Oman International Food Safety and Quality Conference kicks off

Muscat: The 7th edition of Oman International Food Safety and Quality Conference began on Monday at Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, featuring 500 specialists from 32 countries presenting 26 scientific papers.

The event was inaugurated under the patronage of HH Sayyid Dr. Kamil bin Fahd Al Said, Secretary-General at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Hussein Samah Al Masroori, Director General of the Food Safety and Quality Center at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, said that the ministry, in collaboration with relevant government entities and private sector institutions, is building an integrated environment to enhance an effective and sustainable food safety system.

"This conference is not merely a scientific event but a strategic platform where visions converge to shape solutions and initiatives that elevate food safety and quality systems in Oman and the region," he added, highlighting the participation of local and international experts.

On his turn, Prof. Samuel Godefroy, President of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) and CEO of the Global Food Legislation Organisation, stated that the conference serves as a global platform for experts to address key challenges in agricultural and livestock production while exploring technological and scientific solutions to enhance food production.

The conference focuses on five key themes, namely modernising food safety, quality control, and supervision, food fraud and authenticity verification, analytical and regulatory methods for food, risk assessment to support food regulatory decisions, and green food supply chains.

The three-day event, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources in collaboration with government and private sector stakeholders, was attended by Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, alongside other ministers, undersecretaries, diplomatic representatives, and senior ministry officials.