A special introductory program and networking session will be available for all education program registrants on Monday, May 11, from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. 3-A SSI for Beginners and the Basics of Sanitary Design will be an informal, fast-moving introduction to 3-A SSI and an overview of the elements of hygienic equipment design that distinguish 3-A Sanitary Standards.

A full-day education program, ‘The Bridge to Hygienic Design’,will be held on Tuesday, May 12. The theme highlights the importance of hygienic design from many perspectives, including product liability, allergen risk control, materials of equipment fabrication, improving upon ‘legacy’ equipment designs, and much more. Topics and speakers for the program will include:

• Where Hygienic Design and Food Safety Law Collide: How to Design Away Your Regulatory And Litigation Risk - Shawn K. Stevens, Food Industry Counsel, LLC
• Validation of Cleaning Systems: Allergens - Melanie Downs, Ph.D. Food Allergy Research & Resource Program (FARRP), Univ. Of Neb./Lincoln
• Advanced Chemistry and Microbiology of Food Processing Equipment - David Blomquist, Ecolab
• FSMA Update: The Role of 3-A in Your Preventive Controls Plan - Ron Schmidt, Univ. Of Florida
• The New 3-A Sanitary Standards General Requirements - Lyle Clem (ESC), Chair, 3-A Steering Committee
• Hygienic Design of Food Process Equipment in Asia - Gary Coates, P.Eng., Nickel Institute, Coordinator – Americas
• Pet Food Processing – New Attention to Hygienic Design – The Journey of Legacy Equipment to Hygienic Design - Michele Evans, Executive Director, Food Safety & Quality, Diamond Petfoods
• Expanding Knowledge of Hygienic Equipment Design - Steve Stoner, Wisconsin Dept. Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection
• Surface Finishes and Cleanability - Paul Kennedy, Pragmatics, Inc.

3-A SSI will host a special networking reception following the education program on Tuesday.

The 3-A SSI Annual Meeting will open on Wednesday morning, May 13, with reports on 3-A SSI programs and services and a forum on current issues in developing 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices. Work Group sessions will begin late Wednesday morning and continue through Thursday afternoon, May 14.