The Prince Edward Island Food Technology Centre is presenting a series of industry training workshops aimed at preventing the occurrence of Listeria in food products.
The workshops, scheduled for September 23 and October 2, will help food processing facilities establish and implement effective programs to reduce and prevent Listeria monocytogenes contamination of food products. The Food Technology Centre (FTC) offers a range of food safety workshops including customized workshops in processing plants across Prince Edward Island.
“The recent outbreak of listeriosis demonstrates the importance of the control of Listeria in food processing plants,” said Dr. Jim Smith, Director of the Food Technology Centre. “The FTC continues to work on behalf of processors to promote food safety and train personnel in appropriate control, cleaning and sanitation practices.”
Richard Brown, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, said the Food Technology Centre plays an important role in Prince Edward Island’s food processing and bioscience sectors.
“Prince Edward Island is fortunate to have the scientific expertise and the infrastructure available at the Food Technology Centre,” said Minister Brown. “Their dedicated microbiologists and food scientists are working with clients to promote food safety and develop value-added products for export around the world. It is important for organizations such as the FTC to work with industry to ensure high quality, safe food products are available for the consumer.”
For more information, visit www.gov.pe.ca/ftc.
ABOUT THE FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTRE:
The P.E.I. Food Technology Centre (FTC) was established in 1987 to provide technical support to the food processing industry on Prince Edward Island. Since then, FTC has strategically developed its infrastructure and has attained recognition as a quality technology provider to its many local, regional, national and international clients. FTC continues to improve its services to the food processing industry in areas of food product and process development and laboratory services, and now has expertise and infrastructure in place for bioresource upgrading including extraction technologies and fermentation. The P.E.I. Food Technology Centre is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company, providing consistent quality to its clients. FTC is also recognized as a HACCP Food Safety Training Centre by the Safe Quality Food Institute.
Situated on Canada’s east coast in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the 20,000 square foot facility is located within a scientific community that includes the University of Prince Edward Island, NRC Institute of Nutrisciences and Health, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Laboratory (Centre for Animal and Plant Health), and Agriculture and AgriFood Canada Crops and Livestock Research Station.