Microbiology for Food and Beverage Plants

Biofilms is the term used to describe a bacterial growth of microorganisms on a surface, which form glue-like substances which is difficult to remove and survives in aqueous environments. Whilst not something new, microbiology research has given us a better understanding of how organisms, grow on surfaces, communicate and survive. This advanced course explores the nature of Biofilms, the impact they have on food processing sites and how we can combat them in practice.

Glass bottles continue to be popular and the preferred package container for beverages, notably beer and carbonated beverages in many countries. In most countries glass bottles are collected from the consumers and either sold back to glass manufacturers or returned to the packaging plant to be re-used. This course details the process of cleaning and sterilising bottles using bottle washers as part of the bottling hall.

Campylobacter poses a significant risk to the poultry industry and consumers of poultry, it is recognised as one of the most prevalent food pathogens and is responsible for the highest percentage of food related illness and deaths. Combatting the risk requires action to be taken at all stages of the poultry production process. This advanced training course maps the interventions that can be implemented to reduce the risk of Campylobacter contamination at the farm, in transit, during processing, packaging, retail and at the consumer’s home.

Cleaning in Place (CIP) is defined as the process of cleaning and disinfecting the internal surfaces of processing equipment without the need to dismantle or intervene manually. The course modules introduces the key principles of CIP system functionality, design and operation and aim to equip delegates with the knowledge they need to understand the operation of CIP systems including the skills to recognise common problems.

This course ensures a basic understanding of the potential risks of using cleaning chemicals and the processes that should be in place to minimise the risk.

Crates are used extensively in the food industry to transport ingredients and finished product around a facility and between locations. Crates accumulate debris and are a significant contamination risk if they are not cleaned correctly between uses. This course details the process of cleaning and disinfecting crates using automated crate washers, looking at the system design, crate types, common soils and the considerations required to match a cleaning regime to the conditions.

This course is critical in the food and beverage production environment. Our hands are the number one vector for cross contamination, with the potential to impact the food safety of the product being manufactured. This course explores the principles of personal care, the behavioural mistakes that often put the product being manufactured at risk and the changes and processes required to reduce the risk of contamination.

Listeria poses a significant risk to the food industry, one of the most prevalent food pathogens and responsible for a high percentage of food related illness. Combatting the risk requires action to be taken at all stages of the production process. This advanced training course maps the interventions that can be implemented to reduce the risk of listeria contamination at the far, in transit, during processing and packaging.

Managing allergens in the food manufacturing chain is a legal requirement for processors, with products requiring allergen advice on the label and the impact of inaccurate advice being potentially fatal to allergy sufferers. This advanced course explores the principles of allergen management in the production environment, focusing on allergen control and removal and how cleaning and sanitation can contribute to control the risk of unwanted contamination.

Membrane filtration is used extensively in the food and beverage industry to separate products. The module aims to introduce the core principles of the use of membranes for filtration, how membranes are cleaned and the various options available to maximise the efficiency of your membrane systems.

Open Plant Cleaning (OPC) is a resource intensive process. Choosing the correct method of cleaning, optimizing the associated cleaning cycle and choosing the correct cleaner provides the opportunity to provide a cleaned surface with minimal expense of resources and impact on the surfaces being cleaned. The OPC course module introduces the principle of Open Plant Cleaning, how the methods are employed in the food and beverage industry and the options available to match the OPC to the production process.

This course provides an introduction to the chemistry, microbiology and physics behind why we clean and disinfect. It explores how hygiene chemicals work and how hygiene procedures should be managed, monitored and documented.

The 2 day course is aimed at Hygiene/Technical Managers and similar personnel in the food manufacturing industry who may be new to Hygiene Management or wish to build upon and improve their existing knowledge of the subject.

Salmonella poses a significant risk to the food industry, recognised as one of the most prevalent food pathogens and one of the most common causes of food poisoning. Combatting the risk requires action to be taken at all stages of the food production process. This advanced training course maps the interventions that can be implemented to reduce the risk of salmonella contamination at the farm, in transit, during processing, packaging, retail and at the consumer’s home.

Conveyors are essential to the efficient production of beverages and food, allowing fillers and packaging line to operate at maximum capacity. The lubrication of tracks, commonly referred to as Track treatment, ensures full or empty, primary and secondary product packaging can be conveyed around the production site without falling, jamming or resulting in unplanned downtime. Advances in track treatment system design and the use of water-free systems. The second, advanced module introduces the different types of dry and semi-dry track treatment systems, building a detailed understanding of the core principles and the impact these systems can have on key performance indicators.