2025 Agenda
5/12/2025
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Food Fraud Prevention Workshop and Certificate Course
Roy Fenoff, Ph.D., The Military College of South Carolina (The Citadel)
5/12/2025
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Application of the Principles of Hazard Analysis—Beyond the Basics
Sara Mortimore, M.Sc., FRSPH, MIFST, formerly Walmart Inc.
Karleigh Bacon, McDonald's
Tim Jackson, Ph.D., FDA
Bala Kottapalli, T. Marzetti Company
Harshavardhan Thippareddi, Ph.D., University of Georgia
5/12/2025 and 5/13/2025
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Certified Professional–Food Safety (CP-FS) Credential Review Course
Joetta DeFrancesco, NEHA
5/12/2025 and 5/13/2025
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Implementing Risk-Based Inspections and Auditing for Retail Food Establishments—Industry Only
Deanna Copeland, Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
Autumn Schuck, Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
5/12/2025, 5/13/2025, 5/14/2025
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Mon, Tue)
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Wed)
Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0
Claudia Coles, Seafood Products Association (SPA)
5/13/2025
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM
OPENING SESSION: Traceability Next Steps—Supply Chain Implementation
Kathleen O'Donnell, Wegmans (moderator)
Christopher Waldrop, FDA
Michael Lookup, Wegmans Food Markets
Patrick Guzzle, National Restaurant Association
Drew McDonald, Taylor Farms
Hilary Thesmar, Ph.D., FMI
Roberta Wagner, International Dairy Foods Association
Rosalind Zils, Reckitt
Elise Binder, The Hershey Company
Mike Williams, The Wendy's Company
5/13/2025
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Beyond Compliance: Harnessing Psychosocial Factors for a Stronger Food Safety Culture
5/13/2025
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Mock Trial 3.0: Deposition Training for the C-Suite
Steven Lyon, Ph.D., Chick-fil-A Inc.
Jorge Hernandez, The Wendy’s Company
Philip Bronstein, OSI Group
5/13/2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Effective Sanitation Basics
James Davis, OSI Group
Scott Oakland, Hormel Foods Corporate Services LLC
Eric Ewert, Kraft Heinz Company
5/13/2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Data Analysis for Food Safety Professionals: Modeling, Risk Assessment, and Analytics Tools for FSQA
Yiyi Li, M.P.H., Yale School of Public Health
5/13/2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception on the Show Floor!
5/14/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Innovative Processing Technologies for Challenging Food Products
Brendan Niemira, Ph.D., USDA-ARS
5/14/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Food Donation vs Waste Diversion: Food Safety and Brand Protection as the Primary Factor
Mike Learakos, Abound Food Care
Regina Harmon, Food Recovery Network
Glenda Lewis, FDA (invited)
Priya Kadam, FDA (invited)
5/14/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Simple Food Safety Culture Tools with a Big Impact
Larry Ball, Conagra Brands
Lily Yasuda, Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness
Barbara Chamberlin, Stop Foodborne Illness constituent
Rebecca Guzy, Frick's Quality Meats (invited)
5/14/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Finished Product Testing Isn’t the Answer
Peter Taormina, Ph.D., Etna Consulting Group
Donna F. Schaffner, Food Safety and Training Consultant
5/14/2025
9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Surmountable Challenges: Leadership when Nothing is Easy
5/14/2024
10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Lunch served each day*
*Excludes Exhibit Hall Only badges
View the Solutions Stage Schedule
View the Tech Tent Schedule
5/14/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Stop Foodborne Illness/FDA Webinar: Measure the Power of Declared Values—How Your Metrics Should Reinforce the Values You Hold
FDA Speaker (invited)
5/14/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Achieving Sanitation and Hygiene Success in the Retail and Foodservice Sectors
Adrienne Blume, Food Safety Magazine (moderator)
Dina Scott, The Wendy's Company
James (Jim) W. Arbogast, Ph.D., JW Arbogast Advanced Science Consulting LLC
Dale Grinstead, Ph.D., Mountain Top Microbiology
5/14/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Leveraging AI for a Safer Today and Tomorrow
Drew McDonald, Taylor Farms
Dr. Purni Wickramasinghe, Chick-fil-A, Inc.
