RFA Technical Webcasts

 

The RFA hosts quarterly Technical Webcasts on timely food safety and regulatory topics affecting
the prepared foods industry. The Webcasts are live, interactive events that you can join from your office!

See below for details on the latest Technical Webcast.

RFA Members can access slide presentations from past Technical Webcasts at anytime in the Member Center.

July 16, 2025 RFA Technical Webcast:

 
"Foreign Material Contamination in Refrigerated Foods: Risk Response, & the Role of Third-Party Inspection"

 

REGISTER HERE for this live, interactive Event that you can join from your office!

Non-member registration form

Date and Time:

* Wednesday, July 16, from 2:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
(1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Central, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Mountain, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Pacific) 

Overview:

Foreign material contamination remains one of the most costly and reputation-damaging risks in the refrigerated foods industry. From plastic and metal fragments to bone, wood, and glass, even small contaminants can trigger major recalls, supply chain disruptions, and loss of consumer trust.

In this webinar, participants will explore the unique contamination risks faced by refrigerated food processors and how leading companies are turning to third-party inspection services as a critical step in both reactive and proactive quality control strategies. You’ll gain practical insights into:

  • Common sources of foreign material in refrigerated food environments

  • Real-world examples of contamination events and their consequences

  • When and how to engage third-party inspection partners

  • How X-ray, metal detection, and other technologies are used to salvage product and prevent waste

Whether you’re in quality assurance, operations, or plant management, this session will offer valuable takeaways to help you strengthen your foreign material control programs.


Presenter:

Kye Luker, Chief Product Officer, FlexXray

Kye Luker serves as the Chief Product Officer at FlexXray, where he leads the development of the company’s innovative X-ray inspection process and technology. With over two decades of experience in the service, CPG, food, and beverage industries, Kye brings a wealth of knowledge in continuous improvement, quality assurance, and formulations to his role.

How does the Webcast work?

It's easy and convenient! A virtual seminar is one that you can "attend" and participate in right from your offices. There is no travel time, and now provided at NO COST to RFA members!

The RFA Webcast will include live audio along with a slide presentation on the Web. You just need a phone connection for the audio and an Internet connection.

In addition, the webcast will allow you to comment and ask questions at specified times during the event using your phone.

You can invite staff members to listen and participate too! To get the most out of a webcast, it is recommended that you have no more than five people at any one computer connection. If you have multiple locations, please register each location separately.

Credits

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Research Chefs Association (RCA) have confirmed that continuing education credits are available for numerous RFA technical functions. Depending on the specific educational criteria of these two organizations, credits will be accepted for attendance at 1) RFA Webinars, 2) the RFA Fall Symposium and 3) the RFA Annual Conference.

Contact the RFA office for more information or for proof of participation.

 

Registration Information:

The cost for this event is as follows:

  • RFA Members: NO CHARGE - Now Included as a Member Benefit!

  • Non-Members: $310 per computer/audio connection

To attend the meeting, you can either:

  • Just send an email to [email protected] to register. There is no cost for members.  Nonmembers: checks must be made payable to the Refrigerated Foods Association. Payment should be received no later than July 14, 2025.

Once you have registered for the meeting, you will receive an email message inviting you to attend the web conference with instructions on how to attend. This message will provide the information that you need to join the meeting.



If you have questions about the RFA Technical Webcasts, please e-mail the RFA office at [email protected].