Food Safety News: Top Takeaways From GFSI 2024
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) launched at the turn of the millennium in response to growing consumer concern for food safety. GFSI certification has become a gold standard for companies participating in the global food industry, but the organization also offers much-needed community and collaboration for stakeholders.
Every year, GFSI assembles key players in the food industry, including retailers, manufacturers, and food service companies, to share knowledge, develop higher standards, and design new best practices to improve food safety around the world.
The 2024 event was held from April 8 to 11 in Singapore, bringing together over 80 speakers and 500 participants from more than 40 countries. This year’s theme was “Food Safety — Meeting the Needs of Our Evolving World,” highlighting the importance of collaboration in response to food safety issues stemming from climate change and geopolitical supply chain disruption.
The AIB International team was there to learn from the successes of other stakeholders and discuss a path forward for the industry in the coming years. Here are the top food safety takeaways from the event:
1. The Green Transition Is Vital to Food Safety
On day one of the conference, there was a panel discussion on “Food Safety in the Green Transition” that drew a connection between sustainability and food safety. Panelists acknowledged the difficulty that comes with trying to balance food safety considerations with sustainable practices, and the need to maintain profitability. One exciting solution proposed during the discussion was for regulators to better support manufacturers with the resources to produce safe and sustainable foods so the burden wouldn't fall entirely on private companies.
Another session on day two explored the importance of harmonizing the language around sustainable food systems, stressing that food safety and sustainability should not be seen as trade-offs. The discussions pointed to the necessity of developing proactive strategies that include clear definitions and common language to ensure inclusivity, especially for SMEs in middle-income countries.
2. Food Industry Professionals Are the True Health Professionals
In what many considered the highlight of day two, professor Patrick Wall from the University College Dublin defied the current framing of health and the healthcare system. In his presentation, he pointed out that doctors and nurses are primarily concerned with "sickness care," while the professionals in the food industry are more focused on true healthcare — simply by virtue of supporting the nutrition that protects consumers' well-being. He stressed that, regardless of age, gender, and lifestyle, proper nutrition will not only improve quality of life, but extend it.
“[Age] 60 is the new 30, and 90 is the new 60,” Dr. Wall said, which was met with applause. “There is no reason that we cannot do what we did at 30 and 60 when we are 60 and 90, respectively, provided we look after our nutrition.”
3. Remote Auditing Is An Evolving Norm
On Day three, a panel led by Mary Gertz, chief food safety and quality officer from Yum! Brands, discussed the evolving necessity of remote audits versus traditional, in-person methods. A major development from the COVID-19 pandemic was the wide-scale adoption of conducting facility audits over video conferencing platforms like Zoom. Regulators evolved a new set of best practices for digital inspection that industry and regulatory stakeholders continue to refine today.
The panel highlighted how intuition, emotional intelligence, and a human touch remain important, even during digital site inspections. Offering advanced training will help humanize the process even more to further improve inspection and auditing outcomes.
Stay Up to Date on the Latest Food Safety News
The world is changing quickly, and so are the challenges and opportunities surrounding the food supply chain. This year’s GFSI Conference in Singapore proved to be a valuable touchpoint for leaders throughout the industry to discuss challenges and shape collective strategies moving forward.
AIB International is constantly updating its own programs, services, and strategies to stay aligned with the global community and improve food safety standards. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest food safety news.
