“Safety first!” as the old saying goes—and it’s possible that no group of people is more familiar with the importance of that adage than bakers, snack makers, and other food industry professionals. After all, if their operations are hit by pathogens, particulate contamination, or other harmful factors, their entire businesses could be negatively impacted.

Food safety is the star of the show at the annual Food Safety Summit (FSS), produced by Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery’s sister publication Food Safety Magazine. At the gathering of food producers—scheduled May 11–14 in Rosemont, IL—safety-focused suppliers, academics, government leaders, and other stakeholders will convene to collectively tackle ways to keep the foods that Americans consume free from harm.

Safety speakers

The FSS agenda features presentations from experts representing food manufacturers, vendors, and other players. The keynote—scheduled Wednesday, May 13—is titled Food Safety is a Team Sport: Leading with Courage, Collaboration and Curiosity in a Changing World. Moderated by Jesse Newman, a food journalist with The Wall Street Journal, the lead speaker (Joan Menke-Schaenzer of Van Drunen Farms) is set to underscore the importance of collaborating across the food safety spectrum.

Then, Thursday, May 14 brings the 15th Annual Town Hall: A Conversation with Regulators. The session (moderated by Kelleher Consultants LLC) will feature regulatory leaders from federal and state bodies. Speakers scheduled and invited to speak include:

• Steven Mandernach, Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
• Megin Nichols, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Kyle Diamantas, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Mindy Brashears, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Finally, before FSS attendees head back home, Thursday’s final session—FSMA at 15—will cap off the event with a discussion diving into the Food Safety Modernization Act’s original mission, progress that has been made, challenges that still need to be tackled, and an exploration of whether or not its goals have been realized. The participants include:

• AFDO’s Mandernach
• Michael Taylor, former FDA Deputy Commissioner
• Sandra Eskin, STOP Foodborne Illness
• Brian Ronholm, Consumer Reports
• Roberta Wagner, International Dairy Foods Association
• Courtney Bidney, General Mills

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Education and certification

On Wednesday and Thursday, FSS attendees will have 21 different educational sessions to chose from, each aimed to provide timely, critical information on various food safety topics.

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

“This year’s program will feature more than 100 subject matter experts who will share innovative and timely solutions for today’s most important issues,” shares Gillian Kelleher, CEO of Kelleher Consultants LLC and chair of the FSS Educational Advisory Board. “We look forward to bringing the food safety community together to learn from industry peers, exchange ideas and achievements, discuss the challenges we face, and engage in collaborative problem-solving.”

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

New for the 2026 educational agenda, sessions have been sorted into target topic areas, with the intent of simplifying an attendee’s job of determining where to best spend their time. The topics include:

• AI in Food Safety
• Food Safety Validation
• Risk and Compliance
• Leadership, Culture and Workforce
• Biological, Chemical, and Physical Hazards

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Additionally, the slate of sessions includes sector-specific sessions for retail, produce, and other segments. Presentation highlights include:

Tuesday, May 12, 8:30 am: Navigating Food Allergens: Insights and Strategies for Effective Management

Monica Khoury of Nestlé will lead this workshop on essential aspects of food allergens, including allergen labeling requirements, the complexities of allergen management in manufacturing, and best practices for validating and verifying allergen cleaning processes. Other speakers include Scott Hegenbart of Conagra Brands, Joseph Baumert of the Food Allergy Research & Resource Program, Steve Gendel of Gendel Food Safety, and Caroline Moassessi of FAACT.

Wednesday, May 13, 2:45 pm: Breaking Silos, Breaking Bias – Real Collaboration in Food Safety

Led by Drew McDonald of Taylor Fresh Foods, this session will bring together industry experts, investigators, and academics to discuss how to encourage collaboration at all levels; create trusted spaces where thoughts and findings are freely shared; and empower faster, sharper, and less biased decisions. Other speakers include Ben Chapman of North Carolina State University; Conrad Choiniere of FDA, Michelle Danyluk of the University of Florida, and Channah Rock of the University of Arizona.

Thursday, May 14, 2:45 pm: Strengthening Food Safety Through Validation & Verification

Led by Deb Kane of J&J Snack Foods, the session will dive into validation and verification, and explore ways to transform preventive controls and corrective actions into resilient, high-performing systems. Other speakers include Byron Chaves of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Neil Bogart of Post Consumer Brands, and Samantha Harris of H-E-B.

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Then, on Monday, May 11, show organizers are offering five different certification courses:

• AI in Food Safety: Ethical and Efficient Food Safety Document Writing
• Allergens and Allergen Management
• Food Fraud Prevention Workshop and Certificate Course
• FSPCA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0; and Application of the Principles of Hazard Analysis - Beyond the Basics will also be offered. 

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Food safety professionals looking for ways to make use of artificial intelligence in their operations can check out Leveraging AI for Food Safety: From Strategy to Impact on Tuesday, May 12. The three-hour interactive workshop will gather experts from across different organizations to explore how AI can be effectively harnessed across systems. Then, afternoon workshops will address a host of different topics, including allergens, the economics of risk mitigation programs, strengthening pathogen control, and more.

Networking and technology

Attendees can get an early look at the FSS exhibits at a special networking reception on Tuesday, May 12, from 5‒7 pm. The sneak peek gives professionals the opportunity to scope out the technology, equipment, and solutions in a less crowded, more relaxed atmosphere, before the official opening of the hall the next morning.

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

Then, attendees can meet face-to-face with the about 200 exhibitors offering a wide range of solutions in the hall. Companies set to exhibit at FSS include:

• Advanced Food Diagnostics: booth 540
• CDG Environmental: booth 446
• CMX2: booth 615
• Eagle Certification Group: booth 229
• Elisa Technologies: booth 207
• Eurofins: booth 234
• FSS Inc.: booth 121
• Hardy Diagnostics: booth 233
• Innodal: booth 228
• ProCleaning Solutions: booth 418
• Pureline: booths 307, 406
• Testo North America: booth 608

Courtesy of Robert Shiverts Photography

On Wednesday evening, the Food Safety Summit Gives Back reception gives FSS attendees another chance to gather and connect with colleagues and vendors, and to give back to a worthy food safety cause. Proceeds from the event will benefit Stop Foodborne Illness, which works to prevent foodborne illness and to give a voice to those impacted by such disease, via partnerships with industry leaders, academics, and government agencies. Get more information or donate here. 

The Food Safety Summit is produced by Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery sister publication Food Safety Magazine. For more information about the 2026 event or to register, visit the show site.