International Food Protection Issues Professional Development Group
Mission Statement: To provide a forum to discuss scientific issues of interest to the international food protection community.
Meeting Information
Virtual: TBD
In Person: IAFP 2025
July 27, 2025, Huntington Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio
How to Join
Involvement in committees and professional development groups (PDGs) offers Members the opportunity to share a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Members of committees and PDGs are the architects of the Association structure. They plan, develop and institute many of the Association's projects, including workshops, publications and educational sessions. Technical challenges facing the food safety industry are discussed, examined and debated. Members may volunteer to serve on any number of committees or PDGs that plan and implement activities to meet the Association's mission.
Membership on a PDG is voluntary (not by appointment) and may vary from year to year.
IAFP Members can manage their PDG involvement by logging in to the IAFP Web site. At the Member Dashboard, click “Edit Profile.” Your profile has two tabs: Contact Info and Professional Info. Select the Professional Info tab and update the PDGs you would like to participate in. We highly recommend that you contact the PDG chairperson for each group to let them know you have joined their PDG.
Non-members can contact Dina Siedenburg, dsiedenburg@foodprotection.org, for more information.
Minutes
Board Responses
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1. Develop a system that allows verification that submissions were truly sponsored by a PDG before going for Program Committee evaluation. Since sometimes people can check the boxes and not actually had been reviewed and sponsored at PDG level.
Board Response: Board Response: The Program Committee currently has a verification process in place.
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2. It would be great for non-accepted proposals to have a mechanism where feedback can be asked, when someone wants to present the proposal again, but doesn´t know what can be improved.
Board Response: Board Response: The Program Committee is working on better feedback for a proposal not being accepted. Inquires are welcome and will be responded to by the Program Committee.
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3. See if is possible to create a way where PDGs may link together before the IAFP Annual Meeting to improve those proposals where similarities were found by Program Committee, for example an instance where similar proposals from different PDGs may be discussed by the PDG’s Chair in order to merge them, this was also mentioned as being a good idea for diminish the amount of proposals that are rejected and to facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation, bringing new people or new scientist together since sometimes it is difficult to reach for people on the 2-month time gave between the meeting and the proposal presentation.
Board Response: Board Response: The Board encourages collaboration.
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Recommend approval of Constanza Vergara Escobar as Vice Chair of the International Food Protection Issues PDG.
Board Response: Approved.
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Take initiative to speed-up visa applications for many international participants, either as IAFP or jointly with other scientific associations.
Board Response: IAFP routinely provides a letter of support to assist attendees in attending the Annual meeting. IAFP staff will investigate other routes to support these applications and appreciate any initiatives of which the PDG is aware.
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Ask the Executive Board to host a session where is possible to connect PDG’s where broader links can be made, including the high-level views across the board.
Board Response: The Board would like clarification on this recommendation. We currently hold the Chair/Vice Chairperson Meeting and the Chairperson Breakfast to provide networking and sharing of best practices
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Compliment the Executive Board for the initiatives of making the webinars available in June for free which gave access to less privileged people and for making JFP open access.
Board Response: Thank you!
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Caroline Smith DeWaal proposed if there is an activity of IAFP at World Food Safety Day (June 7)? And if not, it is advised to develop a strategy to also have communication/
promotion of IAFP and of food safety at this day, since it is perfectly matching with our mission.
Board Response: IAFP had recognized World Food Safety Day in past years through social media and mention in the IAFP Report. Efforts will be made to promote this event earlier and more widely.
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1. Recommend approval of Marcel Zwietering as Vice Chair of the International Food Protection Issues PDG.
Board Response: Agree.
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2. Keep the hybrid option open for future conferences (including the regional conferences such as the EU symposium).
Board Response: IAFP will continue to evaluate meeting formats going forward. Presently, we plan to return to in-person speakers and attendees for 2022. Presentations are available (and have been since 2012) for viewing after completion of the Annual Meeting.
- None
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That DeAnn Benesh be approved as Vice Chair of the PDG beginning at IAFP 2019.
Board Response: Agree.
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In view of the high attendance at the International Food
Protection Issues PDG and the enthusiastic contributions
of members, the PDG requests that the time allowed for the
meeting be extended to 2–5 p.m. on the Saturday preceding
the Annual Meeting.
Board Response: Agree.
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To approve the election of Ian Jenson to Vice Chair of the PDG.
Board Response: Agree.
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To provide written summaries of IAFP international meetings to be printed in Food Protection Trends.
