The Department of Microbiology, University of Karachi in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Authority and University of Idaho will hold a training workshop on Canned Foods: Principles of Thermal Process Control, Acidification and Container Closure Evaluation in June and July 2012.
According to a press release issued on Sunday goal of this workshop is to increase the technical capacity of an important segment of the Pakistan food industry of which Karachi is a center and to familiarise participants from academia, research organisations, food and agriculture industry with microbiological safety issues, international trade requirements and good manufacturing practices for thermally processed low acid and acid/acidified foods packaged in tins, glass, and flexible containers.
The course faculty will include colleagues from US and Pakistani universities. The venue is the KU – ASM BioResource Center, Department of Microbiology.
Certificates will be awarded to those who will attend all lectures and pass all exams on various topics covered in the course.
This certification is recognised by the US Food and Drug Administration and US Department of Agriculture and agencies responsible for importation into other markets as evidence that individuals have met the regulatory training requirements for supervising canning operations and producing safe food meeting international market standards.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Rasco, Prof. Dr. Gleyn Bledsoe, Prof. Dr. Shahana Urooj Kazmi, Prof. Dr. Tasneem Adamali, Dr. Adnan Khan – Department of Microbiology, Dr. Shahina Naz – Department of Food Science and Technology and others would be among the faculty members.
The course is designed to meet new requirements in the international market for training for supervisors in food processing facilities that thermally process foods in hermetically sealed containers (for example metal tins, glass jars, pouches, and semi-rigid containers with flexible closures). Phase- I covers principles of thermal bacteriology; Phase- II will emphasise retort operation, container closure evaluation and package integrity testing. Passing exams on various sections is required to obtain a certificate for the course. Targeted participants include technical, managerial and supervisory personnel in the food industry, scientists, engineers, researchers and post-graduate students.
Interested participants have been advised to contact the Office of the Chairperson, Department of Microbiology via email to the following address: [email protected] or [email protected] or by Phone : 02199261300 ext: 2248, 2358, 03008297324.
