Maple Leaf Foods Partners with Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness to Host 11th Food Safety Symposium

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Oct 27, 2021, 15:07 ET

Virtual conference unites North American food safety leaders and leverages the power of storytelling to enhance food safety and prevent foodborne illnesses

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Maple Leaf Foods (TSX: MFI) yesterday hosted its 11th Food Safety Symposium in partnership with the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP Alliance) as part of the company's ongoing commitment to enhance food safety across the global food supply chain.

With the theme Speak to the Heart to Move the Mind: How Foodborne Illness Storytelling Can Lead to Better Food Safety Outcomes, Maple Leaf Foods and the STOP Alliance created a unique agenda that leveraged compelling, personal stories of individuals and families who have been impacted by severe foodborne illnesses, underscoring why food safety must be a central focus of the food system.

The Symposium featured keynote speaker AnnMarie McDade, a registered dietitian at the STOP Alliance who has been personally impacted by foodborne illness. "In 1999, I sadly lost my son James Daniel to Listeria monocytogenes," McDade said. "An unwavering focus on food safety is critically important, and through partnerships and honest dialogue with companies across the food supply chain, a world without foodborne illnesses could be within our reach."

In addition, food safety experts Michael Taylor, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner, and Frank Yiannas, current FDA Deputy Commissioner moderated panels where leading researchers, U.S. and Canadian government representatives, consumer advocates and respected CEOs and leaders from Chipotle, Mars, Conagra Brands, Kellogg Company, Miniat Holdings and Maple Leaf Foods shared insights, research and strategies about driving company food safety culture from the top, and supporting and engaging front line employees.

The annual Food Safety Symposium is a key Maple Leaf Foods initiative and part of the company's commitment to be a global food safety leader.

"Our annual Maple Leaf Foods Food Safety Symposium strives to create a collaborative atmosphere that engages people along the food supply chain, from the C-suite to front-line associates, in building a safer global food supply," said Randy Huffman, Ph.D., Chief Food Safety and Sustainability Officer at Maple Leaf Foods. "In partnering with the STOP Alliance for the 2021 Symposium, we leveraged the power of storytelling to understand the impact of foodborne illness from those who have been directly and tragically affected. Through this effort, we hope to inspire everyone involved in food production to continue the fight to reduce and ultimately eliminate foodborne illness."

The full list of this year's speakers may be viewed here.

Next year's Maple Leaf Foods Food Safety Symposium date will be announced soon. For information on the 2022 symposium, visit: http://www.mapleleaffoods.com/food-safety/.

About Maple Leaf Foods

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. ("Maple Leaf Foods") is a carbon neutral company with a vision to be the most sustainable protein company on earth, responsibly producing food products under leading brands including Maple Leaf®, Maple Leaf Prime®, Maple Leaf Natural Selections®, Schneiders®, Schneiders® Country Naturals®, Mina®, Greenfield Natural Meat Co.®, Lightlife® and Field Roast™. Maple Leaf Foods employs approximately 13,500 people and does business in Canada, the U.S. and Asia. The company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MFI).

Related Links: https://www.mapleleaffoods.com

About the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness

The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness is an initiative of Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP), leading food companies and organizations committed to the goal of preventing foodborne illness by utilizing compelling personal stories of individuals and families who have been impacted by a severe foodborne illness.

For more information, please visit: https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance-to-stop-foodborne-illness/

SOURCE Maple Leaf Foods Inc.