More than 3,200 Food Safety Professionals Gather in New Orleans as Industry Confronts Emerging Risks

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Des Moines, Iowa – More than 3,200 food safety professionals from around the world gathered in New Orleans, Louisiana, for IAFP 2026, July 26–29. The Annual Meeting hosted by the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) brought together researchers, regulators, industry leaders, and public health professionals at a time of rapid change across the global food system.

Attendees represented 47 countries, 48 states, nine Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Over four days, the meeting provided a forum for examining both long-standing food safety challenges and new risks being shaped by technology, evolving regulations, and increasingly complex global supply chains.

IAFP 2026 featured more than 1,000 presentations, including 64 symposia, 29 roundtable sessions, more than 150 technical sessions, and more than 700 poster presentations.

The growing role of data and technology in food safety was especially prominent throughout the Annual Meeting. Sessions explored AI-powered pathogen detection, data governance, genomics, microbiome mapping, and new approaches to recall management and consumer education. Other sessions addressed challenges including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, antimicrobial resistance, water safety, foodborne outbreaks and regulatory compliance.

IAFP President Dr. Manpreet Singh officially welcomed attendees during Sunday evening’s Opening Session. Dr. Gregory Astill, Economist, Provo, Utah, and Dr. Elizabeth Bihn, Director of the Produce Safety Alliance at Cornell University, served as this year’s Ivan Parkin lecturers. Their interactive presentation, “An Engaging Exchange: Distilling Data for Impact,” focused on how food safety professionals can evaluate and use data to inform decisions across science, business and policy.

The Opening Session also recognized four Fellow Award recipients, five Travel Award recipients from Health or Agriculture Departments in North America, three Travel Award recipients from a Country with a Developing Economy, and 20 Student Travel Scholarship recipients. The travel awards are funded by the IAFP Foundation.

Monday’s program included the “U.S. Regulatory Update on Food Safety,” featuring Dr. Donald Prater, D.V.M., Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Dr. Mindy Brashears, Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture. The session provided perspectives on the changing regulatory environment and current food safety priorities in the United States.

On Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Ruth Petran, Principal and Founder of Ruth Petran Consulting, LLC, and Senior Advisor with The Acheson Group, delivered the John H. Silliker Lecture, “From Fundamentals to Frontiers: A Consultant’s Guide to Tackling Food Safety Risks.”

Beyond educational programming, representatives from 164 companies showcased equipment, technologies and food safety services in the Exhibit Hall, providing attendees with opportunities to explore new tools and solutions while connecting with colleagues from across the profession.

IAFP 2026 concluded with an awards banquet, where 26 individuals and organizations were recognized for excellence and contributions to food safety. The meeting officially closed with the traditional gavel presentation to Incoming President Dr. Manan Sharma.

Most sessions at IAFP 2026 were recorded and are now available at no additional cost to registered attendees. Those who did not register for the meeting may purchase access to the full collection of recorded sessions for $200.

Planning is already underway for IAFP 2027 in Kansas City, Missouri, with exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities now open. Registration will open in December 2026, with discounted rates for IAFP Members. Learn more at foodprotection.org/annualmeeting/.