Workshops announced for the 2021 Fresh Produce Safety Conference!

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre is pleased to announce the four workshops to be held as part of the 2021 Fresh Produce Safety Conference. The workshops will be available to all ticketholders to the conference, and will be held weekly on Wednesdays in the four weeks following conference day on 18 August 2021.
The workshops are designed as a weekly series of interactive skills sessions, each addressing a different topic within the field of fresh produce safety. With exciting workshop facilitators, the workshops promise to be an engaging and informative experience hosted by industry experts.
Attendees who register for the conference will receive complimentary registration for the workshops. Additional tickets will also be made available to those only wishing to register for the workshop skills sessions.
Choice of four skills workshops
Wednesday 25 August, 1-2pm AEST
Sharpening the Axe: Preparing for a Food Safety Crisis
with Peter McGee, Victual
The saying goes that if you have six hours to chop down a tree, spend the first four sharpening the axe. The same goes for navigating a crisis. The more you prepare the more likely you will successfully navigate. This workshop will step your through a scenario to help you understand some of the things you will need to think about in preparing for a crisis.
Wednesday 1 September, 1-2pm AEST
Produce Safety and HARPS – an Update for Growers and Suppliers
with Tristan Kitchener and Belinda Millard, HARPS
The HARPS Management Team will provide an update about HARPS, particularly in regard to the development and release of Version 2 of the HARPS standard, with an opportunity to ask questions and explore other challenges within the horticulture industry that could be solved using the HARPS business model as a platform to address wider industry issues.
Wednesday 8 September, 1-2pm AEST
Rapid Diagnostic Methods for Foodborne Pathogens: Outlook for the Fresh Produce Industry
with Dr Jo Rush, co-author of the FPSC Rapid Diagnostics report, and Professor Robyn McConchie, University of Sydney
A key issue facing the fresh produce industry is the time, expertise and cost of testing for pathogenic microorganisms to ensure produce safety. Despite the challenges presented by fresh produce, emerging Rapid Diagnostic Techniques may ideally make it possible to test on-site using inexpensive, simple and robust devices. It is important to compile information about industry requirements and preferences for RDMs. This interactive workshop will focus on potential ways to develop useful, robust prototype RDMs suitable for the “real world” environment.”
Wednesday 15 September, 1-2pm AEST
Challenging Perceptions: Unifying Industry’s Approach to Food Safety
with Jane Siebum, Fiona Grime and Angela Steain, Freshcare
Freshcare is hosting this engaging session aimed at challenging perceptions to unify our approach to food safety. This interactive workshop will explore food safety from the growers’ perspective, particularly food safety compliance, and facilitate a discussion between several expert panellists and workshop participants to explore the concepts of change, trust, future demands, and learnings to create a unified approach to food safety. This session is for anyone involved in the fresh produce industry who wants to engage with the grower’s perspective – from those who grow our food, to those that sell it and everyone in between.
To register for the conference and gain access to our four exciting skills workshops click here.

Rapid Diagnostic Methods Webinar Recording now available

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre, an industry-led, not-for-profit company established to enhance fresh produce food safety across Australia and New Zealand, proudly presented the Rapid Diagnostic Methods webinar on Monday 19 July 2021. The FPSC had identified, through its 2025 Innovation Agenda report Rapid Diagnostic Methods for Foodborne Pathogens: Outlook for the Fresh Produce Industry, that the quick, cost-effective, and reliable identification of pathogens on fresh produce is an area ripe for innovation and potentially a game changer for advancing food safety in the fresh produce industry.
The webinar recording is now available here.
We set out to survey research that was being undertaken within this field, identify the most promising rapid technologies, and make recommendations on what next steps are required to get these technologies into the hands of growers and others in the supply chain.
The one-hour live one-hour webinar discusses the key findings of the report, the perspectives of industry experts and what next steps we can take to advance this exciting field. Speakers include:

Dr Jo Rush – co-author of the Rapid Diagnostics report
Dr Sharon Jones – General Manager Technical, One Harvest Ltd, Australia
Dr Craig Billington – Science Leader, Environmental Science & Research, NZ
Dr Alex Quinn – co-author of the Rapid Diagnostics report

Read the full report here and summary here.