5/14/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Recall Modernization Initiatives with the Consumer in Mind
Donna Garren, Ph.D., American Frozen Food Institute
Darin Detwiler, LP.D., M.A.Ed., Detwiler Consulting Group LLC
Donald Prater, D.V.M., FDA (invited)
Roxanne Smith, USDA-FSIS (invited)
William K. Hallman, Ph.D., Rutgers University
5/14/2025
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
The Power of Her Voice: Elevating Women’s Leadership through Confident Communication
5/14/2025
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Proven Practices for Allergen Management
Scott Hegenbart, Conagra Brands (invited)
5/14/2025
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Industry Approaches to Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Robin Forgey, Costco Wholesale
Glenn Stolowski, HEB
Maple Leaf Foods (invited)
5/14/2025
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Development of an Outbreak Investigation
Nickolas Waters, Sysco Corporation
Charles Leftwich, Sysco Corporation
Melanie Neumann, Neumann Advisory Services LLC
5/14/2024
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
5/15/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
HPAI Outbreak Spread From Wild Birds to Poultry and Livestock: What's Next?
5/15/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Elevating Food Safety: Performance Metrics That Matter
Larry Ball, Conagra Brands
5/15/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Alarm Fatigue: How to Ensure Out-of-Compliance Alarms Serve Their Purpose and Ensure Food Safety
Robert Prevendar, Yum! Brands
Matt Jenkins, McDonald's
5/15/2025
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Bridging the Communication Gap Between Industry and Researchers
Olamide (Ola) Afolayan, Kellanova
Andrea Hines, Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech
Anne Fitzgerald, UVM
Nolan Lewin, Rutgers Food Innovation Center
5/15/2025
9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
13th Annual Town Hall: A Candid Dialogue on the Future of Food Safety
James (Jim) Jones, FDA
Emilio Esteban, D.V.M., USDA-FSIS
Megin Nichols, D.V.M., M.P.H., D.A.C.V.P.M., CDC
Steven Mandernach, J.D., Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
Moderator:
Gillian Kelleher, Kelleher Consultants LLC, Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board
5/15/2024
10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Lunch served each day*
*Excludes Exhibit Hall Only badges
View the Solutions Stage Schedule
View the Tech Tent Schedule
5/15/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Breaking the Cycle: Transforming Lessons from Food Safety Failures into Action
5/15/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
The Truth Behind the Tweets: Navigating Misinformation in Food Safety
5/15/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Ensuring Chemical Safety in Food Processing
Kristi Muldoon-Jacobs, FDA Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements, and Innovation (invited)
Brian Ronholm, Consumer Reports (invited)
Sarah Sorscher, Center for Science in the Public Interest (invited)
Scott Faber, Environmental Working Group (invited)
5/15/2025
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Global Climate Change Links to Food Safety: Emerging Evidence and Examples
Lynette Johnston, Ph.D., North Carolina State University
5/15/2025
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
The Secret Sauce to Getting to ‘Yes’
Nickolas Waters, Sysco Corporation
Kim Rice, Rose Acre Farms
Lola Oyedokun, Van Drunen Farms
Jorge Hernandez, The Wendy’s Company
Deb Kane, M.S., J&J Snack Foods Corp.
Olamide (Ola) Afolayan, Kellanova
Shane Guilliams, Van Drunen Farms
Theresa "TK" Konieczny, ADM
Food Fraud Prevention Workshop and Certificate Course
Monday, May 12; 9:00am - 5:00pmFood fraud prevention is one of the most urgent and misunderstood food industry topics. This one-day course will begin with an overview of the food fraud problem, before quickly shifting from “how to catch food fraud” to “how to prevent food fraud from occurring in the first place.” Building upon that overview, the afternoon will move to conducting a food fraud vulnerability assessment, which is a requirement for food safety certifications such as BRC, FSSC 22000, IFS, SQF, and others based on the GFSI benchmark. The course will end with how to implement a food fraud prevention strategy and management system. Participants will receive a certificate from the Food Fraud Prevention Think Tank, upon completion.
