helena has demonstrated leadership in developing and prioritizing food safety and quality systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing food laboratories (microbiology and chemistry), and overseeing sanitation and sanitary design. She excels in root cause analysis, continuous improvement, science-based risk assessment and mitigation, crisis management, and change management. Helena’s wealth of knowledge and experience makes her an invaluable asset to any food safety training program.
