QualiTru Sampling Systems (formerly known as QMI), leaders in the science of aseptic and representative sampling equipment for the liquid food and dairy industries, is introducing a new Technical Services Educational Training (TSET) Program. The program provides practical, industry-focused, expert-led training for employees at all levels in the commercial dairy processing industries. Curricula will support companies’ food safety, regulatory compliance and audit readiness while helping teams improve plant performance and prevent costly issues from impacting product quality.

“For over 40 years, QualiTru has helped ensure consumer safety and product quality through our pioneering liquid sampling solutions for the dairy, beverage and liquid food industries. We are now demonstrating our extension of that commitment with our new TSET Program, which was designed to provide critical resources and information to help our customers address some of their most significant labor and workforce challenges,” said David Roesser, Ph.D., QualiTru’s CEO.

Dairy and food processing industries face labor challenges 

According to the FARM Program, workforce issues represent a long-term barrier to success. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects significant shortfalls of trained workers in both the agricultural and food processing industries over the next several years. The industry, which is already dealing with an employee turnover rate estimated at 38% annually, finds its challenges compounded by the effects of an aging workforce. This has led to the loss of more senior employees to retirement, as well as difficulty attracting new employees to the field.

“Expertise is one of the most valuable resources in a dairy plant, and these turnover dynamics can directly impact institutional knowledge of quality and safety procedures and product outcomes, which is why QualiTru saw the need for this new professional training program,” said Anne Bigalke, QualiTru’s vice president of business development.

According to Bigalke, QualiTru’s TSET Program addresses an array of critical issues for food processing professionals, including food safety and regulatory compliance issues, proper sampling and verification techniques, effective sanitation and hygiene practices, regulatory and audit preparedness, and process documentation. The comprehensive curricula may be customized by companies according to their needs in four core educational training categories: 

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  • Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance, including Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Root Cause Analysis, and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) 
  • Dairy Science and Microbiology, including fundamentals of environmental monitoring and aseptic sampling for statistical process control
  • Sanitation and Hygiene Excellence, including principles of sanitation and food safety, and equipment operation, cleaning and preventive maintenance
  • Leadership and Culture Development, including internal communication and leadership and supervisory skills for dairy and liquid food processing operations 

“The TSET Program represents the first time QualiTru is offering an entire complement of programmatic food safety and quality training at this depth and breadth,” Bigalke said. “All trainings will be led by Sabina C. V. Alexander, whose unique combination of hands-on industry experience and academic background will deliver immediate impact and help our industry evolve.”

Sabina C. V. Alexander, M.S., QualiTru’s director of technical and science services, is an experienced food safety professional. She previously worked as a corporate quality assurance (QA) manager for a major commercial dairy processing operation, where she oversaw quality affairs for 18 facilities located across the U.S. Midwest. She also is a preventive controls qualified individual who has completed training and application of risk-based preventive controls to develop and apply a food safety system from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-funded Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA). Alexander designed and will deliver all TSET Program training sessions.

“QualiTru’s new TSET Program is designed to strengthen employees’ expertise in contamination control, monitoring strategies and overall food safety quality standards throughout their companies, and to encourage the adoption of a food safety culture that emphasizes communication, accountability and continuous learning,” Alexander said. “All trainings will support the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) preventive controls, as well as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) training requirements, which also encompass the requirements of the European Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS) and the Safe Quality Foods (SQF) standards.”

According to Alexander, the process begins with a consultation to prioritize each organization’s specific challenges and training needs. The consultation shapes the curriculum, so it is customized according to need and employee level. Delivery of the training will be flexible according to each company’s timing of work shifts and process timing requirements. QualiTru will also provide performance metrics and recommendations for ongoing continuous improvement practices.

In the near future, QualiTru will be expanding the TSET training program beyond dairy processing to serve other companies focused on commercial liquid food processing and is offering an initial free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation with Alexander to learn more, available at the QualiTru website.

“We in the dairy and liquid food processing industries are doing work that is vitally important to health and human safety,” Alexander said. “Ultimately, the goal of our TSET Program is more than training employees in safety and quality procedures. We want to help companies build ‘food safety first’ organizational culture, where communication and excellence are part of the standard, and employees are encouraged to engage in more critical thinking, accountability and active problem-solving. As a result, employees can develop a deeper appreciation for what they’re doing, a passion for their work and why it’s so important.”

—From a QualiTru Sampling Systems news release