Dairy Processing - November/December 2024 - 61

THE PATHOGEN CONTROL " EQUATION "
A FOOD SAFETY/QUALITY PRINCIPLES APPROACH
= Pathogen control
#1
Separate raw
form RTE
#2
GMP's
followed
#3
Controlled
Conditions
#4
Sanitary
design
equipment
and building
#5
Effective
sanitation
procedures
and controls
#6
Environmental
monitoring
hands-on training, video tutorials or other formats, all
depending on what's appropriate for the task at hand.
Wagner said dairy processors increasingly are leveraging
digital tools and technology to train their workforce on food
safety protocols. She said a shift toward virtual training
began with the COVID-19 pandemic, as companies found that
computer-based training also provided far more flexibility.
" Additionally, many processors are using enhanced
classroom training with 3-D goggle technology, creating
simulations that replicate plant environments and
equipment, helping employees practice cleaning procedures
and equipment handling in a realistic yet safe setting, "
Wagner shared.
Additional handy tools being implemented by companies,
she added, are described as " just-in-time " training modules.
Employees may access those digitally at any time from any
place. Some such video resources are hosted on YouTube.
Plus, traditional on-the-job training remains essential,
Wagner emphasized, with newer employees shadowing more
experienced personnel in a facility to learn the crucial food
safety practices that are carried out on a daily basis.
Along those lines, Galer said companies and their leaders
often want to know how they can train better.
" It's still evolving, " he said. " It probably will be a
continuous improvement path we're working on. "
Some companies turn to the Innovation Center for US
Dairy as their primary training source, sending 20 to 30
employees per year through the center's workshops, Galer
said. Others may send team members to learn about food
safety at a university's dairy center. Meanwhile, what works
best for other organizations is sending one or two people with
food safety responsibilities to receive training and bring what
they've learned back to the employees at a facility.
Stubbs said oftentimes essential training happens
between a supervisor and employees in a plant's break room
or some other designated area, where a group of workers
can all gather at once to learn. In those settings, Stubbs
related, employees may hear about OSHA topics, food safety
culture or something ultra-specific to their facility - such
as why loading docks must be closed because of air flow
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | NOV-DEC 2024 61
and the facility having a sanitation zone three layers down
the hallway.
Said Wagner: " This combination of virtual, interactive and
practical training has become essential for maintaining high
food safety standards across the dairy industry. "
For the artisan dairy producers who may lack the
resources of international brands, the Innovation Center for
US Dairy wanted to be sure to create helpful resources so
industry professionals could essentially train themselves if
needed, Stubbs said.
Chief among those is its pathogen guidance document,
which dives into great detail about every level of best
practices and the principles that keep a dairy processing
facility's products safe.
Source: Innovation Center for US Dairy, ©Seventyfour-stock.adobe.com
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - November/December 2024

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