ICMSF webinar on microbiological sampling plans concludes Dubai Food Safety Conference

On Monday, 24 November 2025, ICMSF hosted a webinar as the final session of the 2025 Dubai International Food Safety Conference. The focus was microbiological sampling plans, a key concept in food safety management that ICMSF helped to develop and put into practice early in its history and which has since been adopted by governments, international organisations and the food industry.

The webinar opened with two presentations:

• Why we have so many sampling plans, delivered by Marcel Zwietering, who outlined the wide variety of sampling plans currently in use and explained how they are tailored to the management of hazards in specific pathogen and food combinations, as well as to different food production processes.
• Managing Listeria monocytogenes in RTE foods, presented by Leon Gorris, who discussed risk-based sampling plans designed to manage this pathogen in ready to eat foods that either support or do not support its growth.

A panel discussion followed, with active participation from more than two hundred attendees. Moderated by Bobby Krishna, the panel included Marcel Zwietering, Leon Gorris, John Donaghy, Anett Winkler, Lucia Anelich and Kiran Bhilegaonkar. The high level of engagement, with many questions and views shared, indicated strong interest in further dialogue on this topic.