Aquaponics systems are particularly interesting because this method of production provides both a source of protein and produce to the marketplace, perhaps making it doubly dangerous. On the other hand, aquaponics provides us with an opportunity to establish both food quality and food safety controls in a validated preventive manner– at the source. Aquaponics saves water and land, seems cleaner for the environment, and allows for the use of solar energy to run pumps. If you talk to aquaponics fanatics, they are after a truly sustainable operation that functions completely off the grid (well, almost completely).

Aquaponics provides us with clearly defined inputs, processes, and outputs. If things are balanced just right, good food emerges; food, we assume, that is nutritious, contaminant-free, has a fresh flavor, and can even be sold because it has market appeal. This is a perfect set up for a schoolyard and a great learning experience.

Objectives of the Session:- 

• Understand process validation, standards, and controls
• Learn to establish an integrated food safety/quality system approach
• Learn to use the lifecycle approach (continuous improvement)
• Use a team approach to process definition, development, and implementation (buy-in)
• Learn to control attributes and parameters
• Establish a repeatable and reliable production control system
• Learn to implement and use process experiments
• Learn to qualify suppliers, materials, and equipment based on your needs
• Grow fish and produce at a greatly reduced cost.

Areas Covered in the Session:-

• Food Safety versus Food Quality (2 different dimensions of food production)
• Define the process of food safety and quality concerns, hazards, measurement
• Worker, facility and management controls
• Process definition and layouts
• Risks, control points, measurement, specifications
• Treatment for over/under spec, corrective actions, reassessment
• Traceability, Recall, and Complaint management
• Standard Operating Procedures, Work Instructions, data logs
• Unknown Contaminants

Why Should You Attend?

Whether or not you want to build and run an aquaponics system, the ability to plan and control a food production system is revealed by studying how such systems are defined and planned.  Aquaponics systems provide a look at food safety and quality control methods that are made valid, visible, understandable, measurable, and controllable.  
If you are a receiver of fresh fish and produce in your restaurant or retail outlet, you will learn how to ask your suppliers to prove that their food safety plan is valid and be able to provide them with improved production control standards.

Who Will Benefit?

• Food Shippers, Processors, Retail and Restaurant Purchasing Groups
• CEOs, VP and Director Level Personnel
• Food Safety and Quality Team Members
• Food Testing labs and Quality Personnel
• cGMP Specialists
• Operations personnel
• Food Process Engineers
• Documentation specialists