Panel Discussion
Topic: “Meeting Food Safety Challenges and Standards for World Markets”
Import/Export Food Safety Bureau, AQSIQ
Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China
Robert Brackett, Director, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Terry Babbs, Director, International Trading Law and Technical TESCO PLC, Tesco Stores Ltd.,
and Board Member, Global Food Safety Initiatives
Cindy Jiang, Director, Worldwide Quality, Food Safety and Nutrition, McDonald's Corporation
Tom Chestnut, Vice President, Supply Chain Food Safety & Quality, NSF International
Moderator: Frank Yiannas, President, International Association for Food Protection; Director, Food Safety & Health, Walt Disney World Corp.

Abstract
Terry Babbs
Food Safety issues are global in scale, and can affect consumer confidence in the food purchased in retail outlets around the world. Voluntary private food safety schemes, involving certification, are now well established in global food supply chains. They actively involve their stakeholders in driving improvement. The food business, working under the umbrella of the Global Food Safety Initiative, has been instrumental in working towards a rationalisation of the proliferation of these standards in order to reduce duplication, promote cost efficiency and safer food for the consumers. 7 major retailers have come to a landmark agreement on voluntary food safety standards in 2007. The GFSI vision of 'once certified, accepted everywhere' has now become a reality, thus reducing duplication in the supply chain through the common acceptance of any of the four officially GFSI benchmarked schemes.

Biography
Cindy Jiang
Cindy is currently a director at the Worldwide Quality Systems, Food Safety and Nutrition. Her responsibility includes developing supplier quality management system, establishing food safety standards and policies, managing and communicating emerging issues, and global implementation of the nutrition information initiative.

Cindy started her career with McDonald’s Corporation after receiving a master degree in Food Science and Nutrition from University of Wisconsin in May, 1990. She has held various positions at McDonald’s Corporation, from a Chemist to a Quality Assurance consultant, a manager, and a director. Cindy has been a member of IFT since 1989. She is a senior member of American Society for Quality. She is also a current member of AOAC and IAFP.

Frank Yiannas
As Walt Disney World's Safety & Health Director, Frank Yiannas oversees all food safety programs, as well as other public health functions, for one of the world's strongest and well-recognized global brands. His scope of responsibilities includes: food safety oversight of major theme parks and resorts, two cruise ships, two water parks, and hundreds of the world’s busiest food locations. More than 15,000 Food and Beverage employees, hundreds of food suppliers, and a number of critical regulatory compliance issues also come under his purview.

At the national level, Frank participates in numerous professional committees involved with issues of national importance. He was elected to a five-year term on the Executive Board of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP). Frank is currently Past President of IAFP with his term expiring as President in July 2007. In addition, he is the immediate past Chair of Council I, Laws and Regulations, of the Conference for Food Protection (CFP). Frank also serves on the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network’s Board of Directors and he is the 2007 recipient of the NSF International Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Food Safety.

Frank is a Registered Microbiologist with the American Academy of Microbiology. He holds memberships with several professional associations, including the National Environmental Health Association, the American Society of Microbiology, and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Robert Brackett
On January 1, 2004, Robert E. Brackett was appointed Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). In this capacity, he provides executive leadership to the Center’s development and implementation of programs and policies relative to the composition, quality, safety, and labeling of foods, food and color additives, dietary supplements and cosmetics.

Prior to coming to FDA, Dr. Brackett was a Professor of Food Science and Technology in the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia where he was an active researcher in the area of food microbiology, specializing in microbiological safety of foods Dr. Brackett was also on the faculty of North Carolina State University where he served as Extension Food Safety Specialist and Assistant Professor Dr. Brackett received his B.S. in bacteriology and his M.S. and Ph.D. in food microbiology, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Terry Babbs
Graduated in Environmental Sciences and then postgraduate studies in law and management.
Joined Tesco nine years ago to head its legal, policy, consumer and regulatory affairs division. Currently International Trading Law and Technical Director with responsibility for ensuring legality, safety and protection of brand reputation in Tesco’s non-UK supply chain and retail/distribution operations. Also responsible for ethical sourcing globally.

Tom Chestnut
Tom started with NSF International in 2006 and is responsible for supply chain food safety programs, including NSF Cook & Thurber and NSF Davis Fresh. Tom came to NSF from Darden Restaurants where he was Vice President, Total Quality, responsible for all aspects of supplier, laboratory, and restaurant quality assurance. He began his career at Darden in 1980 and held progressive positions as; Quality Assurance Manager - Red Lobster, Director of Quality Assurance - General Mills Restaurants, and International Director of Product Safety and Quality where he established an international food safety and quality inspection program for seafood and produce with personnel in Asia, Central America, and Mexico.

Tom was a founding member of the Food Safety Leadership Council (Darden, McDonalds, Wal-Mart, Avendra, and Disney), a group that developed higher standards for produce processing and GAP. He is active in the Conference for Food Protection where he was Vice-Chair of the 2000 Conference and served as a member of the Executive Board from 1998-2004. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Health from Illinois State University, with graduate studies in Administration and Management at the University of Illinois.<back>