MoniQA e-News Alert 2018-02-08

MoniQA 2017

Stay up-to-date with food safety and new trends in food analysis!

Content:

  1. Register now! Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management, 7-8 June 2018
  2. Become a Sponsor! Food Fraud and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018
  3. Call for Abstracts! Food Fraud and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018
  4. Last Chance to Register! Workshop on Innovative Food Allergen Management Based on Risk Assessment, Bologna, Italy, 21 February 2018
  5. Last Chance to Register! USP's Workshop on Adulteration & Fraud in Food Ingredients and Dietary Supplements, 27-28 February 2018, Rockeville, USA
  6. Order Now! MoniQA's internationally validated Milk Allergen Reference Material
  7. Enrol Now! Chemical Food Safety and Integrity part-time MSc at Manchester University
  8. Mark Your Calendars! Symposium: Frontiers in Food Allergy and Allergen Risk Assessment and Management, 18-20 April 2018, Madrid, Spain
  9. Sign-up now! MoniQA Membership offers you a variety of benefits
  10. Calendar update: Upcoming Meetings and Events
  11. Imprint and Disclaimer
  12. Your feedback is important to us

 

1. Register now! Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018!

Following the great success and extremely positive response after the 1st MoniQA Symposium on Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management in Bari, Italy, 26-27 January 2017, the MoniQA Association would like to invite you to join us for the Second MoniQA Symposium on Food Fraud and Allergens in Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018.

This Second MoniQA Symposium will address food authenticity, food fraud and the need for simple labeling as major drivers for both the food industry and companies involved in rapidly developing new analytical technologies. The food industry must adapt to this changing landscape and be aware of the regulatory and legal issues that drive the change in the safety and quality of food. This workshop will bring together food industry experts, legal experts, regulators, academics and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss the latest information on the implications of regulations and other burning issues in the food space.

Some of the areas we plan to cover include:

  • What is on a label: "free from...", "may contain...", "processed in a facility..."
  • Interpreting legal limits versus laboratory accuracy
  • Litigation: class action vs consumer deception

An exciting two days programme has been developed with speakers from e.g. Nestle, FOCOS, LGC, SQTS-MIGROS, USP, various law firms, associations and international organisations. Get an update on the newest science and technology involved in the analysis of food for authenticity, new regulatory developments, and firsthand experiences to combat food fraud. Case studies of successful brand protection, food fraud prevention and improved risk management will be provided in this timely and innovative symposium.

We warmly invite you to attend this meeting in Vienna, 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. Vienna has earned an outstanding reputation as meeting destination and is ranked top every year in the statistics kept by the International Congress & Convention Association. The central location of Vienna in the heart of Europe is beneficial to all delegates who are able to reach Vienna easily with direct flights from any European capital as well as from many other cities worldwide.

We hope to see you in Vienna in June 2018!

Dr. Richard Cantrill
President, Canada

Dr. Roland Poms
Secretary General, Austria

 


 

2. Become a Sponsor! Food Fraud and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018

The organisers would like to invite you to support the 2nd MoniQA Symposium "Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management" to take place in Vienna, 7-8 June 2018 and help make it a success by signing up for your preferred sponsoring option. Various sponsorship packages are availabile, they include registrations for your colleagues and clients, as well as other attractive promotion and marketing opportunities, and the option to have a table top in our small exhibition.

For details please refer to the conference website https://moniqa-vienna2018.meetinghand.com/en/501-sponsoring.

Meeting venue and exhibition area: The Austria Trend Eventhotel Pyramide, a 4-star hotel is one of the most unusual hotels in Austria. The Eventhotel Pyramide is located just to the south of Vienna. Set in 45,000m² of green space, the 42-meter-high glass pyramid contains 429 comfortable four-star rooms and suites, a state-of-the-art 3,500m² congress centre, numerous restaurants and bars, and a unique wellness and spa area covering more than 5,000m². We reserved an exquisite area for the exhibition where coffee breaks and lunch will be served.

Sign up now for your preferred sponsorship package at https://moniqa-vienna2018.meetinghand.com/projectData/736/webData/Sponsoring-Form-2018-Vienna-2018-01-22.pdf

 


 

3. Call for Abstracts! Food Fraud and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria, 7-8 June 2018

The organisers of the Second MoniQA Symposium on Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management, Vienna, Austria 7-8 June 2018, would like to invite you to submit an abstract for poster presentation to vienna2018 [at] moniqa [dot] org.

This Second MoniQA Symposium will address food authenticity, food fraud and the need for simple labeling as major drivers for both the food industry and companies involved in rapidly developing new analytical technologies.

