Now in its 15th year, the annual Food Safety Summit is moving to a new location: Baltimore. Taking place April 30-May 2 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the food safety event also will feature new, updated seminar topics and exhibit hall hours that do not overlap with educational seminars so attendees do not have to miss any of the learning and networking opportunities. 

Before the Food Safety Summit officially begins, individuals who need food safety training, certification and recertification can come early for multi-part ServSafe and Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) training and certification programs beginning April 29.

Continuing the educational portion of the program, attendees also can join new half-day workshops starting April 30 to interact with industry experts. Topics for the workshops include: Food Defense Plan Builder Application: Let the Tool Show You How!; Business Acumen, Executive Speak, Communication and Leadership Style: Tools for the Food Safety Professional; Industry Working with Local and State Food and Drug Officials; and 2013 Impact of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act on International Regulatory Policies and Trade. Attendees also can sit in on 18 conference sessions highlighting new topics such as social media, allergen control, the Food Defense Plan Builder tool, and E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria. For added convenience, some educational sessions also will be offered as live webinars this year. 

Officially kicking off the exhibit hall portion of the summit on May 1 will be the keynote address by Will Daniels, senior vice president of operations and organic integrity at Earthbound Farm in San Juan Bautista, Calif.

 On the exhibit hall floor, attendees can network with more than 150 exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services, tools and solutions to support food safety and food defense plans.

The last day of the summit will feature the Food Safety Summit Town Hall with discussion hosts Mike Taylor of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Elisabeth Hagen of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Joseph Corby, executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials. This open forum will address issues regarding regulatory agencies and the private sector. Attendees can submit questions to the host panel on the Food Safety Summit website. 

 For more information or to register, visit foodsafetysummit.com.