21st Annual GFSS Symposium - EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

 

21^st Annual GFSS Symposium

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

 

Date: Wednesday October 30th

Time: 8:00AM – 12:30 PM

Place: OMAFA Building 1 Stone Road W, Guelph (in-person and online options available)

In-person and online options available

Registration information will be available shortly.

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30 AM

In-person Registration

8:30 - 8:45 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks - Michelle Martin

 

8:45 - 9:25 AM

Session 1: Moderator - Hany Anany

8:45 - 9:05 AM

Speaker: Jeff Farber

Title: Spotlight on Cronobacter spp. in infant foods: Current Insights and Future Strategies for Infant Safety

9:05 - 9:25 AM

Speaker: Marjon Wells-Bennik

Title: TBA (Listeria and plant based products)

 

 

9:25 - 10:10 AM

Session 2: Moderator - Brendan Dougherty

9:25 - 10:10 AM

Poster Presentations

 

10:10 - 10:40 AM

Coffee break and networking

 

10:40 - 11:20 AM

Session 3: Moderator - Vaish Kalsy

10:40 - 11:00 AM   

Speakers: Paul Medeiros and Deborah Ng

Title: From Snacks to Smoothies and Pop to Pizza; Addressing Risk Through The Evolution of Vending Machines

 

11:00 - 11:20 AM

Speaker: Lynn McMullen

Title: TBA (E.coli and central kitchens)

 

11:20 AM - 12:00 PM

Session 4: Moderator - Michelle Martin

11:20 AM - 12:00 PM

Panel Discussion

 

12:00 - 12:15 PM

Closing Remarks – Michelle Martin

Our Speakers:

 

Jeff Farber

Dr. Farber is currently the Director of a consulting firm, which does food safety consulting with various organizations and countries. In addition, he is a senior advisor for Index Biosystems, a Canadian biotechnology company working in the area of food traceability and authenticity. Dr. Farber is also an Adjunct Professor and member of the graduate faculty in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario.      

 

Dr. Jeff Farber most recently was employed as a Full Professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario, where he was Director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and head of the Master’s Program in Food Safety and Quality Assurance. Previous to that, he was the Director of the Bureau of Microbial Hazards in the Food Directorate of Health Canada, where he led a group of about 60 people working in various areas of microbial food safety and was instrumental in advancing the development of policy approaches on emerging microbial food safety issues in Canada and at a global level.

 

Dr. Farber has over 195 publications, plus numerous Book Chapters and has edited 5 books. He was Associate Editor of the International Journal of Food Microbiology for many years and has been on a number of Journal Editorial Boards. He is a Past-President of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) and Executive Director of the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), a leading global think tank on emerging food safety issues. Dr. Farber also has extensive experience working experience at the international level, with organizations such as FAO, WHO and Codex Alimentarius. He was also recently appointed to the newly formed Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG), under the umbrella of GFSI. 

 

Dr. Farber has received numerous personal and team awards, winning 3 awards in 2020 from the International Association for Food Protection, and being nominated as a Fellow for The International Union of Food Science and Technology. As well, in 2022, Dr. Farber received an award from the American Frozen Food Institute for his exceptional work in improving the safety of the frozen food supply. In 2009, he won one of the highest awards presented to Federal Public Health Officials, the Prime Minister’s Outstanding Achievement Award, for his work as the lead scientist for Health Canada on the deli-meat listeriosis outbreak. In 2023, Dr. Farber was awarded the prestigious IAFP President's Lifetime Achievement Award. He also was recently honored for his contributions to both our understanding of Listeria and the advancement of food safety, by having a new species of Listeria named after him - Listeria farberi.    

 

Most recently, Dr. Farber was appointed into the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is one of Canada’s highest honours, and recognizes people who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the country. Dr. Farber was recognized for his significant contributions to improving food safety both within Canada and worldwide.

 

In terms of this symposium, currently Dr. Farber and his colleague Edith Wilkin, have been working with the powdered infant formula industry in the US, to help develop a Guidance Document on Best Practices for the Control/Prevention of Cronobacter in Powdered Infant Formula. Dr. Farber will highlight some of the main points and issues that he feels are important to bring to our roundtable discussion today. 

 

Spotlight on Cronobacter spp. in infant foods: Current Insights and Future Strategies for Infant Safety

Cronobacter species, previously known as Enterobacter sakazakii, are a significant health concern in infants due to their association with severe infections in neonates and young infants. These bacteria are widespread in nature and can be found in a wide variety of foods. It is now widely recognized that Cronobacter spp. have a natural association with eukaryotic plants and their roots.

 

Cronobacter outbreaks in infants have been linked to the consumption of powdered infant formula (PIF). However, the actual route by which PIF becomes contaminated is still unclear in a large majority of cases. Recent recalls of PIF in the US after the US FDA received complaints about 4 cases of illness or death in infants who consumed PIF, led to a shortage of PIF in the North American food supply. As a result of the latter, as well as reports of other recalls and Cronobacter contamination in PIF facilities, the FDA has initiated the development of an overall strategy to help prevent future Cronobacter spp. illnesses associated with the consumption of PIF.

 

This presentation will provide an introduction to Cronobacter species infection in neonates/infants in North America, including its epidemiology, survival in low-moisture foods and the potential routes of exposure to vulnerable infants. Also covered will be some of the recent concerns with recalls of Cronobacter contaminated infant cereals. Additionally, the talk will highlight some of the many initiatives that are currently underway in the US with regards to the control of Cronobacter spp. in PIF. Overall, this presentation aims to raise awareness of the challenges posed by Cronobacter contamination of PIF and to advocate for continued efforts to ensure the safety of these foods for all infants. 

 

Marjon Wells-Bennik, Principal Scientist Food Safety

NIZO

More to follow

 

Paul Medeiros, Manager, Environmental Health, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

Paul is an experienced leader with an established track record of blending technical knowledge, industry experience, leadership skills and a community service-mindset to protect and promote public health.  Paul holds a BASc in Environmental Health from Toronto Metropolitan University and an MSc in Food Safety and Quality Assurance from the University of Guelph.  As Manager of Environmental Health with the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit, Paul leads a like-minded team of public health professionals with the single-minded purpose to ‘make a difference’ in the communities they serve.

 

 

 

Deborah Ng, Public Health Inspector, Environmental Health, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

Deborah Ng is a Public Health Inspector for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. She has had diverse inspection and regulatory experience in food safety, water safety, and infection control across Ontario since 2018 with Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Porcupine Health Unit. Passionate about public health and fascinated by technological innovation, she hopes to help guide imaginative ideas through grounded food safety principles. She holds a BASc in Environmental Health from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a B.Sc in Health Studies from University of Waterloo.

 

From Snacks to Smoothies and Pop to Pizza; Addressing Risk Through The Evolution of Vending Machines

In this brief yet insightful session, we’ll explore the evolution of vending machines from basic snack dispensers to advanced culinary devices, highlighting the emerging food safety challenges. Public health inspectors play a key role in ensuring the safety of these machines. We’ll cover essential mitigation strategies and provide practical risk assessment considerations that inspectors can use to address food safety in modern vending operations.

 

Lynn McMullen, Professor

Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Science, University of Alberta

More to follow

 

Our Moderators: