IAFP 2019 was another successful meeting for the International Association for Food Protection. Held in Louisville, Kentucky, the three-day meeting concluded July 24 with a record-breaking international audience of more than 3,800 registered attendees representing 51 countries, 50 states, and seven Canadian provinces. The meeting has earned recognition as the leading food safety conference.

President Tim Jackson officially welcomed attendees to Louisville at IAFP 2019’s Opening Session on Sunday evening. Those honored throughout the session included four Fellow Award recipients; five Travel Award recipients from State or Provincial Health or Agricultural Departments; three Travel Award recipients from a Country with a Developing Economy; and 21 Student Travel Scholarship Award recipients. The Ivan Parkin Lecture closed the session and featured Dr. Barbara Chamberlin, professor of extension instructional design and education media specialist at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Dr. Chamberlin spoke on “The Power of Play: Using Media to Educate Our Stakeholders.”

IAFP 2019’s program featured more than 1,000 presentations including 71 symposia, 22 roundtable sessions, 131 technical presentations, and more than 765 poster presentations. Representatives from 187 companies, including 41 new exhibitors, showcased equipment and the latest innovations in food safety services in the Exhibit Hall.

Monday’s agenda included a U.S. Regulatory Update on Food Safety, featuring Dr. Mindy Brashears with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Mr. Frank Yiannas with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

On Wednesday afternoon, the John H. Silliker Lecture featured Dr. Robert Tauxe, MD, MPH, director, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Tauxe spoke on “From Outbreak Catastrophes to Clades of Concern, How Whole Genome Sequencing Can Change the Food Safety Landscape.”

Wednesday night’s Awards Banquet honored excellence in food safety by recognizing 32 individuals and organizations with awards. The evening concluded with the gavel presentation to Incoming President, Dr. Kali Kniel, professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.