Speakers
Application of the Principles of Hazard Analysis—Beyond the Basics
Monday, May 12; 9:00am - 5:00pmA thorough hazard analysis (HA) is one of the principal foundations for building an effective food safety risk management system. Without it, the entire HACCP/food safety plan could be rendered unmanageable or ineffective. Different regulatory agencies such as FDA, USDA, CFIA, and EFSA have issued their own HACCP regulations; however, the heart of any HACCP or food safety plan are the documented control measures (based on HA) that are essential to control significant hazards. Despite the scientific support and wide dissemination of the definition for significant hazard, successful application of HA principles in identifying significant hazards is still quite limited. This one-day course will help clarify some of the mystery and misunderstanding around the principles of HA. Attendees will leave with a practical approach for performing evidence-based HA, challenging their existing HACCP plans, and successfully implementing a food safety risk management system at their facilities. Interactive quizzes, discussions, and breakout sessions will take place throughout the day. Attendees will also receive a workbook containing training materials, case studies, additional references, and resource materials. This course will be of interest to anyone responsible for a HACCP/food safety plan and to all those who audit, advise, coach, and regulate.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the concepts around hazard identification and hazard evaluation that are required to perform an effective HA
- Learn how to correctly use HACCP principles and current science to challenge an existing HACCP plan
- Understand concepts related to verification of supplier controls, balancing auditing and regulatory needs, refreshing the HACCP team's knowledge, and enhancing food safety culture
Speakers
Certified Professional–Food Safety (CP-FS) Credential Review Course
Monday, May 12; 8:00am - 6:00pmTuesday, May 13; 8:00am - 6:00pm
The Certified Professional–Food Safety (CP-FS) credential review course was developed by industry experts from across the country to provide participants with a review of the knowledge and skills necessary to pass the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) CP-FS Credential Exam. This course provides the knowledge and skills necessary to help ensure safe food in any retail environment, in a variety of roles—as a quality assurance or quality control manager, a facility manager, a food-safe chemical supplier, or a regulatory inspector/investigator. Registration includes the CP-FS Study Guide, which will be mailed to participants after registration. Note that this course does not include the CP-FS exam; please visit NEHA's website to register yourself for the CP-FS exam.
Topics covered in this course include:
- Causes and prevention of foodborne illness
- HACCP plans and active managerial control
- Cleaning and sanitizing
- Conducting facility plan reviews
- Pest control
- Risk-based inspections
- Sampling food for laboratory analysis
- Food defense
- Responding to food emergencies and foodborne illness outbreaks
- Legal aspects of food safety
This registration is for the course and CP-FS Study Guide only, to apply to take the CP-FS credential exam, please visit: https://www.neha.org/cpfs-credential https://www.neha.org/cpfs-credential. A completed application must be submitted and approved prior to scheduling an exam. All NEHA credential exams are offered electronically through testing centers.
Speakers
Implementing Risk-Based Inspections and Auditing for Retail Food Establishments—Industry Only
Monday, May 12; 8:00am - 6:00pmTuesday, May 13; 8:00am - 6:00pm
This instructor-led training builds on food safety training to further enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of food safety professionals conducting risk-based inspections. Topics include food microbiology, active managerial control (AMC) assessment, communication techniques, strategies to focus inspections, and determining corrective actions. This two-day course is designed for industry food safety professionals, quality assurance managers, and third-party food safety auditors who want to understand risk-based inspection concepts and applications that are taught to regulatory food safety professionals.
Speakers
Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0
Monday, May 12; 8:00am - 6:00pmTuesday, May 13; 8:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday, May 14; 1:00pm - 6:00pm
The Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) V2.0 Preventive Controls for Human Food is the standardized curriculum recognized by FDA in October 2024. This course, taught by two authors of the V2.0 curriculum, highlights the new approach to hazard analysis and incorporate all of FDA's current thinking related to hazard identification and evaluation. Successfully completing this course is one way to meet FDA’s requirements for a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The course contents will prepare a PCQI to oversee or perform: 1) preparation of a food safety plan, 2) validation of preventive controls, 3) records review, and 4) reanalysis of the food safety plan, as required by the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation.
Speakers
Traceability Next Steps—Supply Chain Implementation
Tuesday, May 13; 8:30am - 11:30amJoin us for this engaging and highly practical workshop focused on building and sustaining traceability efforts across the food supply chain. Building on the success of the 2024 Food Safety Summit Traceability session, this year's discussion will take participants deeper into the "how to" of traceability, answering the critical question: "If I only have six months, what do I need to do?"
This interactive session will feature:
-How to develop and sustain a traceability plan: Participate in hands-on exercises designed to help you build or refine a practical, sustainable traceability plan for your organization.
-Diverse perspectives across the supply chain: A dynamic panel discussion, including representatives from key supply chain stakeholders, ensuring that every point in the chain is addressed.
