International conference dedicated to food fraud will be held in Canada

Food Fraud incidents are reported on a daily basis in different parts of the world and are a constant challenge for the food industry sector, food regulators and consumers alike.

QUEBEC CITY -- Senior International Food Regulators and Experts from Academia, Government, Industry and International Organizations are meeting from 4-5 April, 2017 at the Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, QC, to discuss challenges posed by Food Fraud and to develop a path for collective action.

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Food Fraud incidents are reported on a daily basis in different parts of the world and are a constant challenge for the food industry sector, food regulators and consumers alike. Such incidents hurt consumers' confidence in the integrity and authenticity of the food they purchase. They may even pose a public health threat, when adulteration of foods involves harmful substances. The modus operandi of the food fraudster is to continually change how fraud is perpetrated to evade detection and keep one step or more ahead of those trying to ensure the integrity of the global food supply system.

Food fraud incidents go as far as hurting the reputation of countries or regions of the world, undermining the trust of consumers, and harming the integrity of the food regulatory system of these countries with dramatic economic consequences.

Developing tools and solutions to prevent such issue continue to be a global area of concern.

To understand this global food challenge and gather momentum for collective action in preventing and managing food fraud, the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) and the Department of Food Science of Université Laval are joining forces with the Institute of Global Food Security of Queen's University (QUB) of Belfast in the United Kingdom and the Quebec Research and Innovation Consortium on Industrial Bioprocesses (CRIBIQ) to hold an international symposium dedicated to this issue at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Canada, from 4-5 April 2017. "Understanding Food Fraud Globally" will bring together senior regulators from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the US Food and Drug Administration, the European Commission and other key European food regulators from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands as well as China and Australia, along with experts from academia and industry groups to discuss current knowledge, domestic and international experience related to early identification, prevention and management of food fraud incidents.

Recent developments in foresight, laboratory detection methods and management tools available to industry and regulators will be discussed, with the intent to identify gaps and opportunities for collaboration.

International Organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will be represented at this event and will support efforts for collaboration amongst all stakeholders, including international food regulators to promote enhanced guidance and a harmonized food regulatory environment for food fraud prevention globally.

"With such a strong mobilization of expertise from around the globe and such a senior level commitment from leaders of regulatory agencies, academic institutions and international organizations who agreed to come together at the iconic location, where 72 years ago FAO was born as the first UN agency, we are hoping that Quebec City witnesses once more, the creation of a new momentum for collective action to fight food fraud and to support consumer confidence in the integrity of our food supply" declared Dr. Samuel Godefroy, Professor of Food Risk Analysis at Université Laval, Research Scientist at INAF, and one of the key program organizers of this event.

SOURCE Groupe EnvironeX