Thermal processing & validation

Thermal processing is a vital aspect of the manufacture of many food and beverage products and will often be considered a ‘critical control point’ that needs to be monitored, verified and validated to ensure a safe product.

The course will provide delegates with an understanding of the principles around the thermal process enabling them to make changes to existing thermal processes and develop new ones. We aim to give practical guidance (for example with trouble shooting, process deviations and validation) as well as covering the theory (such as thermal microbiology, processing methods and heat transfer) using a range of tutorials, group activities & practical demonstrations.

The content covered caters for those interested in thermal processing and validation for both batch and continuous systems and could be attended by process specialists, developers, technologists and other quality/technical staff working in food manufacturing. It would also suit inspectors, including EHOs, third party auditors and retailers who review documentation and processes at manufacturer sites.

• Pasteurisation & sterilisation principles
• Thermal food microbiology
• Calculation of processes (F_o and P_u values) for batch & continuous processing
• Thermal processing methods, batch (e.g. retorting) & continuous (e.g. UHT)
• Process establishment procedures
• Process validation practicalities & analysis of data
• Thermal process deviations & troubleshooting