-Implementation perspectives: Learn how firms are approaching traceability system implementation, including key learnings, continuous improvement opportunities, and sustained success.
-Insights on the Food Traceability List update and timeline: Understand FDA's approach to updating the Food Traceability List every five years and gain insights into potential changes.
Moderators
Speakers
Beyond Compliance: Harnessing Psychosocial Factors for a Stronger Food Safety Culture
Tuesday, May 13; 12:30pm - 2:30pmThis interactive session will delve into psychosocial factors and their significant impact on food safety, offering practical guidance for plant leaders to enhance food safety culture and improve overall outcomes. Research suggests that psychosocial factors contribute to approximately 80–90 percent of all safety incidents. Through hands-on exercises, attendees will gain insights into the influence of psychosocial factors on individual behavior and organizational practices. The session will feature case studies that demonstrate successful strategies for addressing psychosocial factors in food safety. Participants will have the opportunity to analyze these cases and discuss potential solutions in small groups. In addition, the session will include role-playing exercises that simulate common challenges in implementing a positive food safety culture, allowing attendees to practice their communication and leadership skills. Attendees will learn how to identify areas of improvement, develop targeted interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts in promoting a strong food safety culture. They will leave the session equipped with practical strategies to address psychosocial factors, ultimately contributing to public health protection and enhancing food safety practices within their organizations.
Learning objectives:
- Analyze the influence of psychosocial factors on food safety incidents by examining case studies that demonstrate their impact on individual behavior and organizational practices
- Evaluate strategies for assessing and addressing psychosocial factors in food safety by exploring the effectiveness of interventions in promoting a positive safety culture and reducing safety incidents
- Apply practical tools and techniques to assess and improve psychosocial factors within participants' own organizations and enhance food safety culture
Speakers
Mock Trial 3.0: Deposition Training for the C-Suite
Tuesday, May 13; 12:30pm - 2:30pmWith an increasing number of lawsuits being brought against food companies for allegedly causing foodborne illness, it may not be a question of "if," but rather "when," your company is targeted by plaintiff lawyers. Given this increasing exposure, it is essential that food company executives and food safety professional be prepared for their next deposition.
Learning objectives:
- In a fictional outbreak scenario, followed by litigation, learn about the fatal mistakes company witnesses can make when being deposed by plaintiff lawyers
- Learn how to best prepare, as a food company executive or food safety professional, for your own potential deposition
- Observe how live industry witnesses perform under withering cross-examination when adequately prepared.
Speakers
Effective Sanitation Basics
Tuesday, May 13; 3:00pm - 5:00pmThe first step toward food safety is starting with a clean plant. Effective sanitation and monitoring ensure hygienic conditions, and consistent implementation and oversight are fundamental to ensuring food-safe operations. This dynamic workshop will help participants understand the sanitation process, effective monitoring, use of data streams, and root cause analysis basics.
Learning objectives:
- Discuss how to build and maintain and effective sanitation process for routine wet cleaning
- Learn about non-routine cleaning and validation frequency
- Walk through an investigation and root cause analysis to understand complexity and solutions
Speakers
Data Analysis for Food Safety Professionals: Modeling, Risk Assessment, and Analytics Tools for FSQA
Tuesday, May 13; 3:00pm - 5:00pmA number of common food safety and quality problems have led scientists to create tools (typically free) that food safety professionals can use for analyzing common problems. This workshop will provide a practical introduction to the common tools available, what they are used for, and how they can be applied to specific problems. Specifically, instructors will survey tools including those for predictive microbiology (Combase, Seafood Spoilage and Safety Predictor, Pathogen Modeling Program), predictive lethality (American Meat Institute Lethality Calculator), risk assessment (iRISK), and statistical process control (USDA FSIS Excel template). Attendees will practice using the tools to analyze a typical question in food safety or quality data.
