Achieving Food Safety Culture Maturity: From Audit-Readiness to Business Success
2023-11-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | IL
Food safety audits, whether for FDA compliance, GFSI certification, or meeting requirements from a key customer, often require significant time (sometimes months) and resources to prepare for – But it doesn’t have to.
Join TAG’s Chief Scientific Officer, Rolando González, as he dives into what is needed to mature your company’s food safety culture to truly be audit-ready all the time. Understand what business growth benefits your company can realize if done properly, and gain practical tips to influence others outside of the food safety and quality function to continuously support food safety goals.
Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2023-12-11 - 2023-12-13 | IL
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on December 11-13, 2023 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Lily Yang. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Using Monthly Inspections as a Tool for Pre-Requisite Program Verification
2023-12-15 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
Most food manufacturers conduct regular internal inspections to verify FSMA or GFSI requirements are being met – BUT, why then do so many struggle to assess the monthly health of their food safety programs?
Join Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Richard Simmons, to learn how to identify and correct weaknesses in the verification processes to accurately monitor facility and hygiene program effectiveness, and what tools can help streamline both internal and external audits.
In this webinar you will learn specific tools to help you:

Identify gaps in your Prerequisite Programs, and how build in more controls
Share pertinent food safety data during regular management meetings
Ensure data is ready for annual verification of programs and auditor

Register here

Exploring the Buzz: Opportunities and Challenges in the Rise of Alternative Foods
2024-01-26 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | IL
As consumer preferences for environmentally friendly options increase, shifting towards alternative foods – such as insect-based ingredients – means both opportunities and challenges for food manufacturers.
In this webinar, we’ll discuss the emerging trend toward adopting alternative food and ingredients in North American manufacturing, what food safety regulators and certification programs might be impacted, and how you can prepare.

Benefits for alternative food products, from consumer demand, to sustainability
Managing the risks, from testing to labeling
Food safety guidance and future requirements

Join TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Kate McInnes, while she discusses the opportunities and challenges of alternative foods.
Register today: https://link.achesongroup.com/kate-fsma-friday

Are you ready for USDA's new "Strengthening Organic Enforcement" (SOE) rule?
2024-01-29 13:30 (Asia/Krasnoyarsk) | Zoom, 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA, 94043
Join TAG’s Dr. Ben Miller and ReposiTrak as they discuss USDA’s new Organic Enforcement rule!

Food Traceability - Public-Private Governing Body
2024-02-20 12:00 - 13:00 (Asia/Krasnoyarsk) | IL
Leavitt Partners and The Acheson Group are hosting an informational webinar on February 20th to discuss the launch of a governing body to align industry for implementation of enhanced food traceability, which is required under Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
For more information: Food Trace One-Pager
Register here

Webinar: Impact and Implementation: Understanding the New PCHF Analysis Guidance
2024-02-23 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
The FDA has finally released an update to the Preventive Controls/Human Foods Rule draft guidance, including a revised Appendix 1: Known or reasonably foreseeable hazards.
This means clearer steps to identify potential dangers in your food products.
But what’s changed? The new Appendix 1 now includes a listing of potential biological and chemical hazards for 16 different food types. Plus, it clarifies the importance of considering process-related hazards too. Think of it as your personalized starting point for the Hazard Analysis process, a crucial step in ensuring food safety.
Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, to explore these changes, and dive into best practices for implementing them.
Register here

Free Webinar from IFT: Decoding GRAS: Regulatory Understanding in the New Product Development Process-Live Webinar
2024-03-01 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
TAG’s Senior Advisor, Steve Gendel is conducting a free webinar that is being offered by IFT as a primer to Pre-IFT First Short Course being offered in mid-July. The webinar is titled “Decoding GRAS: Regulatory Understanding in the New Product Development Process-Live Webinar.” The primer webinar is being offered on March 1, from 12 -1 pm CST.

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2024-03-11 - 2024-03-13 | IL
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on March 11-13, 2024 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Senior Food Safety Manager, Kate McInnes. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Webinar: Preparing for the FDA's Enforcement of the Intentional Adulteration Rule
2024-03-29 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
Enforcement of the FDA’s Intentional Adulteration (IA) Rule is anticipated to begin by late summer or early fall. This includes all human FDA regulated foods, including those facilities that follow existing FDA regulations normally outside the realm of FSMA such as manufacturers of Acidified Foods, Bottled Water, Dietary Supplements, Farms that produce Milk, Infant Formula, Juice HACCP, LACFs and Seafood HACCP.
Designed to identify those significant steps, points, or procedures and reduce the risk of wide-scale public health harm, i.e., mass casualties, resulting from intentionally adulterated human foods at the manufacturing level, enforcement of this rule WILL be different from other FDA regulations.
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, a leading instructor of the IA rule, who will explain the purpose, intent, and unique enforcement of the IA Rule. You will learn the relationship between food safety and food defense requirements – including what could result in a Form 483a – and how the IA Rule expands across the supply chain, both domestically and abroad.
Learn essential tips to help you prepare ahead of a FSMA Food Defense audit, what the FDA expects a facility to have in a written food defense plan, and how to train your teams to identify Actionable Process Steps (APS) and proactively mitigate risks, including required management components.
Register here

