2021 European Symposium
April 26 – April 28 | Virtual
IAFP’s European Symposium on Food Safety took place 27-28 April 2021, virtually with 297 worldwide delegates participating.
Tuesday's Opening Session began with a welcome to delegates from Helen Taylor, ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Chair of the Organising Committee. IAFP Executive Director David Tharp spoke about IAFP and its benefits before IAFP President Roger Cook officially opened the symposium.
Marta Hugas, European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy, presented "Food Safety Challenges Ahead to the Food Systems Transformation.” She spoke about sustainability and the need to meet the demand for food from the world's growing population.
Tuesday’s sessions included topics on Zoonosis, Validation of Control Measures, Biofilms, Water Re-use, Next Generation Sequencing, Processing Validation, and Risk Modelling.
The Wednesday Plenary session focused on Artificial Intelligence with talks from Cronan McNamara, Creme Global, Dublin, Ireland, and Julie Pierce, U.K. Food Standards Agency, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Wednesday sessions included topics on Clostridium botulinum, Omics, Entrepreneurial Food, Environmental Monitoring, Organisational Culture, and others.
Fifteen symposia, one roundtable, and two technical sessions comprised the two-day program. Seventy-seven poster presentations were also given throughout the meeting.
This year’s symposium was supported in part by our exhibitors and sponsors through their financial contributions. Seven companies shared their food safety equipment, products, and services with attendees with virtual exhibit booths. IAFP acknowledges each of these companies for their support provided to the symposium.
Other groups to be recognized include the Organising Committee. IAFP extends its thanks and appreciation to these committee members, as well as to the symposium organizers, convenors, and presenters, all of whom provided much time and hard work into planning and organising this year’s European Symposium. The virtual conference was highly successful for those participating from across Europe and around the world.