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BPCS 2006 - General Information
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General Information:


The University of Tennessee Better Process Control School
October 3 - 6, 2006

Holiday Inn Select
Cedar Bluff Knoxville,
Tennessee

SPONSORED BY:
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
&
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


The University of Tennessee 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, 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 Foods
- 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


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 and requires a minimum score of 70% to pass. 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 ex am.

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 will receive a certificate. In addition, their name, company affiliation, and a list of course sections certified will be reported to FDA along with verification to their employer (if requested).



Schedule

Day 1 - Tuesday, October 3, 2006
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, October 4, 2006
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, October 5, 2006
8:00 am Still Retorts - Overpressure
9:30 Hydrostatic Retorts
11:00 Agitating Retorts - Continuous
12:00 LUNCH
1:30 pm Agitating - Cont. (cont’d.)
2:00 Agitating - Discontinous
3:45 Aseptic Processing
5:00 End day 3

Day 4 - Friday, October 6, 2006
8:00 am Aseptic Processing (cont’d.)
9:00 Container Closure Evaluation
9:30 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 $450 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.

Enrollment
Pre-registration is mandatory. To enroll, complete the online registration form and send a check or money order payable to The University of Tennessee and mail to:

Better Process Control School
c/o Dr. William C. Morris, Coordinator
Department of Food Science and Technology
2509 River Drive, The University of Tennessee
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 25, 2006. No refunds will be made for cancellations after that time. If the BPC School is canceled for any reason, 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 Coordinator has been notified.

Lodging
Participants are responsible for arranging their own lodging. We have reserved a block of ten rooms at $89/night at the Holiday Inn Select Cedar Bluff, 304 N. Cedar Bluff Road (Exit 378) on I-40/75, PH: 865/693-1011. This rate is good until September 15, 2006. For a list of surrounding motels, please e-mail W.C. Morris (wcmorris@utk.edu) or P.M. Davidson (pmdavidson@utk.edu).



Faculty

Dr. P. Michael Davidson
Food Microbiology
University of Tennessee

Dr. William C. Morris
Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
University of Tennessee

Dr. John R. Mount
Food Processing
University of Tennessee



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