Two burning food safety issues will be discussed in this two-day-symposium on Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management, which is featured by excellent speakers from the various disciplines along the food safety chain. The symposium is organised by MoniQA Association together with CNR-ISPA and will bring together science and innovation, good manufacturing practice, risk assessment and risk management, learnings from recent experiences and innovative approaches to meet new challenges in food safety and quality.
Conference Website: http://bari2017.moniqa.org
Meet the speakers at http://bari2017.moniqa.org/programme
Posters: Submit your abstract (max. 300 words) before 15 November 2016 to bari [at] moniqa [dot] org!
(only a limited number of posters will be selected for presentation at the symposium)
Register before 15 November 2016 to enjoy your Early Bird discount: http://bari2017.moniqa.org/registration
Attractive sponsorship packages can be found at http://bari2017.moniqa.org/sponsor.
Two days – two topics:
The symposium will tackle various burning questions related to food authenticity and food allergens, respectively. Short oral presentations will be followed by interactive round table discussions. Various workshops and open task force meetings will offer ample opportunities to capture privileged information and get personally involved in new developments and projects. Additionally, a small table top exhibition and a selection of scientific posters will make some of the discussed issues more tangible.
Food Authenticity and Fraud Prevention:
Food Allergens and Effective Management Tools:
Who should attend:
This symposium is targeted toward the food industry/food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, marketing and quality management, auditors, personnel from research and development, and representatives from the regulatory environment. This workshop will be especially suitable for SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) and fulfilling CPD (Continuous Professional Development) requirements. The workshop will give practical, scientific and legal background information, insight in innovative approaches, newly developed tools and recently introduced analytical methods to combat food fraud and improve food allergen management. These new developments will be linked to real case studies and learnings from recent incidents. Learnings from stakeholder viewpoints, such as food manufacturers, food laboratories, food analytical methods providers, auditors, risk assessors, lawyers, trainers/teachers, media and communicators, regulatory bodies and policy makers shall complement the scientific programme and stimulate open discussion.
We warmly invite you to attend this meeting, which brings together international experts in the fields of food authenticity and food allergens, as well as various food industries, SMEs, research institutions, associations and regulatory bodies, all having a different stake in food safety. This special mix of scientific and practical input to the symposium will be a valuable opportunity to grow your knowledge base, learn from practical experiences, and exchange ideas with peers.
Escape from the cold Northern winter and join us in Bari in Southern Italy. We hope to see you there!
 Diamond Sponsor |  Gold Sponsor |
This event is supported by:
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On 13 September 2016 MoniQA as part of two different international consortia – one led by the University of Bologna, Italy, and the other by Hellenic Institute of Transport, Greece - submitted 2 project proposals under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. In both proposals MoniQA acts as Workpackage Leader. The following proposals successfully passed stage 1 and were submitted for stage 2 evaluation:
We are pleased to continue our success in expanding our involvement in EU projects. Involvement in collaborative research projects will increase the knowledge base, the international network of experts in the field of food safety and quality, and strengthen MoniQA’s offerings and services for its members and beyond.
The first validated Reference Materials for Food Allergen Analysis have been presented at the latest AOAC Annual Meeting 2016 in Dallas, Texas, USA. The first set of materials includes testing materials for milk allergen analysis comprising a Positive Control (SMP-MQA 092014, characterized dried skim milk powder), Negative Control (BLANK-MQA 082015, based on a gluten free cookie), and 2 Incurred Materials: LOW-MQA 092016 (SMP incurred in gluten free cookies, milled, concentration approx. 5 ppm) and HIGH-MQA 082016 (SMP incurred in gluten free cookies, milled, concentration approx. 50 ppm).
The materials were produced by Trilogy Laboratories USA (MoniQA Member since 2013) and will be commercially available starting 01 January 2017 through MoniQA Association. Shipments will be coordinated by R-Biopharm Germany (MoniQA Member since 2011). The materials will come in 5 g pouches (air tight sealed) and sold for 220.- Euro per pouch. MoniQA Members may also qualify as Authorized Distributor of these reference materials and receive a 25 % distributor/re-seller discount.
If your company/organization is interested to become an authorized distributor, please contact roland [dot] poms [at] moniqa [dot] org. Further reference materials are in preparation (gluten, egg, soy) and will become available shortly.
The production of these materials was in response to the urgent need for reference materials expressed by the food industry and food analytical laboratories, as well as providers of food allergen test kits and other methodologies. An international initiative (since 2013) led by MoniQA Association discussed and agreed upon the requirements for food allergen reference materials. For this purpose MoniQA has liaised with the EU funded project iFAAM, the Prolamin Working Group, Health Canada, FARRP, Australia’s Allergen Bureau (Vital), and others.
The initial group of 15 experts from the global analytical community grew over time to a group of some 50 institutions contributing to the design of the materials and giving scientific and technological input during the testing and production phase of the materials.
The next meeting of MoniQA’s Task Force on Food Allergen Reference Material is scheduled ahead of the two-day-symposium on Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management in Bari, Italy and is scheduled for the afternoon of 25 January 2017.
