We are witnessing in the news that incidents of food borne pathogens that cause major illnesses are on the rise. Most manufacturers involved in the food industry are implementing pathogen control programs in order to properly educate their employees in the proper methods of prevention for this potentially fatal problem that seems to be infiltrating the industry across the nation and wreaking havoc with the food supply.
Pathogen control programs are used to prevent the spread of these food borne illnesses by teaching employees what they must do in order to meet the standards that have been established by the FDA. The number of recalls issued by the FDA has risen significantly in the last few years as the general public is more aware of what the symptoms of these foodborne illnesses are and is no longer hesitant to report them to their doctors who then pass the information directly to the FDA.
It is up to the manufacturers and food processors to implement their own pathogen control programs along with GMP or Good Manufacturing Processes and a full range of environmental testing to ensure that their facilities are free of any risk of contamination. In order to ensure full compliance and safety in the food chain all employees should attend formal training that covers what is expected in this program and standards that the FDA has established.
The right course will cover all of the concepts of pathogen control programs including overview on different pathogens and effects of ingestion by human beings. The class should also cover the most common sources of these pathogens, many of which are just now coming to light such as peanut butter and breakfast cereals. Many different items in the produce department are also coming under fire for pathogens such as E coli that is most often associated with ground beef.
The course should then cover the most successful pathogen control programs in the control of these food borne pathogens, It should teach your employees how to implement the program, what to expect from it and the reporting process required by the FDA. They will also learn what role HACCP plays in the elimination of these pathogens. The entire purpose of these courses is to educate your staff and make it possible for them to produce high quality foods that do not contain any foodborne pathogens which can make members of the public seriously ill or cause death.
