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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 10, 2025 – McLean, Va. – 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI), the leading resource on hygienic equipment design for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processing, today announced the program and opened registration for its 2025 Summit on Hygienic Design, happening May 6 to 8, 2025 at the Marriott Chicago O’Hare.
The event will provide essential technical education and networking for food safety and product quality professionals working for food and beverage processors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and equipment fabricators. State and federal regulators, academics, and students also attend.
“Food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processors are under more public and regulatory scrutiny than ever, leading them to look for ways to make their food safety and product quality programs more resilient,” observes 3-A SSI Executive Director Meri Beth Wojtaszek. “The 3-A SSI Summit on Hygienic Design is an excellent way for processors to learn how peers and regulators manage today’s risks, how they leverage the 3-A Sanitary Standards, and why they trust equipment carrying the 3-A Symbol.”
Keynote Presentations Offer Solutions to Legal and Operational Risk
Summit participants will hear from two exceptional keynote presenters. They include noted foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler and McCormick & Company executive Shahram Ajamian.
A staunch advocate for a safer food supply and a prominent voice in food policy, Marler will shine light on key legal and regulatory frameworks governing hygienic equipment design in the food processing industry. Marler will discuss compliance requirements, liability risks, and best practices to meet evolving food safety standards. The session will equip participants to navigate the legal landscape of hygienic equipment design.
Ajamian, the senior director of global quality and food safety governance at McCormick & Company, will share how the company leverages “Quality by Design” principles and employee engagement to cultivate a culture of excellence in food safety. He will explain how, through an organization-wide commitment to food safety, food processors can drive continuous improvement, enhance product quality, and ultimately gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Ajamian will give participants practical strategies to implement such a program.
Event to Deliver Tailored Education Experience
More than 25 expert speakers will present in education sessions at the Summit. Educational programming will give both experienced and early career professionals a tailored learning experience.
On the first day of the event, experienced participants will hear from leading authorities on advanced food and product safety principles, emerging technologies, and complex hygienic processing equipment challenges. Beginners will explore the fundamentals of hygienic design, inspection, and fabrication. Participants will then come together for general sessions, networking, and hands-on equipment demonstrations.
On the second day of the Summit, participants will choose from sessions across two concurrent tracks, equipment design and fabrication or facility planning and design. A series of sessions on the third day will give participants an overview of 3-A SSI and its role in hygienic design integrity.
Regulators to Share Unique Perspective in General Sessions
Two general session presentations by regulators round out the education program.
Kyle Shannon, Chief, Center for Food Emergency Response and Defense at the Maryland Department of Health, will describe how the Rapid Response Team Cooperative Agreement Program, a collaboration between authorities at the federal, state, and local levels and industry experts, built an interdisciplinary response to food safety incidents.
Chris Thompson, International Standards Director for USDA, will focus on Agricultural Marketing Service Dairy Program initiatives, particularly the Dairy Grading and Standards Division. Attendees will learn about the division’s activities, including how grading standards are developed and applied, its technical services, and its export-related activities that market U.S. dairy products.
Networking, Displays and Student Posters to Add Value
With nearly eight hours of dedicated networking time, the event will provide a unique opportunity for participants to build relationships with peers from around the world. Hosted in a vibrant space, with product and service displays and poster presentations by dedicated undergraduate and graduate students, Summit attendees will connect with suppliers to solve problems and be inspired by students.
Register Now
Registration is open now with limited-time savings for those who register early. Go to https://conference.3-a.org to register or for information about presentations, speakers, product and services displays, and more.
