The recent listeriosis outbreak in South Africa has made the topic of food safety even more urgent. From 15 to 17 October 2018, food safety experts and scholars from around the world will gather at the St George’s Hotel, Pretoria, for the 2nd International Conference for Food Safety and Security. Conference attendees will discuss pathways towards a safe food future for all under the theme “Next Generation Food Safety Technologies: Addressing Sustainable Development Goals”.

“Food security and food safety are critical issues globally, and this conference will allow world leaders in this field to engage in high-level research conversations, enabling South Africa to showcase excellence and innovation, thereby strengthening international collaboration,” says conference chair Professor Lise Korsten of the University of Pretoria and co-director of the Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE).

The world’s biggest proportion of hungry, malnourished and poor live in developing countries. Therefore, indigenous knowledge, supported by innovation and technology, is key to addressing the sustainable development goals in order to transform our world and create ‘The Future We Want’. 

The conference line-up includes an impressive cohort of students and early-career researchers – funded through the CoE – who will showcase their research prowess alongside local, regional and international experts in the fields of food safety and security.

Topics on the agenda include food and health risk assessment, livestock infectious diseases and zoonoses, pesticides and chemical food safety, antimicrobial resistance in the agro-ecosystem, and current and emerging microbial foodborne pathogens and indicator systems.

It’s expected that the conference will provide an avenue for the exchange of ideas among policy makers, scientists and various stakeholders on issues relating to food policy and regulation, taking into account the implications and the legitimate expectations of consumers, i.e. safety, health and nutrition.

The 2nd International Conference for Food Safety and Security is jointly hosted by the University of Pretoria, the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, the University of Johannesburg, the Human Sciences Research Council, and the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa.