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Produce Safety Standards FDA and Industry Expert Insights

February 11, 2013

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Central; 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Eastern

This webcast is free to IFT members with a capacity of up to 1,000 registrants and your registration includes both the live and on-demand version.

Join this webcast on the Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rule on Produce Safety Standards to learn more about the rule itself and its potential implications for your organization. FDA speakers Samir Assar, Ph.D., Director, Produce Safety Staff (FDA CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA CFSAN), and James Gorny, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, Office of Food Safety, FDA CFSAN, will discuss this proposed rule in greater detail, and David Gombas, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Food Safety and Technology, United Fresh, will present key insights into implementation considerations and how this proposed rule affects your business.  

The webcast will conclude with a live Q&A session.

Welcome webcast affiliate members from the United Fresh Produce Association.

Intended Audience(s): Product Developers; Company Management; Sales & Marketing Personnel; Plant Production Personnel; Quality Assurance Managers and Supervisors; Food Safety Specialists; Product Manufacturers; Research Staff; Regulators; Academics; Students
Learning Level(s): Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Non-Member Registration Fee: $49
Member Registration Fee: FREE
Student Registration Fee: FREE
Presentation Date: 02/11/13 11:00 AM
Duration: 90 Minutes

Faculty:

Samir Assar
Dir Prdc Sfty Staff
FDA CFSAN

Samir Assar

Dr. Samir Assar is the Director of the Produce Safety Staff in the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Since 2008, Dr. Assar, has managed the development of FDA’s policy, regulation, and guidance on produce safety, including those mandated by the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act. Dr. Assar provides strategic leadership in developing plans for research, training, and compliance activities that target a safe and abundant produce supply. Dr. Assar is committed to enhancing partnerships with produce safety stakeholders and has collaboratively forged initiatives and agreements aimed at protecting public health. Dr. Assar also serves as the FDA project leader for the Western Center for Food Safety at the University of California - Davis, whose focus is on research, education, and outreach on production agriculture and food safety issues. Dr. Assar received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Florida.

 

James R Gorny

James R Gorny

Dr. Gorny joined the Office of Food Safety in 2009. His primary responsibility is to advise the Director of the Office of Food Safety on policies and programs affecting the safety of fresh produce. In this role, Dr. Gorny provides scientific and technical expertise in response to evolving policy, foodborne illness outbreaks, regulatory follow-up investigations, education/outreach programs, and risk-based research needs to improve the safety of fresh produce. Actively involved in the fresh produce industry since 1986, Dr. Gorny has worked extensively on perishables quality and food safety issues, including development and implementation of Good Agricultural Practices, modified atmosphere packaging design, quality assurance, operations, and general management issues, both nationally and internationally. Prior to joining FDA, Dr. Gorny served as the executive director of the Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at the University of California, Davis. From 2000-2007, he served as Senior Vice President of Food Safety and Technology for the United Fresh Produce Association/International Fresh-Cut Produce Association, which merged in 2006.Dr. Gorny received his Ph. D in Plant Biology from the University of California at Davis, and his BS and MS degrees in Food Science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is the author and editor of numerous scientific and technical publications pertaining to the quality and safety of fresh produce. Dr. Gorny received his Ph. D in Plant Biology from the University of California at Davis, and his BS and MS degrees in Food Science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is the author and editor of numerous scientific and technical publications pertaining to the quality and safety of fresh produce.

 

Dr. David E. Gombas

Dr. David E. Gombas

David is Senior Vice President Food Safety and Technology for United Fresh Produce Association. In that position, David provides food safety, microbiology, regulatory and public policy assistance for the fresh and fresh-cut produce industry. He has numerous publications on food safety, and is co-editor, writer or technical reviewer for seven commodity-specific food safety guidelines. David is currently coordinator of the Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative and the US National Technical Working Group for GlobalG.A.P, and serves on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). David received his Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from Rutgers University, his Masters degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from University of Massachusetts. Previously, David has held food safety and microbiology positions with the National Food Processors Association, Campbell Soup Company, Kraft Foods and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology, where he worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop HACCP training courses for FDA investigators.