Food Protection Trends

COMMENTARY from the Executive Director
March 2008

“If you haven’t already done so, make your plans NOW to be with us for IAFP 2008”
By David W. Tharp, IAFP Executive Director

Well, it has been another busy month for IAFP! As I write this column in advance of publication, we can review events that took place in January and items that are planned for March and beyond.

In January, two noteworthy events took place. One was IAFP’s Timely Topics Symposium titled, “Prepared, But Not Ready-to-Eat Foods – What You Need to Know.” This symposium was truly “timely” in its development and hit the mark for the more than 115 attendees. Presentations by experts in the field of partially cooked and microwavable foods stimulated the interest of representatives from both large and small food companies, government representatives and those from academia. Pictures and a summary report are available in this issue of Food Protection Trends beginning on page 204. We sincerely thank our sponsors for financially assisting this program. A list of sponsors is also included with the report.

Also in January, President Gary Acuff traveled to Chicago to present the IAFP President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Samuel Palumbo. The presentation took place at the National Center for Food Safety and Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Moffett Campus. More than 30 of Sam’s colleagues at the Center joined for the celebration of his lifetime of contributions to improve the safety of our food. Pictures and a summary appear on page 205. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this presentation to see the gratitude and high esteem that Sam’s colleagues hold for him.

Have you made your hotel reservations for IAFP 2008 in Columbus? The reports received from our hotel properties indicate there is very strong interest in this year’s Annual Meeting! Our host hotel, the Hyatt Regency Columbus is near capacity, but additional rooms are available at the Crown Plaza and Drury Inn & Suites. Both hotels are very close to the Hyatt where our meeting events will be held. To reserve the room you prefer, click the hotel reservations link from our Annual Meeting page on the IAFP Web site.

During February, the Program Committee met to review sub-mitted abstracts and to finalize symposia. It is guaranteed to be another banner year of information shared through oral and poster presentations. In addition, exhibitor interest has been keen as we are nearing capacity. If you haven’t already done so, make your plans NOW to be with us for IAFP 2008 from August 3 to 6 in Columbus!

Alongside our planning for IAFP 2008, we have been working on our first ever, Latin American Symposium on Food Safety. This symposium will be held from May 26 through May 28 in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Campinas is in the state of São Paulo, just north of the city of São Paulo. Maria Teresa Destro at the University of São Paulo, along with her colleagues has prepared the majority of the program. By now, you should be aware of this symposium through E-mail communication and other mention in previous issues of Food Protection Trends .

This symposium is expected to attract more than 500 attendees from Latin America. It is organized in conjunction with the Brazil Association for Food Protection and the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) with scientific support from the International Life Sciences Institute, Brazil (ILSI-Brazil). We look forward to our experience in Latin America!

There are a couple of reminders to leave you with for this month. First, the Student Travel Scholarship Applications are due to be received in the IAFP office not later than Friday, March 14. If you know of a student who is interested in having their expenses paid to attend IAFP 2008, encourage them to submit an application immediately. The second reminder is about our Secretary Election. As has been stated before, it is being conducted electronically this year. You should have received an E-mail message at the end of January and some follow up reminders, but now the deadline to vote is Monday, March 17. If you have not voted yet, do so today.

That wraps up another month for IAFP. As always, feel free to contact me or any of our IAFP staff with questions when we can be of assistance to you. We are here to help bring food safety professionals together to continue “Advancing Food Safety Worldwide!”