News
Three Environmental Health Officers Attend International Association for Food Protection Food Conference
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 24 July 2024: The Public and Environmental Health Department is pleased to announce that three of our Environmental Health Officers, Ms. Crivanne Adams, Ms. Kenya Jones and Ms. Clevesha Outten, recently attended the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting. This event was held in Long Beach, California from 14th – 17th July 2024, and is recognised as the leading food safety conference worldwide, bringing together over 3,500 food safety professionals from industry, academia, and governments across six continents.
The IAFP Annual Meeting provided a platform for our officers to engage with global experts and learn about the latest scientific developments, emerging food safety issues, and innovative solutions to both new and recurring problems. The sessions covered a
Key highlights of the conference included sessions on Communication Outreach and Education, where strategies for effective public communication and education and development of programmes to enhance public awareness and promote safe food handling practices were discussed. The Food Defence and Food Fraud session provided insights into protecting the food supply chain from intentional adulteration and fraudulent activities, which will be instrumental in strengthening our food defence, especially at ports of entry to ensure the integrity of food products. Additionally, technical advancements in microbiology and food spoilage were covered, including spoilage mechanisms and detection methods.
Our Environmental Health Officers also explored advanced foresight systems for identifying and mitigating emerging food safety risks, emphasising the importance of a proactive approach. The conference provided valuable perspectives on fostering a strong food safety culture and addressing disparities in food-borne illness exposure.
The Environmental Health Department is committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and public health in the Turks and Caicos Islands by building capacity and ensuring our officers are kept up to date with public and environmental health advances. We look forward to implementing the innovative solutions and best practices learned at the conference to benefit our nation.
For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health and Human Services Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.