Many in the food industry around the world, including producers, processors, and food service, now use a working HACCP program to demonstrate their commitment to a high level of consumer protection by delivering safe foods. HACCP is also increasingly required in providing fair practice in international trade of food and agricultural products. The course discusses HACCP as a proactive management tool designed to incorporate food safety into the product and the process of manufacture.

The intended audience includes those working in the fresh produce and/or processed food industries, such as farmers, retailers, wholesalers, supervisors, mid-level managers, technical and non-technical personnel, quality professionals, production personnel, marketing professionals, sales persons, and those in the export/import business. A thorough knowledge of your own food operations is important to the development of your HACCP plan.

The course starts with the Prerequisite Programs to HACCP where most violations and errors in food safety occur. The course will then proceed with defining food hazards, assembling the HACCP Team, and constructing a flow diagram specific to your products. These preliminary steps will then be followed with the development of a HACCP Plan by covering the seven principles of HACCP. The course will be highly interactive involving exercises to demonstrate the construction of a HACCP Plan. If you wish to develop a HACCP Plan for one of your products, you must know your product description, usage, and process.

This HACCP course follows the guidelines established for HACCP systems described in the “Recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene” developed by the Codex Commission on Food Hygiene and by the National Advisory Committee for Microbiological Criteria for Foods. The course materials are accredited by the International HACCP Alliance and the instructors are HACCP trainers certified by the GMA Science and Education Foundation (formerly Food Processors Institute), The International Meat and Poultry HACCP Alliance, Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), and the Seafood HACCP Alliance. Participants who complete the 2-day course will receive a “Certificate of Course Completion” from the University of Hawaii with a seal from the International HACCP Alliance.

Registration is $550/person until the deadline and $600/person thereafter, payable to the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH) Project #1139. The fee includes the cost of instruction, use of facilities, morning and afternoon snacks, and all workshop materials. Lodging and meals are not included. Please note that online registration is not yet available.

The most recent course was held in St. John 11 auditorium (3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822) at the University of Hawaii on August 13-14, 2009 (HACCP brochure, HACCP Schedule).
If you are interested in attending a HACCP course in the near future, please email Dr. Aurora Saulo (aurora@hawaii.edu).