Learning objectives:
- Become aware of existing tools for predictive microbiology, predictive lethality, risk assessment, and sampling statistics
- Understand how basic tools for organizing and plotting data can be adapted to standard food safety and quality problems
- Practice using some of these tools to analyze typical questions in food safety data
Speakers
Innovative Processing Technologies for Challenging Food Products
Wednesday, May 14; 8:00am - 9:00amFoodborne pathogens continue to be a risk factor for processed foods, leading to product recalls, foodborne illness outbreaks, and threats to public health. Conventional processing technologies based on thermal inactivation, antimicrobial preservatives, and chemical sanitization may not be enough to control pathogen persistence and outgrowth on complex processed foods. This session will provide a nuts-and-bolts overview of the innovative food processing technologies that are being developed for application to deli meats, fruits and vegetables, powders, seeds, nuts, and other challenging food products. The technologies to be discussed include ultrasound, radiofrequency processing, electron beam irradiation, light-based interventions (pulsed, high-intensity, 405 nm blue, etc.), cold plasma, plasma-activated water, and other emerging technologies. With a better understanding of new options to make food safer, growers and processers will be able to make better decisions in process implementation.
Learning objectives:
- Introduction to emerging food processing technologies
- Strengths and limitations of new food processing interventions
- Rational application of emerging interventions for specific commodities
Speakers
Food Donation vs Waste Diversion: Food Safety and Brand Protection as the Primary Factor
Wednesday, May 14; 8:00am - 9:00amDiscover how food safety serves as the cornerstone of effective food recovery in the context of food donation and waste diversion with emphasis on throughput results. This session will cover the actions, impacts, and results of food donation and compliance with local and national mandates for waste reduction. We will share our experiences with the evolution of food donation and food date labeling, incorporating lessons learned from excess edible food donation mandates across the U.S. Attendees will gain insights into how thoughtful practices can balance compliance with meaningful impact, ensuring that donated food meets safety standards while addressing community needs responsibly.
Speakers
Simple Food Safety Culture Tools with a Big Impact
Wednesday, May 14; 8:00am - 9:00amIn this session, attendees will hear from a consumer who was forever impacted by foodborne illness, and learn more about how their story and others can shift behavior to support food safety from large- and small-company representatives. Session leaders will highlight low-/no-cost, ready-to-use resources from the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness’ award-winning Food Safety Culture Toolkit and how they can be implemented in an organization of any size.
Learning objectives:
- Learn why storytelling is a complement to other training methods when onboarding and educating employees about food safety
- Explore ready-to-use videos with discussion guides and complementary visuals
- Discover other simple tools to get employees interested in their role in food safety
Speakers
Finished Product Testing Isn’t the Answer
Wednesday, May 14; 8:00am - 9:00amThis session will review product specifications and what is practical, reasonable, and truly impactful to the safety of the foods we produce to protect public health. Panelists will cover how to assess the entire process, from raw materials to intended product use, to help inform what testing is appropriate as specifications are written. A number of questions will be discussed, such as: When is environmental testing more powerful than end product testing? What is appropriate for raw materials beyond microbial certificates of analysis? When and how should you have the conversation with your customer regarding all of the above? Join us for this interactive exchange, and bring your ideas and perspectives; together, we are smarter.
Speakers
Surmountable Challenges: Leadership when Nothing is Easy
Wednesday, May 14; 9:15am - 10:30amIn light of complex cultural and economic realities that have entirely changed the modern workplace, inspiring and innovative leadership is difficult but essential. This is especially true in the food safety context, where lack of buy-in and disconnectedness can have real consequences for human health and quality of life. In this Keynote Session, Dr. Jason Evans will share strategies for encouraging exceptional performance and developing teams that are accountable, engaged, and collaborative.
Speakers
Stop Foodborne Illness/FDA Webinar: Measure the Power of Declared Values—How Your Metrics Should Reinforce the Values You Hold
Wednesday, May 14; 2:45pm - 4:00pmJoin us for a hybrid webinar event as the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) host an esteemed panel to discuss the measurement of food safety culture and a company's declared values.
Moderator
Speaker
Achieving Sanitation and Hygiene Success in the Retail and Foodservice Sectors
Wednesday, May 14; 2:45pm - 4:00pmIn the foodservice, retail/grocery, and distribution sectors, food safety and sanitation go hand-in-hand. They are ensured by sound Food Safety Management Systems (FSMSs) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), which are components of FDA and USDA regulatory frameworks and facility HACCP programs. In this roundtable panel discussion, food safety business leaders from industry and expert consultants in food safety and hygiene science will define how good sanitation and hygiene practices contribute to food safety assurance and reduce risk for your business. They will also help you understand how to ensure that your restaurants, stores, and warehouses are food-safe.
