AFDO Listeria & Recall Workshops
October 4 - 6, 2005
Intervention Strategies for the Control of Listeria Monocytogenes
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 2,000 people in the United States report serious illness from Listeriosis each year. Of these, 25% will tragically die from the disease. The bacterium responsible for this illness - Listeria monocytogenes — has become one of the most pertinent food safety issues of our time. During the past year, the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) has worked very closely with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), our industry partners, and academia to develop intervention strategies for dealing with this organism. AFDO, through Cooperative Agreements with the FSIS, established work groups to evaluate State Food Safety Surveillance on Listeria monocytogenes and to develop education and training materials. Now, AFDO is offering this training program for the purpose of providing new insight into current and suggested strategies for eliminating or controlling Listeria monocytogenes.
Recalls
Now is the time to discuss product recalls in light
of possible bioterrorist events. In the five years following 9/11, the
Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) has been working very
closely in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS), and with regulated industry and academia to
develop a comprehensive Product Recall Manual. This information will be
presented as part of a day-and-a-half Product Recall Workshop that
combines informative speaker sessions with a series of “hands-on”
event simulation exercises.