Fresh-Cut Products Workshop: Maintaining Quality & Safety

17th Annual Workshop
September 18-20, 2012
Alumni & Visitors Center
UC Davis
Fresh-Cut Workshop 2011 Brochure (pdf)
(The 2012 brochure will be available Spring 2012)

Focus on Fresh-Cut

A 3-Day workshop for food professionals, including lectures, demonstrations, discussions & updates of fresh-cut product research

This workshop, presented by the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center, provides a solid overview of this product category and is relevant to all levels of fresh-cut produce industry professionals -- from small, local and regional produce processors to large businesses with nationwide distribution. Food scientists, food engineers, quality assurance personnel and new product development staff as well as representatives from research institutions, the restaurant and institutional food industries, and equipment, packaging and ingredient suppliers will all benefit from attending.

Fresh-cut products (cleaned, washed, cut, packaged and refrigerated fruits and vegetables) are an important and rapidly expanding food category for the produce industry, food processors, retailers, and food service operators. With increased interest in fresh-cut products comes the manufacturer’s desire to meet consumer demand with safe products that are packaged and distributed to maintain freshness and nutrtion, extend shelf life, while ensuring good eating quality.

This workshop provides an overview of many issues on the production, processing, packaging, distribution and quality assurance of fresh-cut products. Participants gain working knowledge of established and new procedures for fresh-cut products through topic-related sessions. The workshop also features discussions on microbial food safety and the effects of temperature and modified atmospheres on fresh-cut fruit and vegetable quality. The corps of instructors for the workshop are highly experienced and come from academia, the fresh-cut industry, and allied equipment and service providers.

Topics

Marketing & Consumer Issues

Consumer perception of product quality & safety
Marketing trends in the fresh-cut category

Product Biology

Physiology and biochemistry of fresh-cut products
Respiration, ethylene production, wound reactions

Product Quality

Parameters important to fresh-cut quality
Nutritional composition of fresh-cut products
Sensory quality of fresh-cut products
Treatments to maintain product quality

Product Preparation

Fruit and Vegetable Preparation Procedures
Equipment considerations and selection
Sanitation plant design and trends

Temperature Management

Cooling and storage options
Temperature control during transporation and distribution
Accurage temperature measurement
Impact of temperature on product quality and storage life

Microbiology & Sanitation

Microorganisms of concern in fresh-cut products
Water disinfection options
GAP and GMP considerations for fresh-cut
Product traceability

Modified Atmospheres and Packaging

Impact of modified atmospheres on product quality
Film selection for packaging fresh-cut products
MAP and temperature interactions
New developments in fresh-cut packaging

Specific Fresh-cut Product Information

Sessions and demonstrations on product groups with considerations on raw material quality, maturity, storage and handling; processing options and treatments, benefits of termparature and modified atmospheres, quality defects of fresh-cut products; fresh-cut product evaluaiton.

Faculty Coordinator & Technical Advisor

Marita Cantwell is a faculty member of the Department of Plant Sciences and a member of the Postharvest Technology Center at UC Davis. She has degrees in Biology and Plant Physiology. She has worked as a Cooperative Extension Postharvest Specialist at UC Davis for 25 years, conducting a research and education program on postharvest physiology and handling of intact and fresh-cut vegetables. She is a member of the American and the International Societies for Horticultural Science (ASHS, ISHS), United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA), the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), and a member and fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Enrollment Fees & Deadlines (2012)

Your enrollment fee (TBD) includes all instruction, course materials, three lunches and morning and afternoon coffee breaks. Your enrollment is requested by September 7, 2012.

If Your Plans Change, refunds, less a $75 processing fee, will be granted if requested at least seven calendar days before the course begins. At that time, you may also discuss sending a substitute.

Enrollment in Easy!

Registrations will Open in Spring 2012