Newsroom

PORTLAND - The Oregon State University Department of Food Science and Technology and the OSU Extension Service are offering a two-day course in Portland, "Enhancing Microbial Safety of Fresh and Processed Berries," this Nov. 12-13 for persons who grow, harvest, sell, process or make products from berries or grapes. The course will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Food Innovation Center, 1207 N.W. Naito Parkway, Suite 154.

Berry fruit and grape growers, suppliers who provide fruits for processors, processors of berry fruit juices, purees, and concentrates and regulators should find the workshop valuable.

"This two-day workshop provides participants a better understanding of the potential contaminants in berry fruits and processed berry products, and how to develop and implement plans and analyses (GAP, GMP, SSOP, and HACCP) to reduce the hazards associated with fresh and processed berry products," said Mark Daeschel, professor of food science and technology at OSU.

"After completion of the workshop, participants will have the ability to develop food safety programs for their products," he added.

The registration fee is $100 a person for both days, or $50 for food science and technology faculty and full-time university students for both days. Persons attending for one day will be charged $50.

Register on-line at: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/foodsci/extension_fst/berry_safety_regform.htm, or call Debby Yacas, OSU Department of Food Science and Technology, for applications: 541-737-6483.

The course is a companion to the OSU Extension Service's newly published Berry Safety Guide (EM 8838), a 34-page illustrated safety handbook for the produce and food industry.