Location: DeVos Center – Ballroom A – Street Level Join us for this multi-perspective panel discussion exploring the complexity of home-based food producers as a food source. As cottage foods have exponentially expanded in the US market and legislative agendas, bake sales and jellies are the farmers’ market are no longer the norm. This in-depth conversation will delve into the nuance of the economic, cultural, political, and public health issues so you are prepared to influence from your seat at the table.

Location: DeVos Center – Ballroom A – Street Level Foodborne illness sometimes seems more like numbers and statistics rather than the impact to people and families. Collette Dziadul's daughter, Dana, is a survivor of Salmonella Poona from eating cantaloupe at the age of 3 and continues to suffer with reactive arthritis. Dziadul was very involved with the advocacy for the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in 2010. Dziadul will share her personal story in a conversation with magazine editor Jason Brill during this session that reminds us why it matters.

Location: DeVos Center – Ballroom A – Street Level As a follow-up to his 2023 presentation on the opportunities and challenges inherent in teaching, training, and employing Generation Z, Dr. Evans will discuss effective strategies for ensuring robust food safety teams and outcomes in light of changing food trends, foodservice innovation, and cultural headwinds. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Senator Vandenberg – 2nd Floor Root Cause Analysis can be most valuable when it's used proactively, before a foodborne illness outbreak has occurred. Learn how industry, academic, and regulatory partners are working to incorporate RCA into their work culture. Download presentation #1 Download presentation #2

Location: DeVos Center – Ballroom A – Street Level Take an enlightening journey to uncover the transformative power of visualizing data to improve food safety. Begin by delving into the nuances of popular visualization tools like Tableau and Power BI, offering a comparison to help you choose the right tool for your data storytelling needs. Then, speakers will showcase the art of creating compelling visualizations for local, state, and federal regulatory programs, demonstrating real-world applications that have led to significant insights. Through a series of dynamic presentations and demonstrations, this panel will guide you through the best practices for designing clear, intuitive visualizations that not only captivate but also communicate complex data effectively to diverse audiences. Join this collaborative exploration into how data visualization can serve as a pivotal communication tool, driving informed decision-making and fostering a culture of transparency and excellence in food safety programs. Download presentation #1 Download presentation #2 Download presentation #3

Location: Amway – Ambassador West – 2nd Floor Attend this session to help avoid your own "outtakes!" Sit in on this fun, interactive role-play dialogue between food safety regulators and industry to help you become a "star" on the food safety "Walk of Fame." Learn communication tips and best practices from a panel of presenters (and maybe even join a skit yourself!).

Location: Amway – Imperial Ballroom – 1st Floor Cleaning before sanitizing is key for food safety. Learn about the biological hazards, understand why you must remove the dirt before sanitizing, and glean knowledge of how good sanitary design is key.  Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Governors Room – 2nd Floor The presentation will include an overview of Canadian cosmetic requirements like labelling and notification and an overview of the compliance verification project conducted in 2022 on tattoo inks and permanent make-up pigments.  Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Ambassador East – 2nd Floor When a product being sold isn’t clearly a food, drug, or supplement, who has jurisdiction? How do agencies rapidly respond to these kinds of public health threats, especially when it seems like there’s regularly something new? The panel will share some case study experiences and talk about building partnerships to respond.

Location: Amway – Gerald R Ford Ballroom – 1st Floor This session offers a unique opportunity to explore the potential benefits and challenges associated with rescheduling cannabis, providing valuable perspectives from diverse stakeholders as they anticipate and adapt to regulatory shifts in this evolving landscape. As calls for reevaluation gain momentum, diverse stakeholders will offer valuable perspectives on the complexities of rescheduling cannabis as they anticipate and adapt to regulatory shifts in this evolving industry. Panelists will explore potential benefits and challenges surrounding product standardization, distribution channels, public safety, and market competition. Gain insights from industry leaders, legal experts, and policymakers on the intricacies of rescheduling and its impact on both the existing cannabis marketplace, as well as other, parallel industries.

