GA Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) Georgia Tech

Food and Beverage

Food and Beverage Industry

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Questions?

Have a question about food and beverage manufacturing? Contact Wendy White, GaMEP Food Safety and Quality Industry Manager.

Food and Beverage Industry

The Food Manufacturing Industry is the largest manufacturing industry sector in Georgia in regards to total employment, average employee size per firm, and millions of dollars in output. Food manufacturing employs 63,000 people in more than 800 food and beverage companies in Georgia and is home to a third of America’s Top 100 Food Manufacturing Companies. To better serve this market, GaMEP’s food manufacturing experts provide specialized services to assist with industry needs.

Industry-specific Services:

Food Safety Compliance Icon  Food Safety Compliance

On average, recalls can cost a food company $10 million in direct costs, damage to the brand, and lost sales. How would this impact your business? Assess your facility to meet food safety regulations and stay-up-to-date on the most recent standards. Download the Food Safety Compliance Flyer.

Food Safety Management Systems Icon  Food Safety Management Systems

Implement, audit, and train your team on food safety management standards. By meeting food safety certification requirements you will prevent food safety recalls, increase customer satisfaction, and expand your marketability. Download the Food Safety Management Systems Flyer.

Global Food Safety Initiative Audit   Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audit Training

Become certified to a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard or upgrade your Food Safety Systems by ensuring all levels of your organization are trained on the GFSI audit requirements selected for your plant’s certification. Download the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audit Training Flyer.

GFSI Audits  Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audits

Prepare for your Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audit by gaining a fresh, outside perspective and determine areas of improvement in your Food Safety Systems. Download the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audits Flyer.

Regulatory and Food Safety Compliance   Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Learn how to navigate the complex and nuanced field of food safety regulatory requirements and help your organization achieve and maintain compliance with the USDA and the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Download the Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance Flyer.

HACCP and Food Safety Plans   HACCP and Food Safety Plans

Create a Food Safety Plan or convert your Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan to include Preventive Controls in order to comply with the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations. Download the HACCP and Food Safety Plans Flyer.

GaMEP also offers services related to Leadership Development, Strategic Growth, Technology, Lean and Process Improvement, Quality, Energy, and Environmental, that can also help food manufacturers grow and stay competitive. Check out our What We Do page or contact your Region Manager for more information.

Food and Beverage Industry Training Courses:

  • HACCP Certificate Training Class (Georgia Tech Campus, Atlanta, GA)
    • Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, or HACCP, is a preventative plan which identifies hazards and documents the controls that are in place to control or eliminate them. This plan consist of: process and product descriptions, flow diagrams, hazard analysis, and control procedures. GaMEP will utilize a risk-based approach to guide you through the process of updating or creating a HACCP Plan to satisfy governmental regulations (FDA or USDA).
    • Date: September 8-9, 2022
    • Duration: 2 days
    • Location: Georgia Tech Campus, Atlanta, GA
    • Cost: $850
    • Click here for more information
  • Good Manufacturing Practices Asynchronous Course (Online)
    • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) provide a foundation for any food safety system. They are a series of hygiene rules, product handling guidelines, sanitation procedures, and operational conditions required to produce safe foods. The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has elevated traditional GMPs, now called “current GMPs” or “cGMPs,” to ensure that ingredients, products, and packaging materials are handled safely, and that food products are processed in a suitable environment.
    • Date: Available anytime between now and June 15, 2022
    • Duration: 4-hours total
    • Cost: $195
    • Click here for more information
  • Food Recall and Crisis Management Asynchronous Course (Online)
    • Having an effective Recall Program is the cornerstone of any Food Safety Program and required by governmental agencies such as FDA, USDA, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture. In this five-hour asynchronous course, you will learn the components needed to create and maintain both Recall and Crisis Management Programs. This course will also serve as a foundational prerequisite program for any Hazard Analysis Critical Control Plan (HACCP) and Food Safety Plan.
    • Date: Available anytime between July 5, 2022 and June 13, 2023
    • Duration: 5-hours total
    • Cost: $195
    • Click here for more information
  • Food Allergens Asynchronous Course (Online)
    • Food allergens are considered an important hazard that need to be controlled during food and beverage manufacturing. In this five-hour asynchronous course, you’ll learn how some food proteins cause an allergenic reaction and the symptoms that accompany this reaction. You will also learn how to develop an Allergen Control program, the necessary documentation, internal auditing, and employee training requirements as well as the practical implementation to ensure a robust and sustainable system.
    • Date: Available anytime between July 5, 2022 and June 13, 2023
    • Duration: 5-hours total
    • Cost: $195
    • Click here for more information

Events

SAVE THE DATE! The next Georgia Regulatory Breakfast will be held on November 10, 2022. Mark your calendar and check back for updates and registration information.

  • Georgia Annual Regulatory Breakfast
    • Opportunity for food safety professionals to hear the newest regulatory updates directly from: GDA, USDA FSIS, FDA and others. Bringing together Georgia food safety practitioners from the manufacturing sector, government, and academia to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking in a collaborative environment.
    • Date: November 9, 2021
    • Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
    • Location: Virtual
    • View the recording here
  • To Mask or Not to Mask: That is the Question (From Manufacturers)
    • Informative, 1-hour webinar presented by Jenny Houlroyd, Georgia Tech SHES Occupational Health Services Manager. The webinar covered the OSHA/CDC guidance and assessments necessary to make risk-based, informed decisions to keep employees protected and start your post-pandemic journey.
    • View the recording here
  • Multi-state Webinar: Demystifying GSFI, SQF, and Other Third-Party Audits
    • Informative, 1-hour webinar presented by GaMEP, CIRAS (Iowa), OMEP (Oregon), & TechHelp (Idaho). During this free webinar, speaker Janna Hamlett of TechHelp will decode common food safety and regulatory acronyms and explain what a third-party audit is, and the basic steps to complete one to satisfy your customer’s requirements. She’ll also cover examples of cost structures, how to prepare for the requirements of a third party audit, and how to communicate with your customers and suppliers about audit requirements.
    • Date: Tuesday, June 22nd
    • Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
    • Location: Virtual
    • View the recording here
  • Georgia Association for Food Protection 2021 Fall Meeting
    • The 2021 Georgia Association of Food Protection (GAFP) Fall Meeting will be a virtual webcast. We’ll hear from the three 2021 Jim Ayres Young Investigator Award Winners as well as Chef John Szymanski from The Kroger Company on COVID-19 activities a year and a half into the pandemic.
    • View the recording here

Resources

Regulations and Government Guidelines