The one-year-old Western Institute for Food Safety and Security will host an open house from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at the institute's new facilities in Davis.

Special guests for the event will include William Lyons, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and Kevin Reilly, deputy director of prevention services for the California Department of Health Services.

Keynote speaker will be UC Davis Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, discussing the campus's public health initiative.

Speakers will be available to the news media from 3 to 3:30 p.m. during tours of the facility. Administrative offices were recently established, but laboratories have not yet been completed.

Speakers from the state agencies, as well as from UC Davis' schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, will give presentations during the afternoon ceremonies. Representatives of industry who serve on the institute's board of directors will also offer remarks.

The institute was founded last fall with funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture's "Buy California" initiative, a $70 million program financed by a combination of state and federal funds. It is a partnership between the university, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Health Services. The institute was created to draw together leading food-safety scientists from academia and state government to advance understanding in various fields related to food safety and security. Collaborations will also be developed with federal agencies.

The institute's mission is to develop the capability to more rapidly and accurately identify food-borne hazards in both plant- and animal-based food products. Institute researchers also will work to develop effective methods for preventing natural and intentional food contamination that might lead to food-borne illnesses and outbreaks. In addition, food-safety education programs will be provided by the institute to consumers and to food-related industries.

The institute is located at 279 Cousteau Place just off of Second Street, which fronts Interstate 80. It can be reached by taking Interstate 80 to the Mace Boulevard exit. Follow Mace north from I-80, then turn left at the first stop light onto Second Street. At the third street on the right, turn right onto Cousteau Place. Turn left into the third driveway on the left. There is no charge for parking.