Last week, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, famously known as the U.S. Steel City, played host to the annual IAFP 2022 Conference, which took place from July 31st to August 3rd. Around 3,000 food safety professionals gathered from around the globe, representing regulatory bodies, academia, industry, and advocacy groups. They came together in solidarity to discuss cutting-edge scientific and technological advancements in food safety and sanitation. Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian War, there was a palpable sense of optimism among attendees regarding the future of food safety and its crucial role in enhancing global health and economic stability.
Dr. Lucia Anelich, a renowned consultant, set the tone for the conference with her Ivan Parkin Lecture, appropriately titled "Out of Africa." She passionately argued that Africa, one of the world's most significant continents, should not be overlooked in the pursuit of food security and safety, particularly during these challenging times. Her team's efforts culminated in the establishment of a continental food safety agency representing African nations in June 2021. The subsequent sessions were just as engaging and thought-provoking. For instance, our own Deb Smith, Vikan's global hygiene expert, was a key participant in the "Food Safety by Design" symposium, focusing primarily on how food sites can meet the new GFSI Hygienic Design requirements effectively. Other critical discussions on food hygiene and sanitation included:
- Best practices for replacing, restoring, or retiring food equipment.
- Environmental monitoring programs tailored for low-moisture foods and fresh-cut produce.
- The impact of data-driven sanitation chemistry selection against microbial biofilms.
- The significance of proper cleaning before environmental surface sanitization and disinfection.
- Assessing food safety in controlled environment agriculture systems for fresh produce production.
Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner of Food Safety & Response, celebrated the second anniversary of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint, emphasizing that "better food safety begins and ends with better data." Sandra Eskin, FSIS-USDA undersecretary for food safety, announced her agency's decision to classify Salmonella as an adulterant in breaded and stuffed raw chicken products. Similarly, Remco and Vikan showcased a poster presentation examining food hygiene and sanitation-related Journal of Food Protection (JFP) articles from 2017 to 2022. This poster session received positive feedback from academia, regulators, and industry professionals due to its relevance in aiding the development of Salmonella control and other food sanitation programs. Additionally, IAFP revealed that JFP, a leading publication since 1937, would transition to a fully open-access journal with Elsevier starting January 2023.
The conference concluded, as usual, with the John H. Silliker Lecture, delivered this year by Dr. Katherine Swanson, a professional microbiologist. She highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives in effective food safety management and urged all food safety professionals, students, and the audience to "go forth and make a difference; the world needs safer food." The next IAFP Conference in 2023 will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada, from July 16th to 19th.
As leading manufacturers and suppliers of FDA-compliant, color-coded, and durable cleaning and material handling tools for food facilities and other hygiene-sensitive environments, Remco and Vikan are proud to have maintained their status as gold sustaining members and exhibitors at the conference. For further details about our products and services, feel free to reach out to us.
About IAFP: The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) is a member-based organization of over 4,500 food safety professionals dedicated to advancing food safety worldwide. They provide a platform for food safety professionals to exchange information on protecting the food supply. For more information, visit foodprotection.org.
In other news, recent blog posts include:
1. "USDA Unveils Food Systems Transformation Framework to Balance Efficiency with Resiliency" by Amit M. Kheradia, former Environmental Health and Sanitation Manager at Vikan North America.
2. "New Era of Smarter Food Safety Begins 2022 with New Projects" by Amit M. Kheradia.
3. "The Top 5 Questions on 5S in the Food Industry" by Amit M. Kheradia.
These posts delve into topics such as the USDA's new framework for transforming food systems, the FDA's emphasis on food safety culture, and insights into implementing 5S methodology in food safety practices.
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