VITAL® 4.0 Training

Expert Allergen Risk Management for Australian Food Manufacturers

Mérieux NutriSciences AQ is proudly endorsed by the Allergen Bureau to deliver official VITAL® Program training in Australia. Our team has been delivering this training since 2013, helping food businesses effectively manage allergen risks and apply precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) based on the latest science.

Master allergen risk assessment, calculate action levels and support your precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) decisions. Merieux NutriSciences AQ delivers endorsed VITAL (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) training designed to help food businesses learn how to eliminate, reduce and control allergen risk, and communicate residual risk from production to consumption.

Trusted FOOD Safety Partner

What is VITAL® 4.0?

VITAL® (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) is a quantitative, risk-based approach developed to help food producers assess the impact of allergen cross-contact and determine when to apply PAL statements.

Delivered by our endorsed trainer, Merieux Nutrisciences AQ provides practical, interactive training, designed for Quality Assurance teams, Food Technologists and Regulatory professionals. Our trainers industry experience will equip participants with the skills needed to identify allergen cross contact, calculate action levels using VITAL Online tool and implement defensible allergen management systems across their production facilities.

The latest release, VITAL® 4.0 (August 2024), includes:

FAO/WHO ED05-based Reference Doses
New Risk Management Value for Mollusc
Addition of Dutch legislated values
Inclusion of Canadian jurisdiction
ED01 Reference Dose (from VITAL® 3.0) added to action level grid
Updated functionality in the VITAL® Online Calculator

Mérieux NutriSciences AQ’s training helps professionals apply these updates in real-world food manufacturing settings.

Key Learning Areas

The training program combines science, regulation, and industry best practice to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to implement allergen risk assessments confidently.

Food allergy basics and regulatory labelling requirements
Using VITAL® 4.0 for raw materials, work-in-progress, and final products
Principles of allergen management and the Allergen Risk Review Website
Practical sessions using the VITAL® Online Calculator
VITAL® 4.0 theory and scientific framework

Comprehensive VITAL 4.0 Training and Allergen Risk Management

Endorsed Allergen Training for Food Safety Managers and Quality Assurance Teams

The endorsed training delivers practical knowledge, hands on software training and expert guidance to ensure your allergen risk mitigation and communication aligns to local and global best practices.

Endorsed Course Curriculum

Learn directly from endorsed trainers utilising official Allergen Bureau course materials, ensuring your team receives up-to-date, compliant education on the VITAL Program.

Hands-on VITAL Online calculator training

Gain practical experience navigating the VITAL online tool – enter raw material data, formulations and facility risks to generate action levels for cross-contact

Cross-Contact Risk Identification

Develop a comprehensive understanding of cross contact risks in your business, from incoming raw materials, final product formulations and processing equipment.

Action Level Determination & PAL Guidance

Understand how Reference Doses, Reference Amounts, and Cross-contact levels underpin Precautionary Allergen Labelling decision making.

Allergen Management System Integration

Understand the dynamic relationship between HACCP, allergen management, new product development and your quality management system.

Flexible Interactive Learning Options

Participate in open public workshops or schedule custom in-house virtual or face to face training sessions tailored to your business needs.

Your Trusted Partner in Food safety

Endorsed Training Partner

Upgrade your team’s skills with Mérieux NutriSciences AQ, your trusted training provider for recognized VITAL 4.0 allergen risk assessment workshops across Australia.

Regular Training Schedules

Our training schedules run throughout the year, offering public virtual courses alongside dedicated on-site training sessions to suit your operational timetables.

Comprehensive Allergen Services Support

Contact Customer Experience to explore our extensive range of allergen testing or to connect with experts to review your allergen management program or implement VITAL assessments

Frequently Asked Questions

VITAL 4.0 aligns with the FAO/WHO Expert Committee Reference Doses (1) and Codex Alimentarius Reference Doses in the GSLPF (2).

(1) FAO. 2022. Risk Assessment of Food Allergens – Part 2: Review and establish threshold levels in foods for the priority allergens. Meeting Report. Food Safety and Quality Series No. 15. Rome.

(2) Code Alimentarius

The course is designed for Quality Assurance (QA) managers, Food Safety supervisors, New Product Development (NPD) technologists, regulatory specialists, and auditors who are responsible for allergen risk assessments and food labelling decisions.

VITAL 4.0 incorporates updated scientific literature, revised Reference Doses based on modern clinical data, updated terminology, and an improved VITAL Online calculator interface to enhance precision in allergen risk calculations.

Understanding the impact of allergens on the community.
Understanding of the concepts and principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
Understanding of their own manufacturing plant and/or food production process.
Knowledge and understanding of relevant local industry guides and associations.

If you are looking for a scientific partner to assist you with routine food safety testing or more complex analyses, we are your food testing laboratory of choice. Contact us to discuss your needs.

Find a laboratory

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