Speaker: Sophie Thorogood, John Stewart and Tahir Rashid

Target audience: Pest Controllers, Technical Inspectors, Food Safety Officers, Restaurants, Food Manufacturing Facilities and Hoteliers

This workshop will give key insight into how different pests can be most effectively managed with a key focus on birds, stored product insects and flying insects. This workshop will be highly interactive allowing attendees to practice installation of proofing techniques, insect identification and using digital insect light traps.

Speaker: Matheus Cezarotto and Barbara Chamberlin

Target Audience: Food safety content experts seeking to develop educational interventions containing media (e.g., games, virtual labs, VR experiences), and food safety educators exploring different models and approaches for developing effective media or enhancing their processes for developing educational media. They will benefit from this research-based process for designing effective food safety training.

Effective food safety training requires intentional design to engage learners and drive behavior change. Many workers find training tedious or irrelevant, and materials are often reused without adaptation.

This masterclass guides educators through a hands-on process to identify training needs, create impactful activities, and design supporting media. Participants will develop ideas individually or collaboratively—such as games, interactive tools, or digital content—aligned with learner goals. By the end, they will leave with a design document ready to support media development, helping make food safety education more engaging and effective.

Speaker: Byron David Chaves Elizondo

Target audience: This workshop is designed for food safety and quality professionals across both food manufacturing and retail settings. Participants may include managers and supervisors from RTE food manufacturing plants, as well as those working in retail food operations, catering services, and central kitchens. It will also benefit sanitation supervisors and regulatory or compliance staff responsible for verifying sanitation and environmental monitoring programs.

Environmental monitoring is used as a verification process to ensure the effective of sanitation control measures in a food processing operation, when an environmental hazard, such as Salmonella or Listeria, are reasonably likely to happen. This workshop will provide tools for the ready-to-eat food manufacturers to comply with requirements and expectations for implementation of effective sanitation practices.

Speaker: Dipon Sarkar, Mariem Ellouze and Deon Mahoney

Target Audience: Primarily Food Manufacturing Professionals (e.g., Chocolate Industry) and Regulatory Field Inspectors

Risk assessment involves a process of identifying, analyzing, and characterizing the risk presented by foodborne hazards. By using the best available scientific evidence, a risk assessment establishes if an identified foodborne hazard poses a risk to public health and safety. Thereby enabling risk managers to formulate responses to address the risk. This interactive workshop will deepen participants’ understanding of food safety risk assessment- bridging theory, regulation, and real-world application.

Case Studies: Assessing and managing the risks associated with Dubai chocolate, Brucellosis and camel milk, and Titanium dioxide

• Foundations of Risk Assessment: Clarifying the differences between hazards and risks, inherent vs residual risk, likelihood and consequence, and the role of assumptions, variability, and uncertainty.
• Types and Approaches: Understanding the FAO/WHO 4-step process, and when to use qualitative, semi-quantitative, or quantitative methods.
• Risk-Based Food Safety Management: Linking risk assessment to HACCP, preventive systems, regulatory frameworks, and GFSI-aligned certification schemes.
• Risk Appetite and Tolerance: Recognize how risk appetite and tolerance influence food safety decisions.

Trainers: Lone Jespersen, Andrew Wilson

Target Audience: Food Safety Leaders, Managers, and Policymakers

We will explore the powerful synergy between human excellence and technological innovation. Attendees will go beyond traditional compliance to discover how integrating cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights can transform food safety practices. We will delve into the unique challenges and opportunities presented by this new landscape, focusing on how to build a culture of ownership and accountability that complements—and is enhanced by—technological tools.

• Fostering a Culture of Engagement: Learn how to inspire and empower employees across your organization to embrace new technologies and take personal ownership of their role in ensuring food safety. 
• Navigating Implementation Challenges: Address the practical hurdles of integrating new technologies, from data security and privacy to the critical need for a skilled workforce in a smart city environment.
• Building a Sustainable Future: Gain actionable insights into how the perfect combination of human expertise and technological innovation can lead to a more resilient and transparent food system, strengthening consumer trust and supporting Dubai's global standing.