Virtual IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2024-04-15 - 2024-04-17 | IL
To fulfill the requirements of FSMA’s Intentional Adulteration (IA) Rule, food facilities must develop and maintain a written Food Defense Plan (FDP). This FDP must be written by a Food Defense Qualified Individual (FDQI). Included in the requirements for the written FDP is a vulnerability assessment (VA) for each facility.
To assist FDQIs in the development of the written FDP, TAG is offering a virtual IA VA training from April 16-17, 2024. TAG’s training, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Rolando Gonzalez, follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for the “FSPCA Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments,” using the Three Fundamental Elements approach, upon successful completion of the training.
Required pre-requisite training: KAT and Mitigation Training courses are required to be taken prior to this training and will be offered on April 15, 2024.
*$595 per person plus training materials and shipping fees. An additional $50 per person for the pre-requisite training.
Register here.

TAG at Canadian Food Safety Summit
2024-04-24 08:00 - 2024-04-25 17:00 UTC | Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Look for TAG at this year’s 18th annual Canadian Food Safety Summit conference! Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on April 24 and 25.
Register here!

Webinar: Mastering the Unannounced Regulatory Inspection
2024-04-26 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
An unannounced inspection from the FDA – or other regulatory agency – could result in uncertainty and anxiety within your team. If someone does not clearly understand what the inspector is looking for, or can’t produce what is being asked of them, these mishaps might place the inspection at risk.
Join TAG’s Senior Director of Food Safety, Mary Hoffman, for a webinar where you’ll learn what critical areas to prepare for should an unexpected regulatory inspection occur, along with training tips to help empower your team to navigate inspections with confidence. Discussion items include:

Understanding the scope of the inspection
Critical documents that should be prepared
Management and training processes to ensure an “always-ready” culture
Planning tips to know who is responsible for what and when

Register here

Sustainable Protein Forum Session by Dr. David Acheson
2024-04-30 16:00 - 16:30 UTC | IL
During this session we will discuss some of the risks to be thinking about in relation to sustainable proteins. This will include unanticipated public health risks, new regulatory risks, and potential reputational and communicational challenges. This will all be discussed in the context of business opportunities and how to stay out in front of the potential risks that may emerge when going to market.
Register here.

AFI Annual Convention: Import/Export Best Practices for FDA-Regulated Food
2024-05-02 - 2024-05-05 | IL
TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, is presenting at the AFI Annual Convention in Morocco and will discuss expected FDA compliance of Importers and Exporters for food entering the United States, and what can be done to prevent food from being detained at the US border.
Topics to be discussed include:

Foreign Supply Verification Program (FSVP) and FDA enforcement of Importers (483s)
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements and FDA enforcement of exporters (Import Alerts)
Options for exporters to gain approval to export food to the United States

Register here

TAG at Food Safety Summit
2024-05-06 08:00 - 2024-05-09 17:00 UTC | Donald E Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL, 60018, United States
Come join TAG at Food Safety Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. We will have a variety of Account Managers and Subject Matter Experts eager to converse at booth 513.
Register here!

FSMA Friday: The 3 Pillars of Controlling Allergen-Related Recalls
2024-05-31 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
Human error is a frequent cause of allergen-related recalls in food manufacturing, often happening when management systems are not designed to prevent errors.
Preventing an allergen recall requires an understanding of production processes, a focus on consistency, and effective communication with upper management. Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Steve Gendel, as he focuses on what tools and practices are needed to prevent costly allergen-related recalls including:

Awareness of the broad financial implications of an allergen-related recall
How to align with upper management on allergen control measures
Bridging allergen control processes with quality control to ensure consistency and compliance

Register here

International HACCP Alliance Certification Course
2024-06-01 09:00 - 2024-06-02 18:00 UTC | IL
The Acheson Group (TAG) will be holding an International HACCP Alliance Certification Course on June 1st and 2nd, 2024. This course will take place from 9 am till 6 pm and will be held at the Multipurpose Hall, NIFTEM-K, Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana.
For more information view the following document: HACCP Social Media Post
Register here

Session: AI in Food Safety and Regulatory
2024-06-04 08:30 - 17:00 UTC | IL
At the annual Food Label Conference held in Washington DC, TAG’s Dr. Ben Miller will be discussing how AI and machine learning (ML) technology may affect food safety and regulatory practice. Additionally, potential applications in predicting foodborne pathogen outbreaks, ensuring traceability across the supply chain, and automating compliance will be discussed. We’ll also cover how AI could facilitate comprehensive risk assessments through predictive analytics, allowing for preemptive safety measures that surpass traditional methods.
Register here.

