Food safety inspections are a cornerstone of consumer protection, but are current inspection approaches consistently focused on the hazards that pose the greatest public health risk? While many inspection programs effectively identify visible sanitation and compliance issues, emerging food safety challenges require a deeper evaluation of preventive controls, risk management systems, and organizational decision-making. In this candid and constructive discussion, representatives from diverse perspectives across the food industry will examine where traditional inspection models excel, where they may fall short, and how inspection programs can continue to evolve. Through real-world examples, panelists will explore the balance between compliance verification and risk assessment, discuss lessons learned across different commodity sectors, and identify practical opportunities to strengthen inspections as tools for prevention, public health protection, and continuous improvement. Learning Objectives: (1) Identify key differences between traditional compliance-focused inspections and modern risk-based inspection approaches. (2) Evaluate real-world examples of inspection modernization from multiple food industry sectors. (3) Apply risk-based thinking to strengthen food safety oversight and continuous improvement efforts.