Fresh-Cut Products Workshop: Maintaining Quality & Safety

18th Annual Workshop
September 24-26, 2013
Alumni & Visitors Center
UC Davis
Fresh-Cut Workshop 2013 Brochure (pdf)

Focus on Fresh-Cut

A 3-Day workshop for food professionals, includes lectures, demonstrations, discussions & updates on fresh-cut fruit & vegetable research

This workshop, presented by the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center, provides a substantive 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 ever-expanding food category. Consumers demand safe and high quality products that are packaged and distributed to maintain freshness and nutrition, and have extended shelf life, while ensuring good eating quality. These demands require that fresh-cut processors and handlers meet rigorous standards.

This workshop provides an overview of many apects of the production, processing, packaging, distribution and quality assurance of fresh-cut products. Participants gain working knowledge of established and new procedures for the fresh-cut product category through topic-related sessions and demonstrations. In 2013, the workshop continues to feature discussions on microbial food safety and the effects of temperature and modified atmospheres on fresh-cut fruit and vegetable quality.

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
Sanitary plant design and trends

Temperature Management

Cooling and storage options
Temperature control during transporation and distribution
Accurate 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 temperature and modified atmospheres, quality defects of fresh-cut products; fresh-cut product evaluation.

Enrollment Information

Location, Dates and Time
The workshop will be held at the Buehler Alumni & Visitors Center, UC Davis, on September 24-26, 2013. Each day, the workshop will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and conclude between 5-5:30 p.m. The registration desk will open at 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, September 24th.

Enrollment Fee
The enrollment fee of $1150 includes all instruction, course materials, three lunches, morning and afternoon coffee breaks, plus an evening networking reception. Your enrollment is requested by September 14, 2013.

Accommodations & Parking
For hotel information, please go to the Yolo County Visitor's Bureau and look under "Davis" for "Hotels & Inns." A valid UC Davis parking permit is required to park on campus. Daily Visitor Permits (VP) are available for $7.00 and may be purchased from permit dispensing machines located at the entrance to campus visitor parking lots.

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.

Disclaimers
The UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center reserves the right to cancel or reschedule courses and to change instructors. Every reasonable effort will be made to notify enrollees of changes or cancellations.

The University of California does not discriminate in any of its policies, procedures or practices. The University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Instructors (2013)

The experienced instructors are drawn from UC Davis and other institutions as well as the fresh-cut industry and its suppliers.

Diane Barrett, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, UC Davis
Jeff Brandenburg, JSB Group, Greenfield, MA
Jeff Brecht, Dept. of Horticultural Sciences, Univ. Florida
Christine Bruhn, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, UC Davis
Marita Cantwell, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
Ray Connelly, TrueTrac, Salinas, California
Roberta Cook, Dept. Agric. & Resource Economicas, UC Davis
Rudi Groppe, Heinzen Manufacturing, Gilroy, California
Deirdre Holcroft, Holcroft Postharvest Consulting, Davis, California
Karan Khurana, Pulse Instruments, Van Nuys, California
Elizabeth Mitcham, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
Anne Plotto, USDA-ARS, Winter Haven, Florida
Mikal Saltveit, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
Trevor Suslow, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
James Thompson, Postharvest Engineering LLC, & Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, UC Davis
Florence Zakharov, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

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 is Easy!

Register...

Online using the convenient and secure online registration form.

By Phone by calling (530) 752-7672. Please have your Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express account number handy.

By Fax by sending the complete enrollment form from the brochure to (530) 754-4326.

By Mail by completing the enrollment from from the brochure and mailing it with your credit card information, or check for $1150, to:

Attn: Penny Stockdale, Registration Desk
Postharvest Technology Center
UC Davis - Dept. of Plant Sciences - MS2
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616