Food Protection Trends - October 2008 - (Page 700)

“perspectives” from your president ow ! W h a t a g re a t Annual Meeting we had in Columbus. Over 1,850 people from 38 countries experienced an outstanding program. Many thanks go to the Program Committee, chaired by Emilio Esteban, for once again organizing a diverse and cuttingedge program consisting of 27 symposia and roundtables with about 160 speakers, 80 technical talks and 365 posters. There were too many excellent symposia and presentations to mention them all, but I would like to highlight the late breaker symposium “Tomatoes, Peppers, Cilantro? Consequences of the Salmonella Saintpaul ProduceRelated Outbreak.” Every year we save a spot in the program for topical situations or issues that arise after the program has been organized in February. After the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak was first reported in June and grew in scope in July, Gary Acuff and Alejandro Castillo organized this year’s late breaker symposium. Fortunately we were able to get the scientists from government, industr y, and academia most involved in trying to solve the outbreak to participate. The understanding of the outbreak was evolving so rapidly that in the month before the meeting the title of the symposium and the scope of the outbreak findings had to be changed three times. The interest in the topic was great and over 450 people attended the session. Special thanks go to the organizers and speakers for being flexible and willing to share data, almost as soon as it was received. Hopefully, W By STAN BAILEy PRESIDENT “I have never known a more dedicated and dynamic group of individuals than the members of IAFP” next spring and summer there will be less new and urgent food safety issues to deal with, but if the past is any indicator, there will be something happening which will require special attention, and the IAFP program will have it covered. Special thanks goes to the Local Arrangements Committee chaired by Gloria Swick-Brown. The hospitality and facilities in Columbus were outstanding. I also want to thank all of our sponsors and vendors for their financial assistance with the receptions, breaks and lunches that make the IAFP meeting special. Please make sure that you thank and support the sponsors throughout the year. Another highlight of this year’s meeting was the addition of three new international affiliates: Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The growth in international affiliates is another indication of the recognition the significant role that IAFP is playing in the promotion of global food protection. Thanks to the IAFP Foundation for their generous support of the Student Travel Scholarship Award. In 2007 we awarded five scholarships.This year six extremely bright and motivated students from South Korea, Australia, Nigeria, Sweden, Delaware and New York received travel support scholarships. With the help of the IAFP Foundation, we plan to increase the number of student travel scholarships to eight next year. It is always dangerous when you start thanking people for helping organize something as large as the IAFP Annual Meeting. Invariably you will forget someone. For those of you who contributed to this year’s meeting that I did not mention, I apologize and thank you. I would like to share with you one of my thoughts that I shared with those in attendance at the Awards Banquet in Columbus when I became President of IAFP. Among the many reasons that I was willing and look forward to 700 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | OCTOBER 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - October 2008

Food Protection Trends - October 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Employee Motivators for Following Food Safety Practices: Pivotal Role of Supervision Knife Sanitizing in Abattoirs: The Effectiveness of Current and Alternative Practices Call for Nominations – 2009 Secretary Call for Awards – IAFP 2009 New Members Updates Industry Products Coming Events Advertising Index Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - October 2008

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