A major food safety meeting is set to take place at the end of March in Spain.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) annual conference is back to in-person status and set for March 29 to 31 in Barcelona. It is expected to  bring together 900 people from more than 50 countries to discuss food safety. The 2021 edition was held virtually.

Speakers across the three-day event include people from the World Health Organization, Starbucks, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, HelloFresh, Amazon, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Danone and The Kroger Co. Admission fees range from more than €1,000 ($1,100) to almost €3,000 ($3,300).

Representatives from the Codex Alimentarius Commission and national regulators such as the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) and the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) are also set to attend.

Erica Sheward, director of the GFSI, said the conference provides an opportunity to reflect and plan for the future.

“As the world grapples with the challenge of feeding almost 8 billion people safely and sustainably, working across boundaries to ensure safe food everywhere has never been more critical,” she said.

The event will focus on food safety best practices, encouraging partnerships across the industry, building trust and transparency with consumers, and showcasing innovations and technologies for the future of food safety.

Pierre de Ginestel, director of health and quality at the retailer Auchan, said no single company or organization can fight the major food issues alone.

“We must share experiences and we must gather the competencies to improve food safety and reduce different risks,” he said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a health pass is required to attend the event. Passes can be in digital or paper form and will be scanned when entering the venue. Those without a pass will be denied entry.

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