Last week, William O’Sullivan and Brendan Ring had the privilege of representing Creme Global at the Vienna Food Safety Forum 2025, hosted at the UNIDO HQ in Austria. The theme this year,  “The Potential of Digitalization”, captured a crucial shift in the food safety landscape. Over three packed days, government agencies, private companies, regulators, and researchers shared the transformative role of data, AI, and digital infrastructure in creating safer, smarter food systems globally. Key Themes and Learnings 1. Digital Tools Are No Longer Aspirational, They’re Operational It was striking how many sessions featured real, functioning digital solutions being deployed across jurisdictions. For example: 2. Bridging the Data Divide A recurring challenge discussed was the disparity in food safety digital infrastructure between high-income countries and LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries). Many contributors emphasized not just the technology, but the capacity building, data literacy, and policy alignment needed to support meaningful uptake in under-resourced regions. 3. Traceability and Interoperability: Still a Sticking Point Sessions on digital traceability (Session 4) and data sharing (Session 5) reminded us that while technology exists, interoperability remains a real hurdle. Standards,  both technical and procedural, are the key bottleneck. Governments and businesses are calling for globally agreed frameworks to unlock wider adoption. Trust building between people facilitates trust building between organizations. William presented on: “Bridging the Data Gap: Sharing Information for Enhanced Food Safety Outcomes and Trade.” 4. Public–Private Collaboration is Maturing The Government-to-Business session (Session 6) emphasized a welcome maturity in how data sharing is being