The community website for management system professionals, www.businessassurance.com, launched a new food safety section today . The new section, which focuses on the key issues facing the food safety industry today, launches during the E.N.G. Global Food Safety Summit in Prague .

The two-day event features 60 of the most influential food industry experts and executives. Key speakers include executives from Kraft, Burger King EMEA, Royal Ahold, Nestle and Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), the event's Gold Sponsor, among others.

The new food section contains two podcasts, including an organic farming podcast (www.businessassurance.com/organic-farming-podcast), which is an interview with Gundula Azeez, Policy Manager of the Soil Association. Business podcaster, Neville Hobson (www.nevillehobson.com), is the presenter. The podcast is sponsored by LRQA. The other podcast is on carbon labelling, featuring a series of quotes from key climate change experts, as they debate the introduction of carbon labels to the retail sector.

The food section features six subsections designed to provide the user with a comprehensive set of information, tools and resources on topics surrounding food safety, management systems and the food supply chain.

The initial launch of the section also contains insightful blog posts, a comprehensive resources section with links to sources of information on local, regional as well as global food legislation, a news section that is consistently updated with the latest news on food safety issues, as well as information on events and conferences relevant to the food industry.

Cor Groenveld, the Global Product Manager for LRQA's food services said, “The importance of food safety has been highlighted by the recent health scares and product recalls around the globe. The new food safety section of www.businessassurance.com is a one stop shop for people looking for information, guidance and a discussion forum on all issues relating to food safety and the food supply chain.”

LRQA created www.businesssssurance.com, the world's first ever knowledge sharing portal for management systems professionals, in November of 2006. The launch of topic specific sections extends the website's key focus through six key categories of information for each new section:

• podcasts
• news
• blogs
• resource library
• calendar of events
• directory of standards.

Interactive features allow any site visitor to comment on and discuss any items found on the site as well as introduce new topics to the community.

Further topic specific sections, all to be launched in 2007, include supply chain assurance, EC directives and corporate social responsibility.

NOTES

•  LRQA, a member of the Lloyd's Register Group, works across global supply chains providing verification, certification and training services to a range of business sectors worldwide, including food and beverage manufacturing, distribution and retail companies. LRQA has issued thousands of global approvals in areas including environmental, quality, food safety, supply chain assurance, health and safety, and security.

•  Lloyd's Register is an independent risk management organization. The Lloyd's Register Group works to help improve its clients' quality, safety, environmental and business performance throughout the world, because life matters.

Contact:

Michelle Larch
Regional Marketing Manager
Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance
T: 281-398-7370
E: michelle.larch@lrqa.com
www.lrqausa.com

Vel Pillay
Ameri c as Food Safety Manager
Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance
T: 281- 398-7370
E: vel.pillay@lrqa.com
www.lrqausa.com