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2024-06-18 - 2024-06-20 | IL
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on June 18-20, 2024 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Preventing Risks & Influencing Change: Climate Impact to Food Safety
2024-06-28 12:00 - 12:30 UTC | IL
Heat waves, shifts in precipitation patterns, hurricanes, even disruption of wildlife ecosystems… These climate-related events have a direct impact on food production and food safety.
Join TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Lily Yang, to learn about how changing climate patterns are increasing food safety risks, like foodborne pathogens and mycotoxins, and what can be done to quickly identify and prevent an emerging risk throughout the supply chain.
Hear real-world examples of what worked, and what specific steps and tools you can adopt to prevent climate-influenced food safety threats and a more sustainable production environment.
Register here

FSVP QI Training: Don't Get 483'd by Your FSVP
2024-07-09 - 2024-07-10 | IL
Under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) rule of FSMA, a qualified individual (QI) must develop and maintain a FSVP as well as perform certain risk-based activities to verify that a food to be imported to the U.S. was produced in a manner that meets U.S. food safety standards. This TAG delivered course will provide participants with the education and training needed to become a QI and develop and implement an FSVP to keep you safe from 483s.
To assist in your FSVP development, TAG is offering a virtual FSVP QI training on July 9 – 10, 2024 delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the training.
*$750 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

TAG at IAFP
2024-07-14 08:00 - 2024-07-17 17:00 UTC | Long Beach Convention Center
Come join TAG at IAFP on July 14-17 in Long Beach, California. We will have a variety of Account Managers and Subject Matter Experts eager to converse with you at our booth.
Register here!

FSMA Friday: The New FDA Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Rule: Industry Impact and Steps for Compliance
2024-07-26 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
The FDA’s recent finalized Agricultural Water Rule for pre-harvest water marks a significant shift in produce safety regulations. But what specifically does this rule require from businesses within the food and beverage supply chain?
Join TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Angela Ferelli-Gruber, as she discusses what this rule is, its impact on farmers, food manufacturers, and restaurants that grow, process, or source raw produce, and next steps to help meet requirement deadlines.
Key points she’ll discuss include:

What the FDA Agricultural Water Rule is and how will it affect your food safety plans
Risk assessments and possible mitigation measures for you and your suppliers
Available resources and guidance to help you through the compliance process

Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2024-08-06 - 2024-08-09 | IL
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on August 6-9, 2024 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Webinar: Partnership for Food Traceability
2024-08-15 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
The Partnership for Food Traceability, a new public-private partnership (PPP) with the FDA, is launching to harmonize food traceability efforts throughout the supply chain and between sectors. Join the organizations that have developed this new PPP for a webinar to learn more!
During this informational webinar, we will discuss the role and value of the PPP, its scope of work, the partnership’s structure, and how stakeholders can get involved.
We invite all stakeholders to join the discussion and learn more about the Partnership for Food Traceability!
August 15 from 12-1 pm EST

Register here

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere!
2024-08-22 17:00 - 18:00 UTC | IL
Join TAG’s President & CEO, Dr. David Acheson, and Food Safety Tech’s Content Director & Founder, Rick Biros, for a Happy Hour podinar about food safety and quality. They will look back at FSMA, how it has evolved, and discuss the future FSQA risks and challenges.
Register here

Allergen Awareness: Navigating Global Regulations and Safety Standards
2024-08-30 07:30 - 08:30 UTC | IL
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Ranjeet Klair, for a free webinar on Allergen Awareness: Navigating Global Regulations and Safety Standards. This webinar is your chance to learn how to manage allergens and comply with international standards effectively.
Register here

Chevron Deference Decision: The State of Food Safety Regulations
2024-08-30 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to end Chevron Deference, there are a lot of questions surrounding food safety regulation enforcement, including the FSMA Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204).
Join TAG’s Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel, Eric Edmunds, who will discuss the potential impacts of this ruling, common challenges food and beverage manufacturers still face in meeting FSMA 204 compliance (which is not going away), and what food traceability resources you can tap into to stay current.
Key takeaways include:
• How the Chevron Deference decision impacts current and future food safety regulations
• Tips for capturing and centralizing traceability data for easier access and audit preparedness
• Working with suppliers and distributors to obtain the correct compliance data
• Who should take part in food safety and traceability planning, beyond the food safety role
Register here

Food Allergy Considerations: What We Know and What We May Not Know but Need to!
2024-09-11 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | IL
Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran at the New York State Association for Food Protection. Ruth will be speaking about Food Allergy Considerations: What We Know and What We May Not Know but Need to!
Learn more here
