While nothing is guaranteed in bakery and snack production—especially in these uncertain times—one thing remains certain: keeping the U.S. food supply safe will always be a top priority for professionals at every level. Staff from the c-suite to the production floor all play a crucial role in preventing products from being tainted by foodborne illnesses, particulate contamination, and other constant threats.

When the 2025 Food Safety Summit opens its doors on May 12‒15 in suburban Chicago, show organizers will treat attendees to a comprehensive agenda of educational sessions, technology exhibits, presentations from experts, and other programming, all of it aimed at elevating their food safety fitness. Companies and agencies represented on the list of speakers and panelists includes the U.S. FDA, Kellanova, Conagra Brands, Costco, and more.

In order to find out more about the targeted programing and potential benefits of registering for the 2025 Food Safety Summit, I connected with Gillian Kelleher, president/CEO of Kelleher Consultants, and chair of the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board.

Jenni Spinner: Could you please share an overview of the FSS.

Gillian Kelleher: The 2025 Food Safety Summit is scheduled for May 12–15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. This annual, solutions-based conference and expo is designed to address the educational and informational needs of professionals across the entire food industry, including sectors such as production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, retail, and foodservice. 

In 2025, food safety professionals face challenges including ensuring supply chain traceability, addressing emerging pathogens, managing sustainability practices, and navigating regulatory changes, all while balancing cost-efficiency and innovation. The Food Safety Summit education program (developed by an Educational Advisory Board) composed of the best and brightest leaders in the food safety industry will feature over 80 subject matter experts who will address these challenges while sharing innovative and timely solutions.

JS: Why should food/bev professionals of all different roles and levels should be there?

GK: Food and beverage professionals from across the supply chain should attend the 2025 Food Safety Summit for several key reasons including staying ahead of regulatory changes to hear the latest on what is happening in the food industry, learning how to improve food safety protocols, and networking with leaders in the industry. Attendees will walk away with practical solutions to real-world challenges through case studies, expert panels, and interactive discussions on foodborne illness outbreaks, recall management, and contamination prevention. 

An expansive exhibit hall will showcase progressive solution providers, offering attendees opportunities to explore new technologies and services. Dedicated exhibit hours ensure that educational sessions do not overlap with exhibit time, maximizing networking and learning opportunities. The trade show floor offers access to150+ vendors offering live demonstrations of safety technologies. Attending the Food Safety Summit 2025 equips professionals with essential knowledge, regulatory insights, and innovative tools to stay current ensure food safety, protect public health, and drive business success.

JS: Please share some of the highlights on this year’s agenda—everything looks interesting and valuable, but what would you spotlight as the “can’t miss” sessions and speakers?

GK: The Summit will feature over 20 interactive sessions, workshops, and certification courses, curated by an Educational Advisory Board comprising industry leaders. These sessions aim to tackle pressing food safety challenges and provide actionable solutions. 

Five Certificate Courses will be offered on Monday, May 12, including NEHA’s Certified Professional–Food Safety (CP-FS) Principles and Applications of Food Safety Science Course; Food Fraud Prevention Workshop and Certificate Course; FSPCA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0; and two new courses including AFDO’s Implementing Risk-Based Inspections and Auditing for Retail Food Establishments and Application of the Principles of Hazard Analysis—Beyond the Basics.

On Tuesday, May 13, five half-day workshops will be offered. The event will kick off with a three-hour, interactive session featuring a panel of seasoned professionals who will discuss Traceability Next Steps—Supply Chain Implementation. The afternoon workshops will address Beyond Compliance: Harnessing Psychosocial Factors for a Stronger Food Safety Culture; Mock Trial 3.0: Deposition Training for the C-Suite; Effective Sanitation Basics; and Data Analysis for Food Safety Professionals: Modeling, Risk Assessment, and Analytics Tools for FSQA.

Jason Evans, Ph.D., dean of the College of Food Innovation and Technology (CFIT) at Johnson & Wales University, will discuss Surmountable Challenges: Leadership when Nothing is Easy during the Keynote presentation on Wednesday, May 14. Dr. Evans will share strategies for encouraging exceptional performance and developing teams that are accountable, engaged, and collaborative.

The 13th annual Town Hall: A Candid Dialogue on the Future of Food Safety will be held on Thursday, May 15, with updates from U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Association of Food and Drug Officials; USDA-FSIS and the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at CDC. I will moderate the Town Hall.

The Summit’s closing session on Thursday afternoon will focus on The Secret Sauce to Getting to ‘Yes,’ where industry experts, including a CFO, an HR professional, and seasoned executives, will reveal the unwritten rules of navigating corporate culture and securing resources for food safety. Learn how to unlock the strategies for transforming “no” into “yes” in this engaging and interactive session. 

Wednesday and Thursday will offer 18 education sessions on timely topics such as Processing Technologies, Food Donation vs. Waste Diversion, Food Safety Culture Tools, Sanitation and Hygiene Success, Leveraging AI, Recall Modernization, Elevating Women’s Leadership, Allergen Management, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Outbreak Investigation, Performance Metrics, Bridging the Communication Gap, Lessons from Food Safety Failures, the Ongoing HPAI Outbreak, Navigating Misinformation, Chemical Safety, and more.

JS: Are there any new features for 2025? If so, please share.

GK: For the first time the Food Safety Summit will be held entirely on Level 2 of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. The education sessions, Keynote Theater and the exhibit hall will all be on one level making it more convenient for attendees to navigate the conference program, meet with vendors, and network.

On Wednesday night, the Food Safety Summit Gives Back networking reception will support the important work of Stop Foodborne Illness. The money donated goes to support the organization’s vision of “A World Without Foodborne Illness” and its over 30-year mission to be the voice of people affected by foodborne illness by collaborating with partners in academia, the food industry, and government to prevent foodborne illness. Click here for more information or to donate. 

JS: Is there anything else you’d like to add about FSS?

GK: Registration for the 2025 Food Safety Summit is open on the event website. One-, two-, and three-day conference packages are available, along with group discounts. A three-day conference pass provides access to the interactive workshops, 20 in-depth education sessions, the Keynote and Town Hall presentations, lunch in the exhibit hall, two networking receptions, access to 150+ solution providers, the community hub, podcast theater, free education at the Solutions Stages and Tech Tents, and NEHA continuing education credits.