Board Response: Agree, currently, IAFP international meetings are reviewed in Food Protection Trends.
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PDG members commented they may not be able to attend anymore because of difficulty budgeting extra time and financial resources as it is held on Saturday. The PDG requests the Board to consider providing audio-
visual access to the meeting for members to attend and contribute from a distance.
Board Response: This PDG was originally scheduled on Saturday to accommodate international members who arrive early to the Annual Meeting. If the meeting agenda were circulated early (6 weeks or more prior to the meeting), members could set their travel plans to accommodate attending the PDG meeting.
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Approve Leon Gorris as the new Vice Chair, with the term of Chair to begin in 2017.
Board Response: Approve.
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Approve Bobby Krishna as the new Vice Chair, with the term of Chair to begin in 2015.
Board Response: Approved.
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Investigate the potential for partnership with the World Bank on the Global Food Safety Partnership.
Board Response: IAFP is already participating with the World Bank on the Global Food Safety Partnership.
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Consider inviting a speaker to give the Ivan Parkin lecture on the topic of the 20th anniversary of the World Trade Organization.
Board Response: This recommendation will be forwarded to the selection committee.
Webinars
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Regulatory System Summary Project - Canada and Chile Jun 4, 2024
Organized by: IAFP's International Food Protection Issues Professional Development Group
The International Food Protection Issues and Food Law Professional Development Groups (PDGs) initiated a project to create short summaries of the
regulatory systems of select countries. These Regulatory System Summaries (RSS) were created to provide IAFP members with easy, short reads
of the key components of country regulatory systems. A small working group within these PDGs has been focused on the creation of these RSSs for key
countries that were determined by surveying members within these two PDGs.Please join this webinar to learn about:
- How this project got started, how these RSSs may be of use to you, and what is the project plan forward
- Overviews of the first completed RSSs for Canada and Chile
- How you can become involved
Presenters- Constanza Vergara Escobar, Presenter Trade Regulatory Affairs Division from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile
- Jeff Farber, Presenter Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- DeAnn Benesh, Moderator Former Global Scientific Affairs Manager at 3M and Neogen
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Impact of Water Use and Reuse in Food Production and Processing on Food Safety at the Consumer Phase: Focus on the Dairy Products Sector May 23, 2024
Organized by: Water Safety and Quality PDG, International Food Protection Issues PDG and Dairy Quality and Safety PDG
Part Three: Water is essential for the production, handling and processing of dairy products. Consumer safety can be affected by physical, chemical and microbiological hazards introduced into food products through water (re)use. Hazards and hazardous events need to be continuously monitored and may require targeted interventions to reduce consumer risks to acceptable levels.
The background to this webinar is the work of Codex Alimentarius on risk management guidance for water (re)use in the production, handling and processing of food commodities. Codex has asked the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Meeting in Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) for advice on this.
JEMRA established a science- and risk-based framework on fit-for-purpose water (re)use as input to the Codex work. JEMRA experts have discussed the principles of this framework and the underlying scientific and technical principles. Case studies will be provide demonstrating how practical interventions can mitigate product safety risks to consumers in the case of milk and milk products.
Learning Objectives:
The participants will learn about the following aspects of water (re)use in the dairy products sector:
•The efforts of JEMRA and Codex Alimentarius to develop a risk- and science-based framework for managing the safe use and reuse of water in the production, handling and processing of dairy products by following a "fit-for-purpose" approach.
•The microbiological hazards potentially associated with water (re)use in this sector and interventions to mitigate food safety risks at the consumer stage.
•Practical examples and case studies regarding current water (re)use in the dairy products sector.Presenters- Kang Zhou, Presenter FAO, Rome, Italy
- Claus Heggum, Presenter International Dairy Federation, Denmark
- Leon Gorris, Panelist & Moderator Food Safety Futures, The Netherlands
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Impact of Water Use and Reuse in Food Production and Processing on Food Safety at the Consumer Phase: Focus on the Fish and Fishery Products Sector Feb 27, 2024
Organized by: IAFP's Water Safety and Quality PDG; International Food Protection Issues PDG ; Seafood Safety and Quality PDG
Clean water is essential to maintain the safety and quality of fish and fishery products. Product safety can be affected by physical, chemical and microbiological hazards introduced through water (re)use during production, handling and processing. Hazards and hazardous events need to be continuously monitored and may require targeted interventions to reduce consumer risks to acceptable levels.
The background to this webinar is the work of Codex Alimentarius on risk management guidance for water (re)use in the production, handling and processing of food commodities. Codex asked the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Meeting in Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) advice on this. JEMRA established a science- and risk-based framework on fit-for-purpose water (re)use as input to the Codex work.
