Food Safety

1^st International Food Regulatory Summit, 2007 Aligning India to the World 10 - 11 April, 2007 : Hotel Intercontinental, New Delhi
Draft Programme
0830 Hrs	Registration
0930 – 1050 hrs	Inaugural Session
0930 – 0935 Hrs	Lamp lighting by Chief Guest Welcome Address CII Special Address Focus: Focus: The importance of the Food Processing sector and India's dream of becoming a global food factory for enabling an inclusive and sustainable growth. CII Theme Address Focus: Focus:Food Regulations play an essential role in ensuring public health for the common man. Various sources of food for the common man include the entire range like Street Food, Food Services from both unorganised and organised sectors and processed foods - both imported as well as locally manufactured. The Theme Address will highlight the ground reality in food supply systems in India and the need for bringing about an appropriate Regulatory regime, which, while recognising these ground realities are in general alignment with internationally accepted and respected regimes. In this context, this address will set the agenda for the Conference. CII Keynote Address Focus: Food Safety, Regulatory, Quality and Technology initiatives influencing global trade and Public-health. Approaches/processes/challenges in creating a worldwide alignment/reconciliation of regulations and practices keeping in mind ground realities in different countries. Inaugural Address by Chief Guest Minister of Health and Family Welfare Vote of Thanks
1045 to 1115 Hrs	Tea Break
1115 – 1300 Hrs	Technical Session I: "Emerging Global Food Regulations and worldwide Harmonization Initiatives" Technical Session I: Emerging Global Food Regulations – A Market Perspective Keynote Address on Emerging Scenario in Food safety and Quality Measure Food safety and quality Initiatives Impinging on Global Trade New Concept in Food Business including Private initiative in Food Standard Setting Panel Discussion
1305 – 1400 Hrs	Lunch Break
1400 – 1615 Hrs	Technical Session II: “Emerging Global Food Regulations and Worldwide Harmonization Initiatives (Focus: As a signatory to WTO agreements, India should take the benefit of its vast agricultural resources and the emerging food sector to integrate with the world economy. In the food sector, the biggest challenges are the need for innovations to meet consumer expectations, given the wide variety of choice that is now available to the consumer. In this session the speakesr will share experiences on how difference countries have evolved their regulatory regimes with special reference to the legal, regulatory, standard development, and conformity assessment procedures, which ensures consumer safety without stifling innovations across the supply chain to ensure growth and global competitiveness of their food businesses. The session will also focus on How does the principle of equivalence work given the differences in safety measures existing amongst countries? How and why do Food safety disputes arise in trade even when country regulations are science based? Differing standards? Emergence of new hazards? Arbitrariness Perspective from any ASEAN Country Perspective from EU Perspective from USA Perspective from Latin American Countries Panel Discussion - Perspective from India
1610 – 1630 Hrs (20min)	Tea Break
1630 – 1800 Hrs	Technical Session III: Have Regulations Encouraged Consumer Choice and Innovation Panel Discussion (Focus: Focus: Have food regulations encouraged/shackled food innovations – products placed on market shelves in the last 5-10 years? Examples of developed and developed countries [US/EC and ASEAN/Brazil] Are we being an over-regulated industry compared to pharmaceutical/other consumer goods? Time table to move forward from “vertical standards” to “horizontal standards”. What is the compelling need for vertical standards? When safety is a given and labeling texts detailed [ingredient/nutritional /QUID/mandatory disclosures etc] – is it not time to move towards flexible standards. Flexible standards are not moving in tandem with detailed labeling texts that inform and protect consumer interests. Perspective from India Perspective from a developed country Perspective from a developing country
1800 – 1830 Hrs	Networking and One to One Meetings
1830 – 1945 Hrs	Special Session I : Food Regulations – Roles and Responsibilities for Aligning India to the World – Perspectives from CEOs Focus: Panelists will consist of eminent CEOs of Indian and International Companies to address the emerging challenges for Indian food industry in a Globalized food market : What are the issues and barriers, which an Indian Company needs to overcome in order to participate n the globalized food market? How are the consumer expectations changing in India and what are the opportunities and constraints In meeting the new demand patterns? How do we create a self regulatory system for Safety and Quality assurance, which guarantees food safety and quality and builds consumers confidence in the products available to them? What should be the ideal enforcement mechanism for the same? What should be the roles and responsibilities of Indian manufacturers in moving towards a more self regulated regime. What will be the role of various agencies in the Government in moving towards this process? How can partnership models be developed between private industry and regulatory authorities for facilitating this process and making India a global manufacturing hub for Food products
2000	Dinner
	End of Day I
Day 2 : (11th April 07)	Focus: Building Consumer Confidence
0900 – 0945 Hrs	Special Session II: Consumer expectation – Emerging trends and shifts – A perspective from World Consumer Council Keynote Address
0945 – 1000 Hrs	Tea Break
