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<< back to the 2004 archive listing << Food Protection Trends President's Perspective “Seminars Among the Saguaros” It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost one year since our last IAFP Annual Meeting in New Orleans! It only seems like yesterday we were enjoying great scientific presentations on the Mississippi and sipping Hurricanes on Bourbon Street. IAFP 2003, by several measures, was one of the most successful annual meetings ever and IAFP 2004 promises to be even better! The Program Committee, chaired by Gary Acuff, has done a stellar job putting this year’s program together. Our technical program offers something for everyone including topics on dairy, meat, poultry and produce safety. There are also sessions on emerging pathogens such as Enterobacter sakazakii and viral and parasitic pathogens. We have three excellent workshops on Friday and Saturday before the meeting – Workshop I is “Your Data, Your Job: Quality Systems for Microbial Food Analysis” (one which benefits any of us who generates and/or analyzes micro-biological data for decision making), Workshop II, “Best Practices for Safe and High Quality Aquaculture Products” (a session that includes a field trip to a working shrimp farm in the Sonoran Desert!), and Workshop III, “Converting to the NCIMS Voluntary HACCP System from Traditional Dairy Inspection” (an exciting new approach to managing dairy safety that became effective this year). Please take advantage of these educational workshops as you plan your itinerary. They are a great way to learn from some of the most esteemed food safety experts in our profession. I am particularly delighted to have Martin Cole from Food Science Australia join us to deliver the 2004 Ivan Parkin Lecture. Martin has held a number of senior food safety positions within the industry around the world. He has also been a long-time contributor to a number of international organizations including the Codex Food Hygiene for the Microbiological Specifications for Foods. We are all looking forward to Martin sharing his insights and experiences with us on opening night. Another event that I am thoroughly excited about is the very first “John H. Silliker” Lecture to be delivered during the plenary session on Tuesday, August 10. I can think of no other person more deserving to deliver this inaugural lecture than my friend and colleague R. Bruce Tompkin. Bruce’s illustrious career serves as an example for all of us. I’m truly pleased to have this lecture established in honor of John Silliker, an icon in the profession of food microbiology and further, to have Bruce Tompkin delivering the inaugural address. It doesn’t get better than that! I would also encourage all of you to stay for the Annual Meeting Awards Banquet on Wednesday evening. This banquet honors a number of our friends, colleagues, and also organizations for their achievements in our profession. It’s a great way to close the Annual Meeting and a great way for you to join in the celebration of their achievements. David Tharp and our IAFP staff have been working hard for the past year to
make IAFP 2004 a memorable event. This year’s venue, the JW Marriott Desert
Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Arizona is an outstanding location. It is a full-service
resort with world-class amenities that you will thoroughly enjoy. Don’t
worry about the summertime heat in Phoenix! I assure you it will be a constant
70°F (21°C) indoors! There are also plenty of swimming pools in which
to cool off. Come to the meeting, have a great time with your old friends and
make new friends. Enjoy the learning experience and get caught up on the latest
leading edge scientific food safety information available anywhere. Enjoy a
prickly pear margarita (regular or virgin) and enjoy IAFP’s “Seminars
among the Saguaros” — it will be a memorable experience! As always,
I welcome your thoughts and comments at phall@kraft.com. Until next month...
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