Course Specifics

Description

This course provides Quality Assurance Technicians in the food processing industry with general knowledge and standard occupational skills necessary to successfully perform in this occupation. This course is designed to be informative as well as interactive to facilitate participants understanding of the topics covered.

Duration

2 Days

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course participants will have an understanding of the importance of a QA System and the importance of their role in a QA System or other Food Safety System with information on:

1. QA systems and related tools;
2. Elements of a QA system;
3. Overview of food safety and quality;
4. Overview of major food safety regulations;
5. The HACCP system and its seven principles;
6. Standard technical and analytical occupational skills of QA Technicians such as; process monitoring, product inspection and evaluation, sampling plans, sensory evaluation, and training of employees among others;
7. Troubleshooting.
   
   

Major Topics

Overview of Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance describes the control, evaluation, and audit of a food processing system. QA Programs and QA Systems differ in their scope; however, through their implementation food industries can succeed in providing consumers with safe and good quality products. This section focuses on:

1. Quality Systems and Quality Programs
2. Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Improvement
3. Lean Manufacturing
4. ISO
5. HACCP
6. Implementing a QA System
7. Elements of Implementing a QA System
8. QA Responsibilities and Operational Interactions
9. Quality Assurance System Tools
   
   

Overview of Food Safety

Governments and agencies play an important role by providing guidance for the implementation of QA Programs and QA Systems. They are responsible for the safety regulations of most type of foods and, through means of verification and auditing they protect the health and well being of consumers. This section focuses on:

1. Food Safety, Quality and Hygiene
2. Food Safety Regulations
   
   

General Knowledge of HACCP

HACCP is a systematic preventative approach to food safety. HACCP allows establishing and auditing food safety production practices. The section focuses on:

1. Reasons for Implementing HACCP
2. HACCP Terminology and Definitions
3. Prerequisites for HACCP
4. Standard Operation Procedures (SOP’s)
5. Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s)
   
   

General Principles of HACCP

Preliminary steps must be completed prior to developing a HACCP Plan, which is developed by applying the seven principles of HACCP. This section focuses on:

1. HACCP Team and their Roles in the Implementation
2. Product Description
3. List of Ingredients
4. Flow Diagram and Plant Diagram
5. Seven Principles of HACCP
   
   

QA Technician’s Role in Maintaining a
QA System

QA Technicians play a crucial role in the food processing industry. These professionals require knowledge on standard skills that will allow them to maintain a QA System. The section focuses on:

• Raw Material Inspection
• Food Production Process Monitoring
• Final Product Evaluation
• Sampling Plans
• Sample Testing
• Sensory Evaluation
• Sanitation
• Training of Employees
• Troubleshooting
• Food Supplier Approval Program
• Verification and Calibration Procedures