NSF International announced its first call for nominations for the 2015 Food Safety Leadership Awards Program, an honor that recognizes outstanding leadership an innovation in food safety.

The program offers awards in three categories. The Training and Education Award recognizes exceptional academics and training programs and the Food Safety Innovation Award recognizes outstanding breakthroughs in categories such as equipment design, packaging innovation, product development, research advances, system improvement, and technology breakthroughs.  Nominations for a special lifetime achievement award will also be accepted.

According to NSF, nominations will be evaluated based on creativity, innovation, design, contribution to the advancement of food safety and overall quality of contributions made. An independent panel of food safety experts will select the winners.

NSF says foodservice operators, manufacturers, researchers, public health officials and members of academia are all encouraged to submit nominations.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 27.

The 2015 winners will be announced at the 2015 Food Safety Summit on Thursday, April 30 in Baltimore.

Annual awards program recognizes outstanding leadership and innovation in food safety; Nomination deadline is February 27, 2015

Nominators can submit their forms online or by mail to:

Ms. Mary Ellen Krueger, NSF International, 789 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA

Email forms to: fsla@nsf.org

Guidelines for the program and application forms can be found on the NSF International website here.