Some Food Safety Summit sessions are available remotely

While nothing compares to attending the Food Safety Summit in person next week at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, you can still share the experience remotely. Enjoy the chance to watch select sessions streamed live for free from the Summit.

On Tuesday, May 7 from 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM CT, a panel of government and industry experts will share their insights during a two-hour workshop on Traceability – Sharing Best Practices. Traceability programs are an important part of food safety and quality programs. The design and management of these programs represented challenges and opportunities for companies across the supply chain. The FDA’s Final Food Traceability Rule, released in November 2022, introduces regulatory traceability requirements for a range of food products. As the January 2026 implementation date approaches, companies are identifying necessary adjustments to their traceability programs, along with questions about compliance with the rule. The panelists will share their insights on implementing the rule, discuss the challenges companies face as they prepare for the rule, and discuss actionable solutions. The session is sponsored by SafetyChain. click here to register for the live streaming.

Speakers include Tim Jackson, Ph.D., Senior Science Advisor, FDA; Kathleen O’Donnell, chief scientist, Wegmans Food Markets; Rosalind Zils, vice president and head of Global Quality Nutrition, Reckitt; Andy Kennedy, co-founder, New Era Partners (formerly FDA); Christopher Waldrop, MPH, senior health scientist, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA; Michael Lookup, traceability leader, Wegmans Food Markets; Patrick Guzzle, vice president of food sciences and industry, National Restaurant Association; and Drew McDonald, vice president of quality and food safety, Taylor Farms

On Thursday, May 9 from 8:00 am – 9:00 am CT Alvin Lee, Ph.D., director, Center for Processing Innovation, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology; Purnendu Vasavada, Ph.D., professor emeritus of nutritional sciences, University of Wisconsin-River Falls; and Brendan Niemira, Ph.D., research director, Agricultural Research Service, USDA will present New Era, Old Problems: Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens.

The reported incidence of emerging, reemerging, less recognized and opportunistic pathogens associated with outbreaks of food and waterborne diseases in Europe and the US have increased due to changes in etiological agents, hosts and the environment. It is increasingly recognized that many otherwise commensal organisms can become pathogens under the right conditions, in the right host and, if consumed in sufficient quantities. Opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella and Mycobacterium that are resistant to disinfection have been associated with drinking water outbreaks, while Aeromonas spp. have been associated with seafood. Emerging pathogens such as Streptococcus spp. pose a risk to human infection through milk and livestock, while foodborne diseases due to noroviruses, hepatitis A and E viruses, rotaviruses and astroviruses have been reported in the past decade. Positive Hepatitis E RNA detection has been found in many RTE foods, processed meat products, milk and shellfish. With our food increasingly made from globally sourced ingredients and year-round availability of certain seasonal fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, RTE and minimally processed foods have enabled the emergence of some of these pathogens, with the opportunistic tendency to foreground food. safety. More concerning is the incidence of these pathogens in new food sources.

Speakers will discuss how genomics and molecular factors influence microbial pathogenesis, methods for rapid detection, and how microbial evolution and exposure to environmental stressors and interactions of microorganisms in biofilms can potentially alter microbial characteristics and behavior. Learn about their food safety implications and impact on risk management and food safety plans. The session is sponsored by Hardy Diagnostics. click here to register for the live streaming.

On Thursday, May 9 from 4:15 PM – 5:30 PM CT, the FDA and the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness will conclude their webinar series Food Safety Culture: The Journey Continues Presented by FDA and Stop Foodborne Illness. Celebrate the journey so far and the adventures on the horizon! Leaders in the field will discuss the value of continued commitment to food safety culture. Past panelists and new voices will answer questions and explore resources to drive positive change, inspire food safety champions, and adapt to new challenges. Speakers include Lone Jesperson, Ph.D., director and founder, Cultivate SA; Vanessa Coffman, Ph.D., director, Alliance to Stop Foodborne Disease; Conrad Choiniere, Ph.D., Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs (Acting), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA; Megan Kenjora, senior food safety culture manager, The Hershey Company; Ola Afolayan, Director, Global Food Safety and Regulatory, Kellanova; Karen McCarty, senior director of commercial quality assurance, Agropur; and Jorge Hernandez, vice president, quality assurance, The Wendy’s Company. click here to register for the live streaming.

The Food Safety Summit will take place May 6-9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. To register for the event, visit onsite www.foodsafetysummit.com

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