Learning objectives:
- Understand how SSOPs fit into regulatory frameworks and HACCP, and why it is important to ensure that SSOPs are followed correctly
- Learn how good sanitation and hygiene practices contribute to food safety and reduce risk for your business, with real-world examples and best practice recommendations
- Learn how to ensure that your restaurants, stores, and warehouses are food-safe by achieving success in facility hygiene culture
Moderators
Speakers
Leveraging AI for a Safer Today and Tomorrow
Wednesday, May 14; 2:45pm - 4:00pmAI is here and is expected to be a valuable tool for food safety leaders. This session will highlight some of the early and visible benefits of using AI for data-informed decision-making. AI's potential ranges from use in on-farm agricultural and retail programs to further strengthening FSMS and cultural behaviors. Attendees will learn from the experts on how AI is making the food system safer.
Learning objectives:
- Learn how AI can be leveraged with risk assessment
- Understand how AI can be used to make data-informed decisions
- Learn how AI is making produce safer
Speakers
Recall Modernization Initiatives with the Consumer in Mind
Wednesday, May 14; 2:45pm - 4:00pmModernization of FDA’s recall system for the food industry is long overdue. In this session, attendees will hear what industry and others have been doing to move this modernization forward faster for consumer safety.
Learning objectives:
- Gain a greater appreciation of why recall modernization is so critical from both a consumer perspective and industry perspective
- Understand the current state of regulatory recall programs both for FDA and USDA
- Understand the various industry- and association-led initiatives underway to help modernize the recall process — and how you can help
Moderator
Speakers
The Power of Her Voice: Elevating Women’s Leadership through Confident Communication
Wednesday, May 14; 4:15pm - 5:30pmThis dynamic panel session will dive into how effective communication is a driving force behind successful leadership, especially for women in various industries. The discussion will highlight the unique challenges women face in leadership roles and reveal how mastering communication—both verbal and non-verbal—can empower leaders, influence decisions, and inspire teams. Attendees will gain real-world insights and actionable strategies to amplify their leadership presence and communicate with greater impact. Attendees will learn practical strategies to improve confidence and communication in leadership roles, as well as tools and techniques to enhance non-verbal communication and emotional intelligence.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the challenges unique to women leaders, and explore how communication can shape team dynamics and boost leadership effectiveness
- Develop actionable communication strategies for improving verbal and non-verbal communication, enhancing confidence, and developing self-advocacy
- Foster inclusive leadership by creating a culture of openness and collaboration through authentic communication
Speakers
Proven Practices for Allergen Management
Wednesday, May 14; 4:15pm - 5:30pmThis session tackles the importance and impact of allergen management in product development, production, and labeling. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of selecting raw materials, cleaning validation, and labeling controls.
Moderator
Speakers
Industry Approaches to Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Wednesday, May 14; 4:15pm - 5:30pmThe 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations (UN) Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many of the SDGs have an impact on food safety. Learn about the approaches several food companies have taken to address the sustainability goals that relate to their businesses.
Moderator
Speakers
Development of an Outbreak Investigation
Wednesday, May 14; 4:15pm - 5:30pmIn this session, expert leaders will peel back the curtain and walk the audience through what happens—and what should be happening—during a produce outbreak investigation.
Learning objectives:
- Better understand surveillance and outbreak detection
- Understand how to respond if your company is implicated
- Learn preparation, with a focus on prevention
Speakers
HPAI Outbreak Spread From Wild Birds to Poultry and Livestock: What's Next?
Thursday, May 15; 8:00am - 9:00amThis session will focus on the current outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) in the poultry industry that began in February 2022 and that has resulted in the culling of over 105 million poultry across the U.S. In late March of 2024, this same virus infected dairy cattle and has spread across the country's herds, affecting over 612 dairies. Cases among workers exposed to the virus continue to rise.
Speakers
Elevating Food Safety: Performance Metrics That Matter
Thursday, May 15; 8:00am - 9:00amDiscover the dynamic world of food safety performance metrics! In this session, speakers will explore the innovative metrics and governance practices used by leading companies to benchmark and elevate their food safety performance. Join us to learn how these metrics drive performance, foster engagement, and cultivate continuous improvement and a strong food safety culture.
