ST. LOUIS  — The International Association for Food Protection is bringing more than 3,000 professionals to St. Louis this week for more than 900 technical papers, posters and symposia dealing with current information on the topic off food safety. The IAFP annual meeting is viewed as one of the world’s leading annual food safety conferences attended by top industry, academic and government food safety experts. The July 31 to Aug. 3 conference brings together educators, government officials, microbiologists, food industry executives  and quality control professionals who are involved in all aspects of growing, storing, transporting, processing and preparing all sorts of food. IAFP members represent more than 70 counties. They help the association achieve its mission through networking, educational journals, carrier opportunities and other activities. Among the rewards IAFP presented at the start of the conference were the International Leadership Award, which was presented to Khalid Mohamed Sharif of the Dubia Municipality for his dedication to the ideals and objectives of IAFP, and for his promotion the the association outside the the U.S. and Canada. Also winning a major award was Dale Morton of Morton Food Safety associates for his long contribution to food safety research and  education. The harry Haverland Citation award went to the University of Wisconsin’s Elliot T. Ryser for his objectives an ideals to the objectives of the association. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)