FMI

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in the US has announced in a press release its board of directors have given the green light to develop The Center of Excellence for Food Safety and Protection.

The facility will serve as a comprehensive resource for food safety and protection information, initiatives and programmes to support FMI members, as well as the food and consumer products industry and consumers.

“Food safety is a priority for retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers, so The Center of Excellence for Food Safety and Protection will create a valuable benefit for members as they address all aspects of food safety and protection within their companies,” said FMI President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie G. Sarasin.

“The Center will serve as a resource to consolidate our knowledge of food safety and strengthen our commitment to ensuring that the food we sell is as safe as possible.”

The Center of Excellence will bring together food safety experts and professionals from government relations, asset protection, food defense, supply chain management, health and wellness, sustainability and industry relations to address all aspects of food safety.

According to FMI, the collaboration will generate information on the safety of the food supply from farm to table, and will focus on support, services and tools to help members address food safety and protection, including the development of:

Prevention programmes
Enhanced public/private partnerships
Strengthened collaborations
Crisis management
Stronger response and recovery plans

“All of us in the food industry hold the same expectation as our customers – that the food we bring home to our families is safe,” said Danny Wegman, Wegman’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the FMI Board Food Safety Committee.

“The Center of Excellence for Food Safety and Protection will provide us with access to the most timely information and resources related to food safety so we can maintain our goal of providing safe food in our stores.”

Additional resources related to food and agriculture infrastructure such as intentional adverse events, animal welfare issues, and emergency preparation and response plans will also be available through the facility.

The Center of Excellence for Food Safety and Protection will be led by Dr Jill Hollingsworth who has been promoted to the position of FMI Senior Vice President.

Dr Hollingsworth previously served as group vice president of food safety programmes and prior to joining FMI, she worked at the US Department of Agriculture for 15 years where she was responsible for a wide variety of scientific activities including outbreak investigations, recalls and public health policy.

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