Having and implementing a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program is standard for any business related to the food industry, but tailoring that HACCP program to meet the needs of the different types of companies can be challenging. AIB International has worked to help individuals involved in the flour milling industry plan and understand a milling HACCP plan.
“The main purpose of this course was to educate people in the grain and milling industry about the importance of food product safety,” said Ed Hitch, director of food safety education at AIB International.
The three-day course included formal presentation from industry professionals, interactive group workshops, and tours of the Hal Ross Flour Mill and AIB International. Brent Wall, vice-president of Cereal Food Processors, Inc., was in attendance and found the workshops to be the most beneficial.
“The workshops gave us a chance to interact with the other professionals and hear the other ideas and what their impressions are of the HACCP programs,” Wall said.
There are other general HACCP training courses, but this short course was tailored specifically for the grain and milling industry. Hitch said the course emphasized the potential food safety hazards associated with grains and milling. That helped the participants understand and be able to implement a HACCP program in their companies. Javier Delgado of Mexico attended this course, making it his fourth IGP short course.
“The content of this course was the main reason for participation and there aren’t many places that you can learn about milling,” Delgado said. “The quality of the courses is really high.”
Both, Wall and Delgado say the instructors were knowledgeable and shared their experiences in relation to HACCP programs. Wall says it helped him understand it better because he could relate to the real life experiences rather than just the information and policies.
