21st 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
There is no fee to attend, but registration is required.
To register for in-person attendance:
To register for virtual attendance:
Registration will close on Monday October 28th at 4:30 PM
Agenda
8:00 - 8:30 AM
In-person Registration
8:30 - 8:45 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks - Michelle Martin
8:45 – 10:15 AM
Session 1: Moderator - Hany Anany
8:45 - 9:15 AM
Speaker: Jeff Farber
Title: Spotlight on Cronobacter spp. in infant foods: Current Insights and Future Strategies for Infant Safety
9:15 - 9:45 AM
Speaker: Marjon Wells-Bennik
Microbial risk assessment for plant-based dairy products
9:45 - 10:15 AM
Speakers: Paul Medeiros and Deborah Ng
Title: From Snacks to Smoothies and Pop to Pizza; Addressing Risk Through The Evolution of Vending Machines
10:15 - 10:45 AM
Coffee break and networking
10:45 - 11:45 AM
Session 2: Moderator - Vaish Kalsy
10:45 - 11:15 AM
Speaker: Keith Warriner
Title: Risk Management in Indoor Farming Operations: Hydroxyl-radical process based interventions and development of food safety guidelines.
11:15 - 11:45 AM
Speaker: Lynn McMullen
Title: Food Safety in Daycares – what needs to improve to prevent outbreaks
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Session 3: Moderator - Michelle Martin
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Panel Discussion
12:15PM
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
Dr. Wells-Bennick is Principal Scientist Food Safety at NIZO, a company that performs contract research for leading food and health companies with a mission to contribute to better food and health and sustainable food production. She is also a visiting scientist at the Food Microbiology Laboratory at Wageningen University. Her work at NIZO focuses on control of contaminants in the food chain, with the aim to help customers speed up innovation, and produce safe foods with reliable processes, thereby protecting image and brands and reducing food waste.
Her broad expertise and background in food safety and quality was shaped by her PhD at Wageningen University, Postdoc at Harvard University, work at Wageningen University and Research in The Netherlands, The Quadram Institute in Norwich, and for the last 20 years at NIZO.
Microbial risk assessment for plant-based dairy products
Many innovative plant-based dairy alternatives are now on the market, aiming at the same mouthfeel, taste, look, etc. as dairy versions. They are made of different plant-based ingredients, with many variables. This may also hold true for the types and levels of micro-organisms they harbour. But how to assess the potential microbial risks in these new products? What is the impact of the ingredients, the formulation, the processing, and the storage conditions? Different plant-based product have their own potential issues: with a non-dairy drinks, it might be heating; for yoghurt-like products perhaps challenges in the fermentation process; and for cheese alternatives, control of intrinsic and post-processing contaminants during shelf life. This presentation shares insights on contaminants in commonly used plant-based ingredients and development of models for better risk assessments throughout the chain.
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.
Keith Warriner, Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph
Dr. Warriner is currently a Professor within the Department of Food Science at University of Guelph, Canada. Dr. Warriner received his BSc in Food Science from the University of Nottingham, UK and PhD in Microbial Physiology from the University College of Wales Aberystwyth, UK. He later went on to work at within the University of Manchester before returning to the University of Nottingham. He joined the Faculty of the University of Guelph in 2002. During the last twenty-two years in the field of microbiology and food safety research, Dr. Warriner has published more than 200 papers, book chapters, patents, and conference abstracts. He has studied the food safety aspects and risk management, of indoor farming since 1995 Dr Warriner was awarded the IAFP Ewan Todd award for innovations in food safety for 2023. He is Editor-in-Chief of Food Microbiology, Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology.
Risk Management in Indoor Farming Operations: Hydroxyl-radical process based interventions and development of food safety guidelines.
Hydroxyl radicals have the most powerful oxidants encountered and exhibited antimicrobial activity along with degrading chemical hazards such as pesticides. The hydroxyl-radical is generated from the UV mediated degradation of hydrogen peroxide and ozone. The presentation will provide an overview of the hydroxyl-radical reaction and reactors. Amongst the various applications, we have undertaken research on how the hydroxyl-radical treatment can be applied to inputs (seeds, water, growth substrate) to inactivate pathogens (E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella) while brining tangible benefits on, for example, seed germination. Treatments applied to pre and/or post-harvest crops to extend shelf-life through stimulating the stress response of plants will be described. Examples will be provided of leafy greens and fruits that include strawberries, grapes, amongst others. The hydroxyl-radical process has been designated as a Processing Aid by Health Canada with commercial units currently applied in several Indoor Farming operations. The development of food safety guidelines for indoor farming will also be covered.
Lynn McMullen, Professor Emerita, University of Alberta
Dr. McMullen was a Professor of Food Microbiology in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science for 30 years and retired in June, 2024. Lynn completed her PhD, MSc and BSc(HEc) at the University of Alberta. Her research has focused the application of novel technologies to improve meat safety and quality and understanding the mechanisms of resistance to food safety interventions. The research has spanned from discovery to function and structure to application of novel antimicrobials and interventions to control pathogens in food. Dr. McMullen worked on the Alberta Government Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel that was charged with making recommendations to strengthen food safety legislation in Alberta and the inspection processes that govern food safety in shared kitchens servicing licensed facility-based childcare.
Food Safety in Daycares – what needs to improve to prevent outbreaks
Food safety in childcare settings is of paramount importance due to the susceptibility of children to foodborne pathogens. In Alberta in 2023, a large outbreak of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli, affecting over 400 individuals, occurred in multiple childcare facilities with a central kitchen. Food handling mistakes were made in the central kitchen but the story doesn’t end there. This presentation will summarize what went wrong and what needs to improve to reduce the risk of foodborne outbreaks in childcare settings.
Our Moderators:
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Hany Anany, Research Scientist Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and GFSS Organizing Committee Member
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Brendan Dougherty, Senior Epidemiologist
Public Health Agency of Canada
and
GFSS Organizing Committee Member
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Vaishnavi Kalsy, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager Canadian Food Inspection Agency and GFSS Organizing Committee Member |
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Michelle J. Martin, Manager Health Protection Division, Durham Region Health Department and GFSS Organizing Committee Member
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