The purpose of the school is to help you meet the safety requirements set by the Code of Federal Regulations, which are to ensure safety from harmful bacteria and their toxins, especially Clostridium botulinum. Adequate processing parameters, controls, and appropriate processing methods can accomplish this. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approve these schools, and those who successfully pass the course will be registered with the FDA.
The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 Part 114 defines Acidified Foods to be low-acid foods to which acid(s) or acid food(s) are added. They have a water activity (aw) of 0.85 or less and a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower. Examples include, but are not limited to, salsa, BBQ sauce, pickles, relishes, and any product that uses a combination of vinegar or other acid food (i.e. tomatoes) with low acid ingredients.
The following products are excluded from this part: carbonated beverages, jams, jellies, preserves, acid foods (including such foods as standardized and non-standardized dressings and condiment sauces) that contain small amounts of low-acid foods AND have a resultant finished equilibrium pH that does not differ significantly from that of the predominant acid or acid food, and foods that are stored, distributed, and retailed under refrigeration. There are Standards of Identity (SOI) for the above products. Please check with FDA, VDACS, or Virginia Tech's Food Science & Technology Department if you have a question about an exemption.
If you are producing products that do contain a high amount of low-acid foods in one of the above exempted categories (i.e. hot pepper jelly, pumpkin butter, jalapeno hot sauces, etc.), then your products MAY fall under these regulations (Acidified Foods Title 21 Part 114), however, a process authority will need to make that determination for you. If your products are found to fall under these regulations, you must provide information to FDA and establish a scheduled process.
Scheduled process denotes the process selected by a processor as adequate for use under the conditions specified to produce a food that will not permit the growth of microorganisms having a public health significance.
All supervisors of processing and packaging systems shall have satisfactorily completed a school approved by the Commissioner for giving instructions in food handling techniques, food protection principles, personal hygiene and plant sanitation practices, pH controls, and critical factors in acidification.
FDA and USDA require approved schools to follow certain guidelines. To assure the safety of canned foods, the schools must cover the following critical factors:
Each person wishing to be certified as a container closer inspector must attend the above sections and at least one of the following, depending on the type of closure to be inspected:
For more information email BPCS@vt.edu or call (540)231-8697.
The next course offering at Virginia Tech: TBA
For additional schools at approved Universities throughout the country: The Food Processor Institute Course Schedule
Download the brochure and registration: Better Process Control School Information
| Friday, September 1, 2006
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