The challenges and risks on the horizon for the food industry and an update on the future of food regulations were among the highlights of a conference for environmental health professionals.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Food Safety Conference saw two days of engaging sessions on food safety, kicking off with a talk by CIEH Vice President and Professor of Food Safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS), Professor Chris Elliott.
Professor Elliott delved into the risks currently on the horizon for the food industry, touching on food fraud, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, heists (organised thefts), labour issues, EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and cyber-crime.
His talk was followed on day one by an eye-opening session from Lizzie Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of the National Pig Association (NPA) on tackling the risks of illegally imported meat and the spread of diseases like African Swine Fever.
Other highlights from the first day of the conference included a talk from CIEH Vice President Professor Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy, Centre for Food Policy, School of Health & Medical Sciences, University of London, on steps to narrow the UK civil food resilience gap.
Professor Lang spoke about the critical lessons that can be learned from a recent report he published, commissioned by the National Preparedness Commission, which sets out next steps for creating a model to protect the UK public from potential shocks to the food system.
Day two got underway with a much-anticipated update on the future of regulation, delivered by Nathan Barnhouse, Head of Regulatory Compliance at the FSA.
Nathan reported back on recent consultation events and FSA board meetings where the simplification and reform of the regulatory system and a review of the Food Law Code of Practice have been among the topics discussed.
He also spoke about the ongoing debates around mandatory display of food hygiene ratings in England, something CIEH has persistently called for, and he reaffirmed the view of the FSA Board that they are keen to see this happen.
However, he said this requires new primary legislation and until there is a suitable legislative vehicle and parliamentary time secured, the FSA will continue to work with partners to maintain and improve the impact of the ratings scheme.
Among the other highlights on day two were a session on what food safety teams need to know about pest control in 2025 from Niall Gallagher, Technical and Compliance Manager at the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and Andy Quinn, Head of the National Food Crime Unit at the FSA looking at the progress, challenges and lessons learned from the horsemeat scandal a decade on.
Sterling Crew, CIEH Food Safety Advisory Panel member and public health advocate, chaired the first day of the conference and spoke on day two about how Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) can help ensure food service operators can maintain the highest standards of food safety when it comes to sourcing, handling and serving eggs.
He said: “This year’s CIEH Food Safety Conference brought together an exceptional line-up of speakers and thought leaders, delivering two days of insightful, thought-provoking sessions on the most pressing issues facing the food industry and the work of environmental health professionals.
“We are incredibly grateful to all our speakers, contributors, and attendees for making the event such a success. Their expertise, engagement and commitment to advancing food safety are what make this conference such a valuable platform for the environmental health community.”
