Your local food processing solution
2025 Better Process Control School
To comply with USDA and FDA regulations food manufacturers of low-acid or acidified foods must operate at all times under the supervision of a person who has attended a Better Process Control School. This training uses the most updated material revised by federal regulatory agencies “Canned Foods: Principles of Thermal Process Control, Acidification and Container Closure Evaluation (9th Edition)”. Upon completion of the 4 days of training and obtaining a minimum of 70% in all exams, the participant will receive certification in Acidified, Retort and Aseptic processes.
Dates
October 27-30, 2025
Location
Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences
1371 West Altheimer Drive, Fayetteville, AR
Fees
$750 per person.
Registration fees include tuition, textbook, lunch, and breaks. Parking is free.
Transportation to Fayetteville
The closest airport is Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) located about 20 miles from the Don Tyson Center and nearby hotels. Taxis, rental cars, and ride share options are all available for transportation from the airport to Fayetteville.
Lodging
Fayetteville offers a variety of lodging options with nearly all of the major chains available in the area. Suggestions for hotels with easy access to the Don Tyson Center include:
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 1251 N Shiloh Dr, Fayetteville, AR 7270
- Hilton Garden Inn, 1325 N Palak Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72704
- Homewood Suites by Hilton, 1305 N Palak Dr, Fayetteville, AR 7270
- Comfort Inn & Suites, 1234 Steamboat Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72704
Agenda
| (Required for Acidified, Aseptic and Retorted Products) Monday, October 27th | ||
| Topic (chapter) | Speaker | Time |
| Introduction (1) | Sun Ferreira | 8:00 – 9:15 AM |
| Introduction to Thermal Processing (8) | Sun Ferreira | 9:15 – 10:45 AM |
| Test on Chapter 2 and break | 10:45 – 11:15 AM | |
| Microbiology of Thermally Processed Foods (2) | Jennifer Acuff | 11:15 – 12:30 AM |
| Test on Chapter 3 and Lunch | 12:30 – 2:00 PM | |
| Sanitation of Retorts and Atmospheric Cookers (3) | Darryl Holiday | 2:00 – 3:00 PM |
| Test on Chapter 8 and make up needed tests | 3:00 – 5:00 PM | |
| (Required for Acidified, Aseptic and Retorted Products) Tuesday, October 28th | ||
| Topic | Time | |
| Mild Thermal Processes (15) | Sun Ferreira | 8:00 – 9:15 AM |
| Test on Chapter 15 and break | 9:15 – 9:45 AM | |
| Double Seamed Metal and Plastic Containers (5) |
John Swenson
|
9:45 – 11:00 AM |
| Test on Chapter 5 and Lunch | 11:00 – 12:30 PM | |
|
Closures for Glass and Twist-off Plastic Containers (6) |
Renee Threlfall
|
12:30 – 2:00 PM |
| Test on Chapter 6 and break | 2:00 – 3:15 PM | |
| Flexible and Semirigid Containers (7) | Renee Threlfall | 3:15 – 4:15 PM |
| Test on Chapter 7 make up needed tests | 4:15 – 5:00 PM | |
| (Required for Aseptic and Retorted Products) Wednesday, October 29th | ||
| Topic | Speaker | Time |
| Retort Equipment and Operation (9) | John Swenson/Sun Ferreira | 8:00 – 9:15 AM |
| Test on Chapter 9 and break | 9:15 – 9:45 AM | |
| Batch Saturated Steam Retorts Still and Agitating (10) | Sun Ferreira | 9:45 – 11:00 AM |
| Test on Chapter 10 and lunch | 11:00 – 12:30 PM | |
| Continuous Rotary Retorts (11) | Russell Morgan | 12:30 – 1:30 PM |
| Test on Chapter 11 and break | 1:30 – 2:00 PM | |
|
Retorts with Overpressure: Still and Agitating (12) |
Russell Morgan | 2:00 – 3:30 PM |
| Test on Chapter 12 and make up needed tests | 3:30 – 5:00 PM | |
| (Required for Aseptic and Retorted Products) Thursday, October 30th | ||
| Topic | Speaker | Time |
| Hydrostatic Retorts (13) | Russell Morgan | 8:00 – 9:15 AM |
| Test on Chapter 13 and break | 9:15 – 9:45 AM | |
| Cleaning of Continuous Systems (4) | Sun Ferreira | 9:45 – 11:00 AM |
| Test on Chapter 4 and lunch | 11:00 – 1:00 PM | |
| Aseptic Processing and Packaging Systems (14) | Sun Ferreira | 1:00 – 2:15 PM |
| Test on Chapter 14, make up needed tests and adjourn | 2:15 – 5:00 PM | |
Certification Requirements
Short multiple choice exams will follow each lecture. After satisfactory completion of the course, participants will be awarded a certificate. The certificate will list the subjects passed with a score of 70% or greater.
Contact Information
Dr. Sun Ferreira – sunfer@uark.edu
