International conference to address horsemeat scandal (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

International conference to address horsemeat scandal

3:55pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Janet Gleeson

AN international conference is being held in North Yorkshire following the horsemeat crisis, bringing together food manufacturers, processors and retailers.

The conference, called Assuring The Integrity of the Food Chain, will examine the issues surrounding the horsemeat scandal, looking at what can be done to ensure food integrity.

It is being hosted by York, North Yorkshire & East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership. The aim is to improve consumer confidence and trust in the food industry, particularly the meat sector.

There will be speakers from the industry along with representatives from Defra and the Food Standards Agency.

The conference will be held at the Food and Environment Agency Centre at Sand Hutton, near York on Wednesday, April 24. 

Enterprise board member David Kerfoot, from Bedale, said: "It’s vital that we learn all we can from the horsemeat episode.

"Drawing together industry experts and scientists from the UK and wider Europe will encourage a debate about how best we address food integrity and assure the food supply chain.”