Food Protection Trends - March 2010 - 158

from the executive director “COMMENTARY” R emember the snowstorm that socked Washington, D.C. and eastern United States in February? Remember Super Bowl Sunday? Well, those Members serving on the Program Committee and the IAFP Executive Board will probably remember those events for years to come! This happened to be the weekend we held the Program Committee meeting and the Board meeting in Anaheim to prepare for IAFP 2010. As nice as it might sound in comparison to a “Super” snowstorm, Anaheim was actually rainy and “only” in the low-60’s for temperature. In fact, north of Los Angeles, the rains caused mud slides in the areas that had huge fires last summer and fall. So, the weather was a factor all over the United States. Getting home for the Committee Members was another challenge with delayed and cancelled flights! Having it rain in Anaheim was probably a good thing since the Program Committee had to buckle down and get their work done. The normal, sunny California weather was not a distraction. There were 531 abstracts for the group of twelve to review. This was nearly a 19% increase in submissions over 2009 and is a great indicator of the interest in IAFP 2010! We have also seen immense interest by exhibitors and sponsors in this all-important, food safety meeting. The preliminary program has been posted on the IAFP Web site. Please keep up-to-date on information we post through the Annual Meeting Web page, as this will be evolving up to the time IAFP 2010 begins on August 1. You might even want to review the abstracts that will be posted prior to the start of the meeting. This By DAVID W. THARP, CAE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “So with the program in good shape and posted on our Web site, we invite you to register for IAFP’s Annual Meeting” year, we will provide for purchase, a “citable” supplement to the Journal of Food Protection containing IAFP 2010 abstracts. This supplement will be distributed onsite to those who order it in advance. As an option, you may decide to bring the abstracts you are interested in by printing them prior to your departure for Anaheim. Or, you can always either download them to your computer or view them over the Internet on your computer during the meeting. Something else you will want to be alerted to is that the Committee and PDG meeting schedule is revised from prior years. Please check it carefully to learn the time of your meeting. Most of the meetings held last year in the afternoon are now in the morning and vice versa. In addition to this, we have three, new PDGs that will hold organizational meetings. They are Pre-Harvest Food Safety, Food Defense and Packaging. Each meeting will provide the opportunity for those interested in these specific areas of food safety to come together to discuss pertinent issues related to these subjects. We invite you to participate in these new PDGs. So with the program in good shape and posted on our Web site, we invite you to register for IAFP’s Annual Meeting! Register early to get the best fee structure and while you are online completing your registration, you might as well reserve your hotel room at the Hilton Anaheim. Many people have been to Anaheim in past years and may know of our hotel selection for IAFP 2010. If you have not been there in the last 12 months, you will be very pleasantly surprised by the total renovation of this hotel property. The new owners poured millions of dollars into the redecoration and face-lift resulting in beautifully appointed rooms and lobby areas. I know that attendees at IAFP 2010 are going to have a great time in this hotel property and will enjoy the opportunity to see each other throughout the event. Just within Anaheim, there are numerous opportunities for fun and 158 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | MARCH 2010

Food Protection Trends - March 2010

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