Speaker: Prof. Lucia Anelich and Lee Griessel

Target Audience: Food Safety Leaders and Managers

This workshop is designed to empower you to lead with impact and with food safety as a business imperative. We equip you with the mindsets, skillsets, and tools to drive transformation, elevate your presence, and excel in food safety leadership

You will learn how to:

• Adopt a systems approach to food safety, moving beyond isolated issues to see the big picture.
• Shift from a fixed to a growth mindset to foster continuous improvement.
• Build a foundation of psychological safety, where team members feel empowered to speak up and take ownership.
• Master clear communication and crisis response to build trust and strengthen collaboration across your organization. 

Speaker: Manpreet Singh

Target Audience: This workshop is ideal for professionals involved in ensuring food safety, quality, and compliance across food manufacturing and service industries. It is especially relevant for those responsible for implementing, managing, or auditing food safety systems. Attendees will gain practical insights into implementing effective verification and validation strategies that drive operational excellence and compliance.

This workshop will equip you with the tools and knowledge to enhance food safety systems through robust verification and validation practices. It will cover the definition and purpose of validation and verification programs, outline key verification procedures, and provide insights into the fundamentals of validation. Participants will also learn about sampling methods, experimental designs, and the mechanics of experimentation for validation, while exploring how these programs connect to and strengthen overall food safety objectives.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Gain a clear understanding of the definitions, differences, and significance of validation and verification in food safety systems.
• Learn how to determine which steps in the process require validation and how to design verification procedures accordingly.
• Acquire the skills to plan, conduct, and review validation studies for processes such as cooking, chilling, cleaning, and sanitation.
• Understand how to create and maintain verification systems that ensure ongoing compliance and process control.
• Learn practices for documentation, data analysis, and audit readiness.
• Develop the ability to identify root causes and implement corrective actions when verification results indicate failures or inconsistencies.
• Understand how to tailor validation and verification practices for food manufacturing and service environments — from large-scale production facilities to commercial kitchens.

Speakers:Ahmed Abdelmoneim, Louisiana State University; Babasaheb Sonawana, University of Georgetown; Mohamed Saad, University of California; Mohamed Ibrahim, Emerging Contaminants Solutions and Innovations

Target Audience: Food Safety Professionals, Public Health Officers, Regulatory Staff, Academics, Graduate Students, and Consultants working in or with interests in Food Regulation, Risk Analysis, and Food Quality Assurance.

Risk assessment is a science-based process that identifies, evaluates, and manages food safety hazards—microbial, chemical, physical, and allergen-related—to protect public health, maintain product quality, and ensure supply chain resilience. It follows Codex Alimentarius principles and regulatory frameworks like FSMA, helping businesses implement preventive controls and enhance HACCP-based food safety plans.

This training introduces participants to qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative risk assessment methods, Codex and FSMA guidance, and practical integration into HACCP systems.

Through case studies, participants will learn to interpret data, manage uncertainty, and develop effective risk management strategies, strengthening compliance, consumer trust, and overall food safety.

Speaker: Vladimir Surcinski

Target Audience: Food Safety Auditors, Quality Assurance and Control Personnel, Food Safety Managers and Team Members, Regulatory and Certification Body Representatives

This DIFSC 2025 exclusive workshop introduces participants to the evolving expectations of auditors in the food safety sector. Divided into two focused sessions, the program combines theoretical foundations with interactive exercises. Key topics include effective auditor–auditee communication, conflict resolution, self-confidence development, and maintaining objectivity and integrity throughout the audit process. Designed for food professionals aiming to enhance their personal auditing style, the workshop emphasizes both technical skill and behavioral competence—key components of modern, high-impact audit practice.

Speaker: Lisa Winnall

Target Audience: Hospitality Professionals Chefs, Restaurant Managers, Front-of-house Staff and Food Safety Professionals

Beyond the Menu: Allergen Management for Hospitality Professionals takes a deeper dive into practical allergen control strategies. This hands-on session is designed for hospitality and food safety professionals who want to strengthen their allergen risk management systems and enhance communication with guests.

Participants can bring their own product, or menu lists to work through a structured allergen risk assessment process. Guided exercises will help identify gaps, prioritise control measures, and develop clear customer communication strategies.

The workshop will also explore effective ways to document allergen procedures, prepare for regulatory inspections, and respond to incidents. Attendees will leave with an action plan tailored to their own operations, equipping them to lead improvements in allergen safety and compliance.