MoniQA endorses and contributes to the First Food Chemistry Conference - Shaping the Future of Food Quality, Health and Safety to be held 30 October - 1 November 2016 in the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
This exciting new conference celebrating the 40th anniversary of the leading international journal Food Chemistry will bring together experts and young researchers from academia, research centres, and industry to debate on the latest scientific advances in the field of food chemistry that help to shape current and future challenges in food quality, food safety, and health aspects of the food chain. These challenges are also intimately linked to the wider EU Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges related to health, food security, sustainable agriculture, maritime research and the bioeconomy. Topics will include:
Meet MoniQA in Amsterdam!
Roland Poms, MoniQA Secretary General, followed an invitation by Beijing based CCOA – Chinese Cereals and Oils Association and HAUT – Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, to contribute to the 3rd International Symposium on Whole Grains and Health held in Kaifeng, 13 October 2016, and to the 60th University’s Anniversary Conference on Food Safety and Authenticity in Zhengzhou, 14-16 October 2016. Roland Poms gave talks on "Food Safety Implications of Whole Grains" and "Authenticity and Traceability Testing of Compound Specific Stable Isotope Analysis", respectively.
During his stay in China, Roland Poms was able to discuss future activities and priorities with CCOA, one of MoniQA’s Founder Members and former Deputy Coordinator of the original MoniQA Network of Excellence. It is important to note that food safety and authenticity are pronounced priority areas for both China and the European Union, and its trade partnerships, which emphasizes the importance of MoniQA’s long standing good relationships with Chinese research, regulatory and association sectors.
Dr. Walter Mayrhofer from the FTI Burgenland (Research-Technology-Innovation Agency) opened the kick-off event on behalf of MoniQA’s new offices in Neutal, Austria (some 50 minutes’ drive South of Vienna Airport) with an appreciation of MoniQA’s initiatives in supporting the food industry and authorities to guarantee a high degree of food safety and quality, and by bringing new international expertise to Burgenland.
Representing the regional government of Burgenland, the most Eastern state of Austria, Mrs. Verena Dunst, officially welcomed MoniQA Association and emphasized the importance of international networks for Burgenland’s regional research and innovation activities, and a sustainable economic growth of Burgenland’s strong agricultural and food production sectors.
Dr. Roland Poms, Secretary General of MoniQA Association described the tools and vast information source that MoniQA offers and gave a glimpse into future research projects that MoniQA has submitted (together with various international consortia) within the frame of the European Commission’s Horizon2020 Programme.
Several members of MoniQA presented their institution joint activities at the event: Prof. Wolfgang Kneifel from BOKU – the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna explained the joint international educational and training programmes; BSc. Christoph Reiterich from R-Biopharm (a biotech company in food diagnostics, Germany) reported on the joint initiative to produce new reference materials for food allergen analysis and the validation of test kits. Finally, Dr. Rita Litauszky from FFG – the Austrian Research Promotion Agency appreciated MoniQA’s track of successful research proposals funded by the European Commission.
Roland Poms participated at the 7th iFAAM Consortium Meeting in Rome, Italy, 17+18 October 2016. iFAAM (Integrated Approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Risk Management; 2013-2017) is the world's biggest ever study of allergies - coordinated by Clare Mills from the University of Manchester and funded by the European Commission’s Framework Programme 7. This time several workshops preceded the consortium meeting and these were linked to the EAACI meeting (The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology).
The MoniQA Association is partner in iFAAM and works in Workpackage 9, led by Paul Finglas (Vice President in MoniQA and Director of EuroFIR AISBL). MoniQA’s current activities focus on the development of online tools for food manufacturers and policy makers to support an improved food allergen management. An iFAAM toolbox shall be offered on the MoniQA website shortly Main focus of MoniQA’s participation at the 7th consortium meeting was the sustainability of iFAAM’s outputs and tools, which shall be hosted at one of MoniQA’s sub-sites.
Membership in MoniQA Association is open to all institutions interested in food safety and quality related issues. MoniQA – the International Association for Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Total Food Supply Chain is an international and interdisciplinary network of professionals from institutions working in food research, regulatory bodies and trade, providing solutions to promote a safer and secure food supply worldwide. MoniQA facilitates international research collaborations to enable services and products for food safety & quality assurance, progress and validation of analytical methods, training and continuous professional development, consultancy and socio-economic impact assessment.
Sign up for Membership in MoniQA today and start benefiting from the association’s international network and a variety of activities and services: www.moniqa.org/about/association.
With its strong focus on the development and application of new analytical tools and their potential for quality assessment, assurance, control and safety of foods and feeds, QAS - International Journal for Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods provides an ideal platform for original research papers, reviews, reports, regulatory updates and short communications in the areas of food safety, food security and sustainability. QAS was jointly established between MoniQA Association www.moniqa.org and ICC - International Association for Cereal Science and Technology www.icc.or.at. Members of both associations enjoy a free online subscription of this international peer-reviewed journal.
To submit a paper: http://www.wageningenacademic.com/journals/qas/submitting-a-paper
To become MoniQA Member (annual membership fee applies) and enjoy a free subscription:
http://www.wageningenacademic.com/journals/qas/pricing
We value and appreciate your feedback and suggestions in order to improve our services and the way we communicate. Please feel free to send us your thoughts and suggestions to moniqa [at] moniqa [dot] org.
Dr. Roland Poms, Secretary General/CEO
© 2016, MoniQA - International Association for Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Total Food Supply Chain, General Secretariat, Werner von Siemens Straße 1, 7343 Neutal, Austria, www.moniqa.org. Email: moniqa [at] moniqa [dot] org .
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