The Dubai International Food Safety Conference has kicked off today for its 18th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, featuring over 3,000 experts and specialists in food safety from around the globe.

Running until 23 October, the conference, themed "Future Foresight in Food Safety", addresses proactive approaches to emerging challenges in the global food sector and the urgent need for sustainable and innovative solutions to ensure the safety of food systems for the future.

During his opening speech, Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, emphasised the importance of balancing and agility to deal with technological innovations to maximise the opportunities they present.

He pointed out the necessity of adopting a proactive approach to confront global challenges, including climate change and the rapid transformation in food manufacturing and preparation methods, as well as evolving consumption patterns.

Al Hajri added, "The Dubai International Food Safety Conference holds a prestigious global status, providing an important platform for specialists, research institutions, and global organisations in the food sector to exchange ideas and innovations, as well as to benefit from leading expertise in food safety. The success of the conference reflects Dubai's leading role in envisioning the future of food, both regionally and globally."

He also highlighted the need to continue developing modern technologies and harnessing them to enhance regulatory bodies' capacity to predict potential risks and mitigate their impacts on communities, in addition to providing sustainable solutions based on scientific principles using AI and big data analytics.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has included the Dubai International Food Safety Conference in the official events list for World Food Day, which aligns this year with the conference's theme of "Future Foresight in Food Safety," emphasising the necessity for solidarity and collective action to achieve a fair and secure food future for all.

On this occasion, Dr. Kayan Akram Jaff, Head of Mission of the FAO Sub-regional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen, stated, "The global food sector is facing significant challenges that threaten the safety of food systems and limit their ability to keep pace with ongoing changes. This necessitates our collaboration and collective action to innovate solutions that enhance our capacity to anticipate the future and mitigate the impacts of these challenges. This is where the importance of international conferences like the Dubai International Food Safety Conference becomes evident, as it provides a global platform for knowledge exchange and the envisioning of solutions to address the risks threatening the future of the global food system."

Conference participants also listened to a keynote speech delivered by Dr. Jaff titled From Farm to Table: Building Sustainable Food Systems for the Future, which addressed the role of global organisations in creating sustainable food systems capable of meeting the challenges facing the food sector.

The conference features a series of sessions and workshops focusing on proactive solutions aimed at ensuring food safety for the world's populations. During the future-oriented sessions, the latest innovations in food safety, sustainable nutrition, novel and genetically modified foods, and food testing technologies are highlighted, with participation from a select group of global experts.

The Dubai International Food Safety Conference features a series of sessions and workshops focused on proactive solutions aimed at ensuring the sustainability and safety of food for people worldwide. During the future foresight sessions, the latest innovations in food safety, sustainable nutrition, novel and genetically modified foods, and food testing technologies were highlighted, with participation from a select group of experts from around the globe.

A workshop organised in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation aims to educate participants on the importance of innovative thinking and its role in creating proactive solutions to ensure food security and safety.

Other topics of focus during the conference include the future of testing genetically modified foods, cultivated foods, proactive management of chemical and microbial risks, as well as food safety during transport and logistics, crisis management in the food industry, and the future of training and awareness in food safety.

This year, the conference offers a dedicated programme for students and young researchers, providing them a platform to present their research and scientific projects in food safety, allowing them to interact with participating experts and attend specialised scientific workshops.

The programme also includes scientific poster presentations and educational seminars aimed at raising awareness of the importance of food safety and the role of youth in developing future solutions.

The Dubai International Food Safety Conference is an annual event organised by Dubai Municipality to provide a global platform that brings together experts and specialists in the food sector to exchange ideas and innovations that will ensure a sustainable future for food worldwide.