JEMRA experts will discuss the principles of this framework and case studies demonstrating how practical pre- and post-harvest interventions can mitigate product safety risks to consumers in the case of fish and fishery products.
Learning Objectives:
The participants will learn about the following aspects of water (re)use in the fish and fishery products sector:
The efforts of JEMRA and Codex to develop a risk- and science-based framework to manage the safe use and reuse of water in the production, handling and processing of fish and fishery products by following a "fit-for-purpose" approach.
The microbiological hazards potentially associated with water (re)use in production, handling and processing, and interventions that may help mitigate food safety risks at the consumer stage.
Case-studies from the JEMRA report that illustrate practical examples of current water (re)use in the fish and fishery products sector in different parts of the world.Presenters- Kang Zhou, Presenter FAO, Rome, Italy
- Yulie Meneses, Presenter Cornell University
- Carlos Campos, Presenter Jacobs
- Leon Gorris, Moderator
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Impact of Water Use and Reuse in Food Production and Processing on Food Safety at the Consumer Phase: Focus on the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Products Sector Dec 14, 2023
Organized by: Water Safety and Quality PDG, International Food Protection Issues PDG, Fruits and Vegetables Safety Quality PDG
Webinar Abstract:
The use of clean water in growing, handling and processing of fruits and vegetables is essential to achieve consumer safe food products.
Various types of hazards are potentially introduced through water use and reuse. These need to be identified and, where necessary, risks at the consumer phase have to be reduced to acceptable levels through adequate treatment/technical intervention.
Codex Alimentarius is developing risk management guidance related to use and reuse of water in production and processing for different food product sectors. The Joint Expert Meeting in Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA), working under auspices of FAO and WHO, provides input into this.
The JEMRA report for fresh fruits and vegetables has been published. It proposes a new framework for science- and risk-based decision-making on fit-for-purpose water use and reuse. The use of the framework is illustrated with practical pre- and postharvest interventions to mitigate food safety risks at the consumer phase.Learning Objectives:
The participants will learn about the following aspects of water reuse in the fruits and vegetables sector:
The efforts of JEMRA and Codex to develop a risk- and science-based framework to manage the safe use and reuse of water in the production and processing of fresh fruits and vegetables following a "fit-for-purpose" approach.
The microbiological hazards potentially associated with water (re-)use in production and processing, and interventions that may help mitigate food safety risks at the consumer stage.
Case-studies from the JEMRA report that illustrate practical examples of current water (re-)use in the fresh fruits and vegetables sector in different parts of the world
The outcomes of field testing the proposed framework by stakeholders (competent authorities and farmers/food industry).Presenters- Zhou Kang, Presenter FAO, Italy
- Anna Allende, Presenter CEBAS-CSIC, Spain
- Rob de Jonge, Presenter National Institute of Public Health, The Netherlands
- Elisabetta Lambertini, Presenter GAIN, USA
- Leon Gorris, Moderator Food Safety Futures, The Netherlands
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WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022-2030 Jun 7, 2023
Organized by: IAFP's International Food Protection Issues PDG
The Global Strategy for Food Safety has been developed to guide and support WHO Member States in their efforts to prioritize, plan, implement, monitor, and regularly evaluate actions toward the reduction of the burden of foodborne diseases by continuously strengthening food safety systems and promoting global cooperation. The strategy’s vision is for all people, everywhere, to consume safe and healthy food so as to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases. This strategy gives stakeholders the tools they need to strengthen their national food safety systems and collaborate with partners around the world.
During the webinar, the roles and involvement of the different stakeholders in the implementation of the strategy and in strengthening food safety systems will be presented.Learning Objectives:
To celebrate World Food Safety Day 2023, the webinar will present the recently published WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022-2030. Participants will be informed about the importance of food safety to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the strategic priorities to build proactive, forward-looking, evidence-based, people-centered, and cost-effective food safety systems with coordinated governance and adequate infrastructures, the implementation of the strategy by Member States and the role of WHO, and monitoring and evaluation including a logical framework and targets for three global indicators.Presenters- Simone Moraes Raszi, Presenter World Health Organization
- Marcel Zwietering, Moderator Wageningen University
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Introduction to Toxicology Part II: New Methodologies: Application in Food Safety and International Trade May 16, 2023
Organized by: IAFP's The International Food Protection Issues PDG
Part Two of a Two-Part Series: New Methodologies: Application in Food Safety and International Trade
Producing safe food requires attention to several aspects of the food during production, harvesting, processing, and distribution. Factors such as microbiological, allergen, foreign material, and chemical management are important parts of the overall food safety picture. With the current interest in toxic elements/heavy metals in infant formula and other foods, as well as the increasing interest in micro and nano plastics in food and the environment, a series of webinars has been created to provide overviews of the major principles of food toxicology; a review of already existing or newly developed methods and how these methods are applied to food toxicology; case studies of relevance to the food safety professional; as well as highlighting available resources.