1000 – 1220 Hrs	Technical Session IV: Building Consumer Confidence - Ensuring Safe Food from Farm to Fork Focus: All economic activities in emerging societies follow changing consumer preferences. This is more so in the case of the Food industry. The session will focus on the drives behind new food safety regimes and future dimensional switches that will influence World trade and the lessons for India. In this context it will draw in global perspectives on what drives the need for country specifications with special reference to sovereignty/safety aspects, ALARA/ALOP/applicability of precautionary principles and how different countries have created their principles and standards to ensure consumer safety. Special focus: Contaminants and Residues, GM Foods, GMP/GHP practices etc. Regulations and Strategies for Ensuring Safe Food for Consumers given Supply Chain Complexities Perspective from WHO Perspectives from Different Countries in Ensuring Hygine and Safety in the Supply Chain Focus: How different countries in Global Food Trade have been able to bring about the requisite interventions in their agricultural production and handling systems to conform to the regulatory requirements to compete in the global marketplace with special reference to tracebility issues and implementation of good practices across value chain. This session will specially focus on how have countries managed when infrastructural frameworks linking entire food chains are not in place, connectivity between all the steps of the food chain are not complete and cost of implementation of traceability systems vary enormously between sectors of the food chain. It will also focus on issues related to the complexity of the food chain, vertical coordination of the chain, difficulties encountered in gathering information, recall system and their effectiveness, tracebility regarding GMO foods and how are countries dealing with unconscious access of GM foods to markets. Thailand Australia Brazil
1200 – 1315 Hrs	Session V: Science based Decision Making and impact on world trade Focus: Examples of how such decisions are made with respect to food additives /pesticide residues/contaminants. Emergence and continuing basis of science based decision making in countries worldwide versus decisions on cultural/social value prevalence. How small must risks be to be acceptable Who educates the consumer on science based decisions when he does not understand the methodology. These lead to popular disbelief on industry motives. How have developed countries like USFDA or EC done this. To what extent do country wise consumption patterns influence safety limits on additives/residues etc. Are not scientific limitations in our understanding certain risks impose a heavy burden on decision makers? Such limitations encourage sectoral/political differences that result in conflicting regulatory postures. Some examples are application of: Pesticides and contaminants......... [ALOP/ALARA] Precautionary Principle) Perspective from a Developed Country Food Production Environment in India and its Implications for Food Processing To Focus: the status of enforceable production guidelines in India and its implications related to food safety and India's global competitiveness and how
1315 – 1415 Hrs	Lunch
1415 – 1615 Hrs	Technical Session VI: Effective Enforcement of Regulations – Need for Capacity Building and Infrastructure Focus: Focus: The session will bring perspectives and case studies on how newly emerging countries in Food Processing have been building up capacities of their sectoral players and testing infrastructure for ensuring that standards are effectively followed across the entire supply chain. Capacity Building Initiatives in Emerging Economies in Global Food Trade – Perspective from FAO, UN Focus: Sharing of experience in extending technical assistance to the developing countries with respect to capacity building and infrastructural issues: Helping SMEs to raise their infrastructural capacities to meet safety standards. Examples from various sectosr and possible learnings for India. Experiences in Implementation of Food Regulations: Perspectives from Different Countries involved in Global Food Trade Focus: Experience sharing on aligning infrastructure and capacity building initiatives with respect to the emerging Global order in food regulations including food recall system. Presentation By China Singapore South Africa
1555- 1615 Hrs	Infrastructure and Capacity Building for Food Safety and Quality”- The Indian Scenario Focus: In order to have an effective legislation and implementation strategy in the country, India needs to have an effective infrastructure and capacity building across the value chain with special reference to adoption of regulatory practices, conformity assessment and compliance including promotion of self regulation throughout the chain. India is unique as it is a large country where processed foods form only 3% of total foods consumed – the rest being manufactured by SMEs or consumed from primary foods [home cooking] or bought out foods [restaurant/street/halwais/etc foods]. Where should be the focus for infrastructure development be and begin. This session will specifically evaluate the capacity building and infrastructure requirements in India enabling the evolution of a globally aligned food regulatory regime in the country. Panel Discussion
1615 – 1630 Hrs	Tea Break
1630 – 1830 Hrs	Technical Session VII: Information as a Tool for Building Consumer Confidence Focus: In today's environment, there is an information overload to Consumers, which is often leading to, difficult decision-making processes for the consumer. The session will once again specifically focus on global perspectives in this area with special reference to developing countries and juxtaposing the Indian context in this regard. Building Consumer Confidence in Processed Foods -- Role of Food Labelling and Regulations Consumers’ Choice - Key Influencing Factors related to Food Formulations and Food Labelling – Perspectives from Food Businesses and from different parts of the world. Perspective from Buisness Thailand/ Malaysia EU Singapore Consumers’ Choice - Key Influencing Factors related to Food Formulations and Food Labelling - Perspectives from the ground Focus: What is the consumer looking for to make an informed choice given the complex of multiple language and difference in education & knowledge levels. Perspective from India Panel Discussion: Focus: How much is enough? Is information overloading a correct approach Ethics in Advertisement Concluding remarks by Session Co-chairperson
1830 – 1930 hrs	Special Session Focus: In the context of the entire summit, this session will consist of high level panel discussion on the way forward for India for defining the guiding principle of its Food Regulatory regime with special reference to : India's strategy and approaches for harmonization with Codex and SPS measures. Science based decision making move towards flexible standards. Participation in Codex and WTO discussion Tracebility and recall system Time for transition for SME segments Prioritization for infrastructure development propgramme.
1930-2015 Hrs	Valedictory address by Chief Guest Focus: This session will present the highlights of all the session with special reference to the enabling regulatory regime for strategic rising and positioning India as a global outsourcing hub for fresh and processed food products and make a set of strategic recommendations and Action Plans in this respect

End of Day I