Known for its conveyor belting technology, Intralox has been providing food safety training for well over a decade after acquiring Commercial Food Sanitation (CFS) back in 2012. When customers repeatedly turned to Intralox with food safety questions, the company saw an opportunity to deepen its expertise and deliver even greater value to its food customers. This has enabled the company to provide sanitation and food safety expertise with state-of-the-art conveyance technologies to help plant owners and operators achieve the safest food processing environments possible.
Global presence
The training offered by CFS is unique in the marketplace and a global team of respected food safety specialists bring decades of hands-on experience from key roles at leading food manufacturers around the world. This practical plant experience is a cornerstone of the company's training approach.
In addition, the CFS Institute's network of global training facilities is a key differentiator. It is specifically designed to foster learning by combining hands-on, practical activities with expert-led instruction. This setup enables participants to apply their knowledge directly in realistic scenarios. "Most importantly, our global presence ensures that customers can access the same high standard of training in various regions around the world, such as Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia," said Nicole Cammarata, CFS Global Training Manager.
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New state-of-the art training facility
CFS trainings have taken place at Intralox's headquarters in New Orleans since 2012, but the team lacked a permanent training space in the building. This left CFS conducting trainings across campus, often moving training to training. Recently, a dedicated stand-alone training center was opened, featuring three laboratories and providing real-life plant environments for training participants. The 13,700 square foot facility will be home to CFS trainings and certifications, including its Sanitation Essentials Training, Hygienic Design Training, and Advancing Sanitation Impact Training. CFS experts also deliver workshops at customer facilities and develop new training courses based on learning needs from their food industry customers.
The New Orleans location serves as the flagship training center, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories designed to simulate real-world food processing environments, providing an immersive, hands-on learning experience. However, all CFS training facilities - whether in North America, Europe, Latin America or Asia - are modeled with that same commitment to interactivity, collaboration, and realism. Each site includes breakout spaces that mirror actual plant conditions, ensuring participants everywhere receive the highest standard of food safety education.
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Who attends?
CFS Institute training sessions attract a wide range of professionals from the food industry. Participants include team members from food processing plants, such as those working in sanitation, food safety and quality assurance (FSQA), operations and plant management, maintenance, engineering, and project management. Anyone seeking to deepen their expertise in food safety, sanitation, and hygienic design is welcome.
In addition, suppliers to the food industry regularly take part in CFS training. This includes equipment manufacturers, design and build firms, and third-party cleaning service providers - each looking to enhance their understanding of best practices in food safety and hygienic design.
Intralox employees who directly support and service the food industry also attend CFS training to ensure they stay current with best practices in food safety and hygienic design. A holistic training approach strengthens Intralox's ability to support its food industry customers effectively.
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Relevance for produce industry
"CFS previously offered training sessions dedicated to fresh produce, but we've found that the greatest learning happens when professionals from different food sectors train together and share their experiences," Cammarata explained. As a result, sessions are no longer exclusively tailored to fresh produce but are highly relevant for processors in this industry. CFS Institute training covers sanitation and hygienic design principles that help address challenges common in fresh produce—from managing product residues and preventing cross-contamination to reducing microbial risks. "By participating in our collaborative training environment, fresh produce processors gain practical insights and proven strategies for improving food safety and product quality, while also benefiting from broad perspectives across the food industry."
Over the years, over 5300 participants have attended training and highly value the courses. "CFS is always bringing the challenges and challenging the status quo. I am always excited to bring these CFS learnings back to our teams, striving to make a greater impact, one day at a time. Thank you CFS, always great insights and discussions," says Liz Musharbash, Director of Food Safety & Quality at Bonduelle Americas.
For more information:
Nicole Cammarata
Commercial Food Sanitation
Email: [email protected]
www.commercialfoodsanitation.com
