Reduced Oxygen Packaging under US FDA Model Food Code Workshops

The purpose of the FDA Conference Grant and Cooperative Agreement is to facilitate the provision of federal financial assistance in support of small conferences and scientific meetings clearly aligned with the FDA mission. This current proposal seeks FDA ORA financial support for four separate workshops on the topic of Reduced Oxygen Packaging under the US FDA model Food Code. The expected audience is 75% regulatory (state and local) and 25% operators. The proposed locations are Atlanta, GA, Phoenix, AZ, Annapolis, MD, and San Francisco area (San Benito). Each location has a state and/or local level sponsor providing a state or local workshop location without cost. Each location can accommodate 75- 100 participants. Dr. Nummer, the author, instructor and facilitator established this workshop in 2009 after considerable frustration and misunderstanding of the topic as it applies to retail and foodservice operators under the US FDA model Food Code. It was discovered that not only were operators confused, local and state level health departments were equally confused. The only resource available was and is an FDA ORA Special processes course. This is generally limited to regulators. Funding these workshops will continue to have great impact on retail and foodservice food safety as well as serve to help align regulatory agencies toward science-based control of hazards as addressed in a HACCP-based food safety system.