More than 100 attendees from Chinese regulatory authorities, universities and local companies joined IOFI members at the daylong event. In opening remarks, IOFI’s Howard Smith noted, “The safety of flavorings is at heart of our today’s discussions. Flavoring safety, or more generally food safety, is a shared responsibility between industry and governmental authorities…Safety is not negotiable.”
The workshop featured a robust series of panel discussions and Q&A sessions on safety evaluation and risk management processes in China and around the world, along specification issues, scientific fundamentals and a look at natural complex substances. “Participants were very much engaged in the presentations and discussions,” reported IOFI Executive Director Sven Ballschmiede. “We were very happy to share the best practices in flavoring safety from around the world and understand better the issues on the minds of Chinese regulators and the industry there.”