Food Safety Conference to reveal exclusive survey results

Entitled ‘A focus on future law and threats’, the conference will cover a range of business-critical food safety issues, including regulation, data sharing, product recall, blockchain and allergen control.

Exclusive food industry research based on a survey of hundreds of factory managers will be revealed at the conference.

In last year’s survey, 62% of food businesses felt they were overburdened by third-party food hygiene audits, while 86% ether agreed or strongly agreed that a more risk-based approach to the policing food business operations in the UK would be welcomed.

This key regulation concern will be addressed by the Food Standard Agency’s Nina Purcell at this year’s event.

FSA’s regulation reforms​

Purcell will provide delegates with an update of the Regulating Our Future reform programme, which proposes manufacturers share both private third-party audit findings and specialist food safety inspection skills with the FSA

Chaired by Professor Steven Walker, director general at Campden BRI, the conference will take place at Etc.venues, Maple House, in central Birmingham on Thursday 21 June. It is sponsored by AIB International, Pal International, and Westgate Factory Dividers.

The conference will be divided into four sessions, each with a different theme.

Session one will ask, how safe is our food? It will include a presentation from Andy Morling, head of head of food crime at the National Food Crime Unit, who will discuss the nature and scope of recently reported food safety offences.

Understanding the legislation landscape​

Session two will focus on understanding the legislation landscape. In addition to the FSA’s Purcell, John Bassett, policy and scientific development director at the Institute of Food Science & Technology, will discuss the measures food businesses should take to ensure they are responsive to the changes in regulation.

The third session, emerging technologies and processes, will cover allergen contamination, blockchain, and how IT and data can overcome regulation challenges.

Implementing a food safety philosophy, the Food Industry Information Network, and product recall are the subjects covered in the last session – culture and control.

Please click here​​ for more information on the conference programme.