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Alaska Food Protection Task Force
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2025 Educational Workshop
Meeting Minutes and Presentations
Day 1 - Monday, February 3, 2025
- 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
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Past and Present Athabascan Traditional Food Preservation Practices of the Deg Hit'an of Shageluk and Grayling by Indigenous Chef Flora Deacon
- Flora Deacon, Alaska Traditional Kitchen at University of Alaska Anchorage
- Melissa Chlupach, University of Alaska Anchorage
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- 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
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Hepatitis A - Infections and Outbreak Planning and Preparation
- Kathleen Easley, State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology
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- 10:50 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
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Hepatitis A Virus and Alaska Seafood Processing Risks
- Liz Best, Alaska General Seafoods
- Cindy Luna, OBI Seafoods
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- "Hepatitis A and Seafood Processing"
- Presentation Slides (PDF)
- 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
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Introduction to Norovirus and Effective Cleaning for Food Establishments
- Christine Hughes, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
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Resource Spotlight: Cleaning Up Diarrhea and Vomit
- Emily Garrett, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
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- 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.
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Partner Updates
- Sarah Lewis, University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service
- Sandy Hussain, Alaska Small Business Development Center
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Day 2 - Tuesday, February 4, 2025
- 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
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Rural Alaskan Fresh Food Supply Chains and Constraints
- Mike Jones, University of Alaska Anchorage
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- "Rural Supply Chain"
- Presentation Slides (PDF)
- 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
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Overview of Food Donations from Regulatory, Donor, and Recipient Perspectives
- Lorinda Lhotka, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
- Amy Foote, NANA Management Services
- Hannah Lindoff, SeaShare
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- 10:50 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.
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Cooling Food Safely: Newton's Law of Thermodynamics and Turning a Hot Mess into a Safe Success
- Donald Wingate, Municipality of Anchorage Food Safety and Sanitation
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Resource Spotlight: Cool Food Quickly
- Emily Garrett, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
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- "Cooling Food Safely"
- Presentation Slides (PDF)
- 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
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Partner Updates
- Megan Militello, Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
- Heather Branvold-Faber, State of Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian
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Speaker Links and Other Shared Resources
Speakers
- Flora Deacon, Alaska Traditional Kitchen at University of Alaska Anchorage
- Alaska Traditional Kitchen
- Melissa Chlupach, University of Alaska Anchorage
- UAA Dietetics and Nutrition
- Kathleen Easley, State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology
- health.alaska.gov/dph/epi/
- Liz Best, Alaska General Seafoods
- www.akgen.com
- Cindy Luna, OBI Seafoods
- obiseafoods.com
- Christine Hughes, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
- dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/
- Sarah Lewis, UAF Cooperative Extension Service
- Sandy Hussain, Alaska Small Business Development Center
- aksbdc.org
- Mike Jones, University of Alaska Anchorage
- UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research
- Lorinda Lhotka, State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation
- dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/
- Hannah Lindoff, SeaShare
- seashare.org
- Amy Foote, NANA Management Services
- www.nmsusa.com
- Donald Wingate, Municipality of Anchorage Food Safety and Sanitation
- Anchorage Health Department Food Inspections
- Megan Militello, Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
- alaska-mep.com
- Heather Branvold-Faber, State of Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian
- dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/
Other Shared Resources
- Web Resources
- Informational webpages published and maintained by the Food Safety and Sanitation program at DEC
- Printable Resources
- Printable resources from the Food Safety and Sanitation program at DEC
- Cleaning Up Diarrhea and Vomit
- Information about cleaning up diarrhea and vomit at food establishments, including printable procedures
- Hazard Analyses, in Reference to Bacillus cereus, of Boiled and Fried Rice in Cantonese-Style Restaurants
- This article was referenced in Donald Wingate's presentation on cooling
- Mexican-style Foodservice Operations: Hazard Analyses, Critical Control Points and Monitoring
- This article was referenced in Donald Wingate's presentation on cooling
- CPG Essentials Program at Alaska MEP
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- Alaska MEP's CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Essentials Program is designed for new food entrepreneurs and early-stage manufacturers. This program helps businesses address key areas critical to compliance and growth, including:
- Recall plan development
- Regulatory compliance (state and federal food safety requirements)
- Business planning for product launch and expansion
- MEP currently offers one-on-one consultations, but they are working to turn this program into an on-demand video series to make it even more accessible. This program is designed to fast-track businesses by giving them a solid foundation that helps avoid costly and time-consuming mistakes.
- Contact MEP for more details or a consultation: Book an Appointment
- Alaska MEP's CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Essentials Program is designed for new food entrepreneurs and early-stage manufacturers. This program helps businesses address key areas critical to compliance and growth, including:
- Quarterly Manufacturing Mixers at Alaska MEP
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- Alaska MEP hosts Manufacturing Mixers every quarter, which are in-person events to connect food makers, manufacturers, and supporting organizations across Alaska. The goal of these mixers is to provide opportunities for networking, collaboration, and problem-solving within the manufacturing community.
- These events are a great way to meet other business owners, learn about resources, and share knowledge with others facing similar challenges. MEP would love to see food manufacturers, industry partners, and even staff from supporting organizations like yours at these events. For more information, contact Megan Militello at mmmilitello@alaska.edu.
- Expert Connections and Cost-Saving Support at Alaska MEP
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- Alaska MEP also helps food manufacturers connect with experts who can offer technical guidance and cost-saving opportunities. Through their national MEP network and local partners, MEP has helped businesses like Felicity Loft save $58,000 on an equipment purchase.
- Whether it’s tooling support, process improvements, or reducing waste, MEP can connect businesses with specialists to meet their needs. Please reach out to MEP if you are interested in exploring these opportunities. You can also reach out directly to Megan Militello at mmmilitello@alaska.edu.
- Raw Milk Sales in Alaska
- Contact the Dairy Program at akdairy@alaska.gov for more information
- Alaska Produce Safety Program
- Contact producesafety@alaska.gov for more information on produce safety or to register for a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
- BuyAlaska
- Support for local businesses in Alaska
Acknowledgement: Funding for this workshop, as well as development and maintenance of the Alaska Food Protection Task Force webpages, is supported by the FDA State Food Protection Task Force Grant.
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