Global sourcing focus at first Eurofins UK conference

The challenges facing retailers and suppliers with regard to food safety, quality and authenticity when sourcing from overseas markets was the focus of the first customer conference held recently by Eurofins UK.

Key note speaker at the event on 30th March in Birmingham was Breda Mitchell, Tesco’s International Trading Law and Technical Director who shared her experience in managing food safety as an international retailer. This included a specific account of the challenges currently facing the business in Japan as a result of the earthquake, tsunami and subsequent radiation leaks which have raised unprecedented logistical and food safety issues for her team to manage.

Experts from Eurofins laboratories both in the UK and Europe also presented on ‘hot topics’ facing today’s food industry as it opens new channels of business across the world. Subjects covered included emerging contaminants, supply chain control in China, update on GMOs and allergens as well as the latest on DNA testing technology.

“The UK imports over 60% of its food and new supply routes are continually being forged meet to consumer demand for a variety of year round produce. For retailers and suppliers alike, global sourcing can pose a number of challenges with regard to food safety and authenticity and we were able to profile at the conference. We were delighted at the response and hope to stage a regular event focusing on the issues that face our fast-changing industry,” explains Graeme Risdon, Managing Director of Eurofins, who chaired the conference.

Published: 12 April 2011