Twenty-two senior Chinese food safety delegates from industry, government and academia met in Minnesota last week as part of the Global Initiative for Food Systems Leadership’s (GIFSL’s) two-week program on international food safety standards.

GIFSL, a public-private partnership funded by organizations like the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Cargill, and Ecolab, coordinated the program, which consisted of roundtable food safety discussions, visits to food facilities, and meetings with international food policy experts.

“Food safety is the concern of every country in the world. It is a top priority for the Chinese government. Through the program we can share ideas, experience and even lessons for food safety administration,” said Mr. Li Hai Qing, head of the Chinese delegation.

“Everyone in the food supply chain has some responsibility for ensuring food safety,” said international food safety expert Will Hueston, GIFSL executive director and professor of veterinary medicine and public health at the University of Minnesota. “It takes a collaborative effort to ensure safety, and that’s one of the goals of this project.”

The meetings in Minnesota coincided with the China International Food Safety and Quality Conference and Expo in Beijing, the largest meeting of industry and government food safety leaders in Asia.