Location: Amway – Governors Room – 2nd Floor Are you considering updating your jurisdiction’s body art regulations but don’t know where to start? The NEHA Body Art Model Code (BAMC) is the only comprehensive model code that addresses current body art issues and public health risks and is available for jurisdictions to adopt. During this presentation resources, including the Annex to the BAMC and the 2024 BAMC adoption toolkit will be shared. You will leave this presentation with an understanding of the rigorous Code update process, stories from local jurisdictions that adopted the Code, and how you can do the same. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Imperial Ballroom – 1st Floor For the first time ever, Romaine farmers are sharing and aggregating data to advance food safety in leafy greens. The Romaine Test & Learn program requires farmers to use standardized testing for both pre-harvest and finished product. The data that farmers submit will be analyzed over a period of two years to identify risks and improve food safety. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Senator Vandenberg – 2nd Floor Learn more about how states have coordinated and communicated with their various partners when responding to a positive sample result collected under the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model. Download presentation #1  

Location: Amway – Ambassador West – 2nd Floor Embark on a captivating journey through this engaging session to unravel the intricate tapestry of food safety in cultural cuisines. Visit the earthy richness of dried wood ear mushrooms in Asian dishes, the unique Alaskan tradition of seal blubber utilization, and the vibrant flavors of kimchi in Korean fare to explore the food safety implications of these culturally significant ingredients.

Location: Amway – Ambassador East – 2nd Floor This session is designed as a dynamic, hands-on experience for food safety professionals who are eager to explore the potential of AI and big data. It will unfold in two parts: an expert panel discussion followed by an audience-engaging exercise. The diverse panel of experts with varied perspectives will shed light on the practical application of AI and big data to bolster food safety initiatives. Following the discussion, participants will engage in a group activity to tackle specific food safety challenges, facilitating a deep dive into relevant questions and the potential for applying AI tools. The session promises a comprehensive learning experience, emphasizing clarity on AI's role in food safety and fostering a collaborative environment for knowledge exchange. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Imperial Ballroom – 1st Floor Can you tell a well from a hole in the ground? This session will not only give you the tools you need to tell the difference (in some cases not much!) but also give you the opportunity to think about the well as part of a water system. Even investigators with some knowledge of wells will gain a better understanding of the hazards at play and the circumstances that turn those hazards into risks. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Governors Room – 2nd Floor As tattoos continue to rise in popularity, the demand for tattoo ink has surged. Historically, tattoo inks have been under-regulated in the US market. Our work focuses on understanding what's in the bottle of tattoo inks compared to what's on the label. This presentation will discuss the analytical chemistry that goes into characterizing tattoo inks and highlight gaps in accurate labeling with respect to inks available on the US market and those specifically marketed as REACH-compliant for the EU market. 

Location: DeVos Center – Ballroom A – Street Level The FDA Food Traceability Rule, the last major FSMA regulation, requires the food industry to collect, maintain, and share data up and down the supply chain, and that includes facility tracing. With an effective date of January 2026, this rule impacts every type of food business, from farm to retail and those in between. Learn more about the FDA requirements, current implementation efforts and challenges, and some expert tips and tricks from the A-team of food safety and traceability.

Location: Amway – Gerald R Ford Ballroom – 1st Floor Leveraging the collective expertise of professionals across various domains, this panel will delve into the distinctive challenges related to occupational health and safety in this new legal industry. Employing evidence-based research and pragmatic insights, the discourse will explore effective strategies for mitigating risks associated with the cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing of cannabis, while also ensuring the well-being of workers.

Location: Amway – Governors Room – 2nd Floor Current happenings at APT.

Location: Amway – Ambassador West – 2nd Floor The AFDO Healthy People 2030 Norovirus Workgroup has been working in collaboration with others on the development of new and improved employee health assessment tools in the fight against norovirus. Hear workgroup leaders from FDA and CDC discuss the status of this crucial work at retail and how you can provide input and get involved. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Imperial Ballroom – 1st Floor Building a Stronger State Produce Program using the Produce Regulatory Program Standards (PRPS) Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Gerald R Ford Ballroom – 1st Floor Join us for an enlightening session as we delve into Virginia's distinct regulatory strategies concerning hemp-derived cannabis products. The session begins with an engaging slide presentation, providing an in-depth analysis of Virginia's regulatory approach. Following the presentation, attendees will participate in a dynamic and interactive discussion, exploring the efficacy of various regulatory approaches for this new class of products. Download the presentation here

Location: Amway – Governors Room – 2nd Floor The Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act is currently changing the way cosmetic products, including tattoo ink, are regulated in the United States. This presentation will provide an overview of tattoo ink manufacturing as it relates to the 7 primary elements of MoCRA, FDA inspections, and general GMP compliance concepts.

Location: Amway – Imperial Ballroom – 1st Floor Hear about NASDA updates and work in produce safety.