The 13th annual Food Safety Summit will take place April 19 to 21 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. David Gregory, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” will deliver the keynote address to participants of the Food Safety Summit at 9:30 a.m. on April 20.

More than 1,400 food manufacturing, retail, foodservice, academic, military and government professionals will attend the summit to share their knowledge and experience in interactive workshops, general sessions and on the exhibit floor where more than 150 companies will display products and services and the latest information in fighting contamination.

New this year, the expo hall will be open April 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on April 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21 will be “Casual Thursday” where the conference sessions will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. followed by lunch. Attendees can either stay and network or have lunch to go.

In addition to Gregory’s keynote session, The Food Safety Summit offers a broad educational program, which begins on April 19 with three half-day workshops. Speakers will provide in-depth analysis and give attendees the opportunity to discover how issues including “Training For Results,” “Effective Risk Communication In Order To Secure Food Safety Resources,” and the “Three Pillars Of Successful Food Liability Program: Prevention, Response and Resolution” are implemented at other organizations.

Other conference sessions on April 20 and April 21 will feature important government issues including the following: “Food Regulations: What New Mandates Face the Food Industry in 2011 and Beyond” and “The FDA Food Code: Content, Adoption and Implementation” to manufacturing issues such as “Traceability, Managing Allergens and Food Defense” to issues including “Food Safety Media Training” and “Working with Public Health Officials.”

In addition, several companies including Ecolab, IFS Food, Siemens Industry, Bureau Veritas Certification NA Inc., Romer Labels, Alchemy Systems, New Leaf Food Safety Solutions, Eurofins Scientific, Ingersoll Rand, DeltaTrak and Lubriplate Lubricants will offer education sessions in the vendor theaters.

For more information or to register, call 847/405-4000 or visitfoodsafetysummit.com .