Learning objectives:
- Understand key metrics: Gain insights into the essential performance metrics used by leading companies to measure and enhance food safety
- Explore governance practices: Learn about the governance practices that support the effective implementation and utilization of food safety metrics
- Drive continuous improvement and culture: Explore strategies to cultivate continuous improvement and a strong food safety culture through effective use of performance metrics
Speakers
Alarm Fatigue: How to Ensure Out-of-Compliance Alarms Serve Their Purpose and Ensure Food Safety
Thursday, May 15; 8:00am - 9:00amThis session will delve into the challenges of setting effective alarms for out-of-compliance hot and cold holding temperatures in food safety management. Speakers will explore the concept of alarm fatigue, where frequent alerts can lead to desensitization among staff, potentially compromising food safety. Additionally, they will discuss how pathogen growth models can inform alarm thresholds, highlighting the risks associated with temperature deviations. Participants will explore best practices for alarm settings, including appropriate thresholds and response protocols, to ensure that alarms serve their intended purpose without overwhelming the team.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the impact of alarm fatigue on staff response and food safety outcomes
- Identify best practices for setting alarms that are both effective and manageable
- Develop a framework for integrating technology and human oversight in food safety protocols
Speakers
Bridging the Communication Gap Between Industry and Researchers
Thursday, May 15; 8:00am - 9:00amThis session seeks to offer solutions to those on both sides of the question, "How do we bridge the communication gap between industry and researchers?" A panel of expert speakers will address questions from the audience and lead a discussion on what is needed to bridge this gap. Panelists will include veteran food industry professionals, as well as representatives from entities already in place for creating bridges between industry and academia. Invited speakers are from the Rutgers University Food Innovation Center, Illinois Tech's Institute for Food Safety and Health Center for Processing Innovation, Georgia Tech's Enterprise Innovation Institute's Manufacturing Extention Partnership, and the Northeast Center for Food Safety's Information Clearinghouse. Join us to discover the communication resources that are already available and discuss how we can further this goal together.
Speakers
13th Annual Town Hall: A Candid Dialogue on the Future of Food Safety
Thursday, May 15; 9:15am - 10:30amThe 13th Annual Town Hall at the Food Safety Summit brings together top food safety leaders for an open and dynamic conversation about the most pressing challenges and opportunities in food safety today. Join an esteemed panel of federal, industry, and public health experts as they address the evolving landscape of food safety policy, regulation, and innovation. This engaging session will provide participants with the opportunity to:
- Gain insights into the latest regulatory updates and initiatives from the FDA, USDA, CDC, and AFDO
- Understand how agencies are working to improve food safety oversight and public health outcomes in a rapidly changing environment
- Explore cross-agency collaboration and its impact on industry stakeholders
- Ask questions and engage in a lively dialogue with food safety leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry
Moderator
Invited Panelists Include:
Breaking the Cycle: Transforming Lessons from Food Safety Failures into Action
Thursday, May 15; 2:45pm - 4:00pmIn recent years, several significant food safety failures have exposed critical vulnerabilities in current systems. This roundtable will examine three watershed incidents: 1) the cinnamon applesauce lead contamination that revealed global supply chain vulnerabilities and insufficient ingredient testing protocols, 2) the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in deli meats that exposed systematic failures in sanitation and environmental monitoring, and 3) the Cronobacter sakazakii contamination in infant formula that underscored the consequences of inadequate microbial control and the challenge of maintaining public trust during crisis-driven shortages. These incidents also revealed overarching gaps, including failures in proactive risk management and crisis preparedness, challenges in timely regulatory oversight and transparent communication, and a lack of a pervasive food safety culture. Industry experts will analyze how these challenges shaped each event's outcome and propose actionable strategies for improvement. Discussions will focus on strengthening supply chain controls, improving sanitation and environmental monitoring, and enhancing collaboration between regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders. Food safety professionals from industry, regulatory agencies, and academia will gain practical insights for integrating risk management, transparency, and a culture of safety into their operations to better safeguard public health.
