The 2023 Biennial Conference for Food Protection (CFP) will take place on April 24-28 in Houston, Texas, and the organizers are accepting issues for consideration. Food industry professionals and stakeholders who would like to submit issues for consideration can review the guidelines on the CFP Issue Submission Process Page. The period for online submissions opened on Monday, December 19, 2022, and will close on Monday, January 23, 2023.

The CFP brings together representatives from the food industry, government, academia, and consumer organizations to identify and address emerging problems of food safety and to formulate recommendations for possible inclusion in the FDA Food Code. Though the Conference has no formal regulatory authority, it does influence model laws and regulations among all government agencies and seeks to minimize disparate interpretations and implementation.

The conference’s objectives include:

• Identifying and addressing problems in the production, processing, packaging, distribution, sale, and service of foods
• Focusing on and facilitating the food protection programs governing the foodservice, retail food store, and food vending segments of the food industry
• Adopting sound, uniform procedures which will be accepted by food regulatory agencies and industry
• Promoting mutual respect and trust by establishing a working liaison among governmental agencies, industry, academic institutions, professional associations, and consumer groups concerned with food safety
• Promoting uniformity among States, territories, and the District of Columbia