The Center for Dairy Research offers a number of outreach services to assist your company in your safety and quality efforts. These services include third party audits including GFSI, assistance with troubleshooting, crisis management, reviews of GMP, quality assurance and quality control programs as well as assistance through regulator liaison roles.
In addition to the basic outreach efforts, the program can also
provide assistance to your company in regards to grading, analyzing
defects in cheese and butter as well as assistance in butter
manufacturing practices. Safety and Quality Program Coordinator,
Alex O'Brien, primarily works with Wisconsin-based companies but can work out of state upon request.
Training - Safety & Quality Short Courses
NEW! Advanced Sanitation
Dive deeper into the why's and how's of sanitation. Explore in depth what Biofilms are, what they look like and how to remove them, how to conduct sanitation validations, and examine what the process of passivation is and how it is affects proper sanitation. Experience a hands-on evaluation of equipment for sanitary design and tear apart inspection of equipment.
NEW! Environmental Monitoring
A comprehensive review of what pathogens and microbes to look for in the environment, Whole Genome Sequencing, Environmental Monitoring Plan development, Regulatory expectations, and LIVE, HANDS ON mock environmental contamination investigation inside of the Center for Dairy Research licensed dairy plant.
Food Safety Workshop (HACCP)
Food Safety (HACCP) is a one-day hands-on workshop designed to cover an introduction to HACCP in a plant setting.
Dairy Food Fraud Workshop
This course is designed to introduce dairy manufacturers and dairy industry-adjacent manufacturers to the concept of food fraud.
Advanced Preventive Controls
This course is meant for Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals looking for more explanation and detail on the 4 Major Preventive Controls of Process, Allergen, Supply-Chain and Sanitation.
Safety & Quality Services
3rd Party Audits
Approved Whole Foods auditor, Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor through ASQ
Customized Food Safety Training
HACCP, PCQI, Sanitation
HACCP/Food Safety Plan Validations
For more information, contact Alex O'Brien.
Dairy Food Safety Alliance
The Dairy Food Safety Alliance provides information and resources such as safety templates. For more information, visit the Dairy Food Safety Alliance website.
Resources, Articles, Videos and Helpful Tools
Foreign Material Prevention
CDR Safety & Quality Coordinator Alex O'Brien covers important topics like detecting and separating equipment. Read Article (PDF)
Also, check out the webinar given by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Foreign Material Control Webinar
Controlling the Risk of Allergens in Dairy Processing
CDR Safety & Quality Coordinator Alex O'Brien writes about tips and strategies to control allergens in the dairy plant. Read Article (PDF)
Wisconsin Pasteurizer Broken Seal Process
This article includes links to key documents and contacts to assist with the process of properly reporting a pasteurizer broken seal. Read Article (PDF)
Dairy Food Safety Recalls in the United States and Canada: 2022 in Review
This article reviews the top reasons for recalls in the dairy industry in the U.S. and Canada in 2022, and discusses the suggested areas of improvement to reduce the instance of these recalls. Read Article (PDF) Dairy Food Safety Recalls in the US and Canada 2022 in Review
Dairy Food Fraud Primer
Food Fraud has been around for centuries. Not only is a prudent, it is a legal and GFSI requirement to conduct a Food Fraud Assessment of your ingredients coming into your food manufacturing facility. This article goes over food fraud basics, potential risks and countermeasures for each part of a cheesemaking process. Read article (PDF) Dairy Food Fraud Primer
Cheese Thermization App
Developed by the Food Research Institute, the Cheese Thermization App allows the user to determine the milk hold time and temperature necessary for log-reductions of 2 foodborne pathogens pertinent to cheeses made with unpasteurized bovine milk. View the Cheese Thermization App.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®
HACCP Certification Resources
Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-To-Eat Foods: Guidance for Industry
Outbreaks Associated with Unpasteurized Milk and Soft Cheese: An Overview of Consumer Safety
Dairy Microbiology
Control of Listeria Monocytogenes
Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance
Risk Profile: Pathogens and Filth in Spices
Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food: Draft Guidance for Industry
Environmental Monitoring Resources
Environmental Monitoring Handbook
General Guidance for Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Program
Microbiological Sampling in the Dry Processing Environment
Effect of Time-Temperature on Transport Media on Recovery of Listeria
Air Quality of Dairy and Meat Facilities
An Assessment of Chemical Sanitizers Microbiological Profile of Air in a Milk Processing Plant
Air Quality Sedimentation Technique Study
Characteristics of Biological Aerosols in Dairy Processing Plants
International Dairy Foods Association State (IDFA) - Additive Ban Chart
Effect of Raw Milk Temperatures on Growth of Enterotoxin Producing Pathogens: Use of ComBase Predictive Models for Deviation Variance
This study shows the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus at various temperatures near 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping the growth of toxin producers is critical in pasteurization, as these particular toxin are heat stable and are not destroyed by pasteurization. Please see the study here:
Videos and Short Informational Clips
Food Manufacturing and Pest Control
Templates for signs that can be displayed throughout your facility.
Dairy Plant Food Safety Signage Resources
Easily display food safety expectations for your employees, here is a list below:
1. Good Manufacturing Practices
2. Stay Home When You Are Sick
3. Allergen Awareness
7. Listeria monocytogenes infographic
8. One Point Lessons
- Visual Inspection: One Point Lesson
-HTST Charts: One Point Lesson
