Volume 4, Issue 1 – July-August 1999 . .
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FoodPAC Sponsors Ammonia Refrigeration Technician Training Program Each year FoodPAC provides technical assistance to Georgia food processors through its Environmental Technical Assistance Program. Recent on-site consultations and assessments revealed a severe shortage of qualified ammonia refrigeration system technicians and operators. According to Jim Walsh, program co-director, this shortage sparked interest in creating a FoodPAC-sponsored Ammonia Refrigeration Technician Training Program in Georgia. “Most of the vocational technical schools are involved in training technicians for HVAC systems that do not use ammonia. One of the few schools dedicated to ammonia systems is located in Kansas. A program for training technicians for facilities in Georgia and the Southeast is badly needed,” comments Walsh. The FoodPAC-sponsored training program will involve personnel from Georgia Tech, The University of Georgia, and Lanier Technical Institute. It will include both classroom and equipment hands-on training. The classroom training will utilize training materials developed by the Refrigeration Engineers and Technicians Association. These materials include training manuals on the various aspects of the system and a computer simulation program that can be used to create various problems for the students. The equipment hands-on training will include the actual operation of a pilot-scale refrigeration system. The program participants are currently in the process of identifying candidate systems and instructors for the training. The complete training program is expected to be in operation by July 2000. FoodPAC Seeks New Members At the June 23 Joint Committee Meeting, members agreed to form a Nominating Committee, with the goal of identifying potential new members and encouraging their involvement in FoodPAC planning and review activities. The Committee is made up of the Steering Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman and the Technical Committee Chairmen. If you are interested in joining FoodPAC and serving on any of the Committees or know of someone who is, please contact any of the individuals listed below. Sammy Wright, Steering Committee Chairman (912) 242-0100 Bob Budd, Steering Committee Vice Chairman (770) 452-8828 Dan Cohn, Process & Product Competitiveness Technical Committee Chairman (770) 482-7466 Peter Simpson, Safety Technical Committee Chairman (404) 676-3872 Steve Woodruff, Environmental Technical Committee Chairman (770) 393-5203 FoodPAC Forms Committee to Survey Program’s Effectiveness At the June 23 Joint Committee Meeting, members also established a committee to survey the benefit of FoodPAC activities and determine the best process for conveying program results. Committee members include Bob Budd (Chairman), Dan Cohn, Jim Lovett, Butch Durand, Craig Wyvill, and Susan Shows. Reminder: Final Reports Due September 1 Final reports for projects conducted during FY 1999 are due by September 1. Please submit reports to: FoodPAC OFIP – c/o J. Craig Wyvill IPST Engineering Center Atlanta, GA 30332-0823 Remember… Submit comments and story ideas to Angela Colar, Editor at (404) 894-3412 or angela.colar@gtri.gatech.edu The Food Chain is a publication of the Office of Food Industry Programs, Georgia Tech Research Institute.	.	Upcoming Food-Related Symposiums/Tradeshows Keeping abreast of industry innovations and advances is always a priority to firms in the food industry. Listed below are a few upcoming symposiums and expos of potential interest to FoodPAC members. Georgia Tech and Poultry magazine will host the second annual Poultry Maintenance Symposium September 21–22 at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center located in Peachtree City, Georgia (right outside Atlanta). The workshop is specifically designed to provide the maintenance muscle your company needs in a HACCP environment. Industry leaders and experts will provide firsthand education and training as they detail a master maintenance program that includes topics such as: Top Management’s Perspective on Maintenance Computerized Maintenance Management Systems OSHA Perspective of Maintenance and Its Impact on Safety HVAC Maintenance and Airborne Contaminants Plus Many More Topics For more information about the symposium, contact Nancy Kelley in Georgia Tech’s Office of Food Industry Programs at (404) 894-3412 or E-mail: nancy.kelley@gtri.gatech.edu The Atlantic Food Development & Processing Exhibition will be held August 10–12 at the Baltimore Exhibition Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The Exhibition is sponsored by Food Manufacturing magazine, the National Association of Fruits, Flavors, and Syrups, and the Pennsylvania Food Processors Association. Its purpose is to bring together suppliers and buyers involved in every stage of food processing to share process solutions, learn about new products and innovations, and network with colleagues. Highlights include: Innovative solutions to your food development and processing challenges More than 200 leading suppliers State-of-the-art technical conference FREE Keynote Address: “The Food Industry in the New Millennium” Networking Luncheons FREE Panel Discussion: “Safety and Regulatory Issues in the Food Manufacturing Industry” NAFFS Reception FREE Ice-Cream Social FREE Industry Reception For registration information, contact Gary W. Black, Georgia Agribusiness Council at (770) 242-3834. The Worldwide Food Expo (a global food technology event) will be held October 28–31 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. The Expo will showcase equipment, ingredients, supplies, and services for the dairy, meat, poultry and seafood, beverage, snack and bakery, refrigerated and frozen food, and canning and packing industries. The Expo is sponsored by the American Meat Institute, the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers, the International Dairy Foods Association, the National Fisheries Institute, and the National Food Processors Association. For more information, visit the Expo’s website at www.worldwidefood.com or you can have materials faxed to you by calling (703) 645-9302. Note: The Georgia Agribusiness Council is planning to coordinate a trip to the Expo for interested companies. Stay tuned to The Food Chain for more details. FoodPAC Dates to Remember Late August Joint Committee Meeting Sept 1 FY 1999 final project reports due Oct 6 Call for proposals for FY 2001 Feb 2 FY 2001 proposals due

For further information on FoodPAC, please contact: Executive Coordinator: Mr. Gary Black - Georgia Agribusiness Council, (770) 242-3834 Environmental Coordinator: Dr. Dale Threadgill- University of Georgia, (706) 542-1653 Food Safety Coordinator: Dr. Michael Doyle - University of Georgia, (770) 228-7284 Product/Process Competitiveness Coordinator: Mr. Craig Wyvill - Georgia Tech, (404) 894-3412

Making Georgia the national and international leader in the food processing industry in the 21st century

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