The CIES food safety conference is returning to the glamorous city of Bareclona after a five-year absence.

The conference, which focuses on how to better manage food safety in a global context, will be held in the Catalan capital for the second time in February next year after stints in Rome, Paris, Munich and Amsterdam in recent years.

Under the tagline ‘A Global Challenge’, the conference encourages guests to take an insight into the Spanish retail industry, global food safety and debate themselves.

Last year more than 500 delegates attended the conference, which has hosted 1,450 food safety specialists since it began in Geneva in 2001.

Catherine François, director of food safety programmes at CIES, said: “Consumer confidence in food bought around the world has dropped significantly over the last year and managing food safety consistently in the global marketplace has become the major challenge [to suppliers].

“[At the conference] you will be exposed to new ideas and thinking from great speakers and experienced food safety professionals, designed to challenge your thinking in this ever-changing world,” she said.

The conference runs from February 4-6, 2009 at the Palau du Congressos de Catalunya.