Review of the Audit Process – Industry Online Workshop

Main image credit: J. Ekman
Date/Time: Tuesday 1 December 2020, 9.00am-11.00am AEDT via Zoom
Purpose: The workshop followed the release of the FPSC’s 2025 Innovation Agenda Review on the Audit Process report. Industry stakeholders submitted comments on the report and provided their views on the top five areas ripe for innovation in the world of auditing.
The interactive workshop explored these top areas for innovation and prioritised areas for action.
Program:
Objectives of the meeting, Michael Worthington, Chairman FPSC and Overview of FPSC Report and Recommendations, Emma Walters, Executive Officer, FPSC
Technology Panel:
Use of technology to offer blended or remote audits, Todd Redwood Global Food and Retail Supply Chain Operations and Compliance Director, BSI Group
AI and audit integrity algorithms, Jochen Kleboth, Head of Data and Business Analytics, Intact (Note that Jochen was unable to join on the day, but has kindly agreed for his slides to be shared.)
End-to-end automation of the audit process, Dr Harry van Enckevort, Science & Technology Advisor, AsureQuality
Q&A
Risk and Culture Panel:
Unannounced audits – value and challenges, Fiona Grime, General Manager Compliance, Freshcare
Food safety culture, Dr Sharon Jones, General Manager Technical, OneHarvest
Q&A
Interactive prioritisation sessions:
Break into two groups (technology / risk and culture) to determine priorities and next steps.
Breakout Group Report-backs, summary and action items.
Find the workshop outcomes report here.
Speakers:
Todd Redwood
Todd has been helping food-related businesses deliver safe, sustainable and socially responsible food around the world for 30 years. Originally a chef and adult educator, Todd joined BSI Group in 2013 serving various general management roles in Australia, covering food, supply chain and operations. As the Asia Pacific Director of Food based in Singapore, he was responsible for driving BSI’s food sector market entry and growth strategy as well as relationship and resource management across the region.
Having returned to Sydney as Global Food and Retail Supply Chain Operations and Compliance Director, Todd is responsible for leading all operations, compliance and governance aspects relating to the Food Sector assurance and training business of BSI. Todd is the Chairman of the IIOC Food College acting as a representative on various international committees and groups.
Dr Jochen Kleboth
For more than 15 years, Jochen has been a noteworthy contributor to the food certification analytics space. Jochen holds a degree in food safety and biotechnology and works and researches at the intersection of food audit management and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Jochen works at Intact GmbH (Austria, Vienna) as Head of Data and Business Analytics with key players in the food safety certification market like SQFI and IFS. In his work, he develops software solutions to analyse audit data for risk-based audit management and integrity management for food business operators, standard setters, and certification bodies. He has published and continues to publish academic work in the field of risk-based audit management and has been honoured with academic awards for his contribution to risk-based audit management.
Dr Harry van Enckevort
Dr Harry van Enckevort is a Science and Technology Advisor to AsureQuality Ltd, leading the process to identify and bring relevant new science, technology and digital applications into the organisation, its strategies and planning.
Harry takes a futuristic horizon view.   He has a science background, scans and reads broadly to keep abreast of innovation and venture capital flow, and has an extensive network of science, tech and digital partners.
A diversity in previous roles and networks across diverse geographies, sectors, industries and regulators, underpins his “What’s needed?” and “What’s possible?” views of customer solutions in a transforming world.
Fiona Grime
Fiona Grime is the General Manager – Compliance for Freshcare Limited. Freshcare is the largest Australian assurance program, specialising in food safety, quality, environmental and sustainability certification and Standards development. Freshcare is industry owned and established to meet the needs of Australian producers in fulfilling both domestic and global market requirements. Freshcare Food Safety & Quality certification provides the evidence that the Australian horticulture industry actively operates to a robust, globally benchmarked food safety program.
Fiona’s background is varied, having held roles through FMCG, certification and food safety auditing. She holds a bachelor of Applied Science (Food Technology) and Master Business (Quality Management), as well as a number of other qualifications.
Dr Sharon Jones
Sharon Jones has broad global experience with over 25 years in the Food Industry.  Developing, implementing & maintaining Food Safety Management Systems supported by commercial understanding and focus on the demand of changing legislation and customer expectations. Servicing clients including the United Nations, British Ministry of Defence, Australian and International retailers.
Dr Jones graduated from University of Queensland, with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Food Technology) and PhD (Food Science Management), graduated from Deakin University with a Master of Business Administration and the University of New England with Graduate Diploma in Education (Science). Currently working with OneHarvest, who are the leaders in fresh produce in Australia. OneHarvest are a third generation family owned company who have been serving Australian families with fresh salads for over 35 years.
More information:
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