Institute of Food Technologists to Host Food Policy Impact Conference in Washington D.C., December 1st

Michael Taylor from FDA to Speak at Opening Session

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On December 1st, 2011, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is hosting it's first-ever Food Policy Impact Conference in Washington D.C. at the Sheraton Crystal City. The conference will bring together professionals in food laws, regulations and policy to learn approaches that will make a tangible impact on the future.

"From a global perspective, establishing food regulations and standards is critical to ensuring the safety and quality of our food supply," said Roger Clemens, President of IFT. "This conference addresses crucial governmental efforts through regulatory interpretation, analysis of emerging issues, and realistic assessments of the impact of policy on the food industry."

The opening session will feature Michael R. Taylor, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Foods FDA and Jenny Scott, Senior Advisor to the Director of the Office of Food Safety at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition who will provide key updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Two separate tracks will be offered at the conference. One focuses on food safety and the other on food labeling and marketing. Attendees can either attend sessions within one track to focus on their experience, or move between tracks to gain a broader perspective on the issues.

The conference will feature a variety of speakers in both tracks including Scott Davis, Chief Concept Officer for Panera Bread, Craig Wilson, Vice President, General Merchandising Manager of Costco Wholesale Quality Assurance and Food Safety, Richard Cleland, Esq., Assistant Director, Division of Advertising Practices, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), David Acheson, M.D., Managing Director, Food & Import Safety, Leavitt Partners, and Barbara Schneerman, Ph.D., Director, Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA.

The conference will close with a discussion between Michael Jacobson, Executive Director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Peter Barton Hutt, Senior Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP who will discuss the pros and cons of the current health, wellness and safety policies and regulation.

For more details please visit the advance program link http://bit.ly/sF7ORW.  Registration fee is waived for credentialed media. If you are a member of the media interested in attending IFT Food Policy Impact, please contact Mindy Weinstein at 312-604-0231, [email protected] or Stephanie Callahan at 312-604-0273, [email protected].

About IFT
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT's mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.

For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.

SOURCE Institute of Food Technologists