Session brief: Access to safe and affordable food is at the bottom of Nigeria’s Food Industry. Trust in brands is built through avoidance of food adulteration or riskful ingredients. That quality starts at the field with safe application of plant protection measures, goes along the aggregation and trade lines with post-harvest management and cumulates in the food industry. Certified QM systems guarantee “what you pay is what you get” and allow for effective wholesale or retail withdrawals once violations are detected. On the technical and managerial level, it is a combined effort of food safety regulations, traceability solutions, laboratory verification and responsible communication. On the procurement side, it is access to verified and approved ingredients that deliver continuous quality, taste, micro-nutrient fortification and shelf-life. On the distribution side, the solutions contain tamper-proof sealing, clear labelling and a ruggedness that sustains in tropical conditions. These building block need a common framework, availability of solutions and affordable integration with existing and new food processors. These considerations underscore the relevance of the panel session as an important component of the Nigerian AgroFood-PlastPrintPack conference.

Session objectives: This panel session will provide insights in best practices, innovative solutions and market incentives to build trustworthy and safe food brands. I. Current and future state of Nigerian food safety rules and regulation II. Providers of verification equipment III. Packaging that serves both protective and informative purposes IV. Liability and compliance management V. Differences for domestic and export markets

Session format: I. Introduction: Panelists will be introduced and given 3 minutes each to share their thoughts on the theme. II. Moderated panel discussion: This is a 40-minute conversation between panelists and moderators, drawing on panelists' knowledge and experience in Food safety, traceability and customer dialogue. III. The panelists will be asked various questions and given time to answer and discuss. IV. Audience participation: The moderator will guide questions and comments for 10 minutes. V. Wrap up and highlight critical takeaways — 10 minutes