This second webinar aims to provide a brief review of newly developed methods and discuss how they are and/or can be applied to food toxicology relevant to food safety and international trade.Presenters- Suzanne Fitzpatrick, presenter U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- José Vicente Tarazona Lafarga, Presenter PARC
- Marianne Solomotis, Moderator U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Steven Hermansky, Moderator DABT
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Food Toxicology Webinar-Food Chemical Safety and Current Tools and Methods Mar 28, 2023
Organized by: The International Food Protection Issues PDG
Part One of a Two-Part Series:
Producing safe food requires attention to several aspects of the food during production, harvesting, processing, and distribution. Factors such as microbiological, allergen, foreign material, and chemical management are important parts of the overall food safety picture. With the current interest in toxic elements/heavy metals in infant formula and other foods, as well as the increasing interest in micro and nano plastics in food and the environment, a series of webinars has been created to provide overviews of the major principles of food toxicology; a review of already existing or newly developed methods and how these methods are applied to food toxicology; case studies of relevance to the food safety professional; as well as highlighting available resources.
This first webinar aims to provide basic overviews of food chemical safety and of current tools and methods that are used in toxicology.Part II is scheduled for May 16, 2023
Presenters- Steve Hemansky, Pharm.D., Ph.D., DABT, Presenter U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- George Kass, Ph.D., ERT, Presenter European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
- Marianne Solomotis, Ph.D., Moderator U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Suzanne Fitzpatrick, PhD, DABT, ERT Moderator U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
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Cronobacter in the Spotlight: New Insights Into a Known Organism Jul 13, 2022
Organized by: ILSI Europe, the Low Water Activity Foods PDG, Microbial Modelling and Risk Analysis PDG, and the International Food Protection Issues PDG
Description: Cronobacter spp. is generally known to survive for long times in dry environments and can also form biofilms. Due to these characteristics the genus is ubiquitous in the environment, and has been isolated from different sources: water, soil, dust, cereals, animal products, herbs, spices and others. Cronobacter spp. (formerly known as Enterobacter sakazakii) was also identified as causative agent in foodborne outbreaks, esp. leading to severe infections, and even death, in infants. Since the majority of cases are in neonates and even premature neonates, the main food product involved is powdered infant formula for babies of 0-6 months. The organism is very robust in surviving dry conditions and is even more difficult to control in dry factory environments than Salmonella. The persistence of these organisms also led to re-occurring outbreaks, fortunately not frequently, but consistent. In this webinar, we will start with a short introduction to the organism and then discuss more details, which are relevant for Cronobacter spp. controls, with an expert panel on subjects like: epidemiology, ecology, persistence, sampling, detection and identification methods, microbiological criteria, and preventive measures. The audience is invited to send in questions beforehand.
Learning Objectives:
- Epidemiology, Ecology, Persistence, Sampling, Detection and Identification Methods
- Microbiological Criteria
- Preventive measures
Presenters- Seamus Fanning , Presenter University of Dublin, Ireland
- Roy Betts, Presenter Campden BRI Group, UK
- Marcel Zwietering, Presenter University of Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Francois Bourdichon, Presenter Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, France
- Stephen Forsythe, Presenter Guest lecturer at the University of Hong Kong and Advisor Center for Food Safety, South Africa
- Anett Winkler, Moderator Cargill, Germany
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The Global Burden of Foodborne Disease - Results and perspectives of WHO’s Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG) Feb 9, 2016
The WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group is providing estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases, according to age, sex and region, for a defined list of causative agents of microbial, parasitic, and chemical origin, thereby strengthening the capacity of countries to assess the burden of foodborne disease and increasing awareness and commitment for the implementation of food safety standards. These estimates provide valuable information for food safety professionals.
This webinar is sponsored by Wageningen University, Marcel Zwietering, Leon Gorris, Arie Havelaar and an anonymous MMRA PDG Member.
Presenters- Arie Hendrik Havelaar Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
- Marcel Zwietering, Moderator Wageningen University