Learning objectives:
- Analyze the root causes of recent food safety incidents to identify systemic vulnerabilities within the food industry
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current risk management strategies in mitigating food safety failures, and propose enhancements to these frameworks to prevent future outbreaks
- Develop actionable strategies to cultivate a robust food safety culture across all levels of the food supply chain, emphasizing proactive risk identification, continuous monitoring, and adherence to best practices
Speakers
The Truth Behind the Tweets: Navigating Misinformation in Food Safety
Thursday, May 15; 2:45pm - 4:00pmIn today’s digital age, misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation are spreading at unprecedented rates, especially in the realm of food safety. From viral myths about foodborne illnesses to misleading claims about food products, these distorted narratives can have serious consequences for public health. This session will bring together leading academics in the fields of food safety communication and behavioral sciences to explore the root causes and far-reaching effects of online misinformation. Experts will dive into the complexities of how social media platforms, blogs, and websites contribute to the dissemination of false or harmful food safety information. Presentations will cover the psychology of belief in misinformation, strategies for identifying and combating disinformation, and the role of food safety professionals in curbing the spread of misleading content. By examining case studies and real-world examples, participants will gain valuable insights into the mechanisms that drive food safety misconceptions and how they can be addressed effectively. Attendees will walk away with evidence-based strategies for improving food safety communication, both online and offline, and will learn how to engage with the public to correct false beliefs, rebuild trust, and encourage responsible information sharing.
Learning objectives:
- Identify the key factors that contribute to the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation related to food safety, with a focus on social media and digital platforms
- Understand the psychological and behavioral underpinnings of why individuals and communities believe and share inaccurate food safety information
- Explore evidence-based strategies for effectively combating food safety misinformation and fostering public trust in food safety messages
Speakers
Ensuring Chemical Safety in Food Processing
Thursday, May 15; 2:45pm - 4:00pmChemical safety in food processing remains a critical focus for ensuring consumer trust and public health. With growing attention from regulatory agencies, consumer advocacy groups, and the food industry, stakeholders must collaborate to address challenges, innovate solutions, and uphold rigorous safety standards. Panelists will explore the current landscape of chemical safety in food processing, including regulatory updates and industry trends; the role of science and innovation in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with chemicals in food; and perspectives from both regulators and consumer advocates on the challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
Moderator
Speakers
Global Climate Change Links to Food Safety: Emerging Evidence and Examples
Thursday, May 15; 2:45pm - 4:00pmThe direct impacts of global climate change on food safety are best documented for the pathogenic Vibrio species and shellfish toxins (due to increasing ocean temperatures) and mycotoxin-producing molds (due to rising air temperatures and variations in rainfall). It is commonly believed that the prevalence of many of the well-documented foodborne infections associated with pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli are also on the rise because of climate change. In fact, we have observed elevated numbers of high-profile foodborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. over the last year. What data are supporting the specific role for climate change in foodborne disease outbreaks? How do rising temperatures, climate variability, and catastrophic weather events contribute to increased risk? Using data from literature and specific examples, two speakers will address these questions with a focus on the epidemiological, environmental, and mathematical modeling evidence, suggesting a direct relationship between the effects of climate change on foodborne pathogen prevalence and associated disease. The presentation will be followed by an open discussion with audience participants.
Learning objectives:
- Understand how climate change impacts food safety
- Discover the evidence supporting future projections of increased disease burden due to climate change progression
- Analyze examples of how these impacts have already manifested in our current world
Speakers
Closing Session: The Secret Sauce to Getting to ‘Yes’
Thursday, May 15; 2:45pm - 4:00pmStay for the final session of the Food Safety Summit to unlock the strategies for transforming “no” into “yes” in this engaging and interactive session. Learn from industry experts, including a CFO, an HR professional, and seasoned executives, as they reveal the unwritten rules of navigating corporate culture and securing resources.
The session starts with an interactive, real-world scenario for attendees to brainstorm questions to uncover hidden priorities. This discussion sets the stage for practical insights from Shane Guilliams, Chief Financial Officer for Van Drunen Farms, who will share how to communicate ROI and align proposals with C-suite expectations effectively.
Next, a seasoned human resources professional will provide actionable advice on navigating corporate dynamics, including tips for identifying and respecting unwritten rules that influence decision-making. She will guide participants through the nuances of company culture, offering tools to ask for resources like headcount while positioning themselves for success.
Key Takeaways:
- Techniques to translate technical proposals into financial language for C-suite approval.
- Insights into navigating corporate culture and unwritten rules for resource allocation.
- Practical exercises to identify and overcome roadblocks in the decision-making process.
- Tabletop exercises address the challenges of being told “no.”
- Take away actionable strategies for overcoming objections and building buy-in at all levels of an organization.
This session is packed with exclusive insights you won’t find anywhere else. Stay until the end—you’ll leave with actionable steps to confidently turn challenges into opportunities.