The symposium will provide ample space and time for poster viewing and discussion, as well as publication of the abstract (with ISBN reference), and including the abstract/poster in a best poster award competition.

Posters/abstracts addressing the following topics are welcome at the symposium:

  • Food Quality and Safety
  • Socio-Economics of Food Quality and Safety
  • Food Authenticity
  • Economic and Public Health Impacts
  • Food Integrity
  • "Free from" foods
  • Food Fraud
  • Gluten-Free
  • Food Analysis
  • Food Allergens
  • Food Databases
  • Food Quality Management
  • Reference Methods
  • Food Recalls
  • Reference Materials
  • Consumer Science
  • Non-Targeted Methods
  • Consumer Perception
  • Big Data
  • Pre-cautionary Labelling
  • Regulatory Issues
  • Risk Assessment & Risk Management
  • Food Law, Legislation
  • Consumer Held Analytical Devices
  • Brand Protection
  • Rapid Methods and Confirmatory Methods
  • Food Trade
  • Method Validation
  • Food Quality Labels
  • Expression of Analytical Results
  • Litigation
  • Innovation
  • Supplier Control
  • International Food Standards
  • Traceability and Blockchain
 

Please submit your abstract before 31 March 2018 to guarantee publication of your abstract and to reserve your presentation space. Please mind that at least one of the authors needs to register for the meeting. If you have any questions, please contact us directly at vienna2018 [at] moniqa [dot] org or refer to the conference website at vienna2018.moniqa.org.

 


 

4. Last Chance to Register! Workshop on Innovative Food Allergen Management Based on Risk Assessment, Bologna, Italy, 21 February 2018

Hylobates and MoniQA are organising a workshop on  Innovative Food Allergen Management and Risk Assessment, on 21 February 2018 (Bologna, Via Fanin 44). Please refer to the programme and the registration form at http://www.moniqa.org/workshop-bologna-2018. This one day workshop will offer interactive training and discussions for the advanced food allergen manager, lab technician, risk manager and food technologist, as well as provide important information to food producers, regulatory bodies, and consumer organizations: 

  • panel discussions on labeling, comparability of results, communication and a glimpse into
  • hands-on session
  • Q&A
  • trouble-shooting

This workshop will be held in Italian and partly in English and will offer the participants an update on innovative food allergen management by international experts and up-to-date information on new risk assessment data and understand its implication for consumers, industry and testing laboratories. Furthermore, it will give answers to questions such as: What are new tools for allergy and allergen management? What are the new validated reference materials? How can you trust and read the laboratory test results? What are the new analytical techniques?

The programme includes two half-day separate sessions: 

PART I – INNOVATIVE FOOD ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT: NEW METHODS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT AND VALIDATION (09:30 - 13:00) 

PART II - FOOD ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT: ANALYTICAL METHODS AND RAPID TESTING (14:00 - 18:00) 

The workshop will be mainly held in Italian and a certificate of attendance will be provided to participants.

For further information, please contact francescabucchini [at] hylobates [dot] it or roland [dot] poms [at] moniqa [dot] org

We appreciate sponsorships from:

Platinum Sponsor
R-Biopharm
Gold Sponsor
Romer Labs
Sponsor
Tecna

 


 

5. Last Chance to Register! USP's Workshop on Adulteration & Fraud in Food Ingredients and Dietary Supplements, 27-28 February 2018, Rockeville, USA

USP (Unites States Pharmacopeia, MoniQA Member since 2017) invites to an exciting workshop on Adulteration & Fraud in Food Ingredients and Dietary Supplements, 27-28 February 2018, Rockeville, USA. Speakers from Walmart, PepsiCo, the European Commission, as well as technical experts from the University of Guelph, FOCOS, and Fonterra are included in the programme. An optional olive oil tasting session will be held at the conclusion of the workshop.

Adulteration and fraud in food ingredients and dietary supplements are major concerns for industry, consumers, and regulatory authorities. USP's workshop brings together internationally recognized experts to discuss the current state of technologies for detecting economically motivated adulteration and minimizing supply chain risk.

Advance registration will be available through Friday, February 23, 2018. After that date, registration will be available on site at the USP Meetings Center.

For more information please follow the link http://www.usp.org/events-training/workshops/dietary-supplements-food-ingredients-adulteration-workshop?vsmaid=1144&vcid=62929.

 


 

6. Order Now! MoniQA's internationally validated Milk Allergen Reference Material

The first validated Reference Materials for Food Allergen Analysis are available and can be ordered from MoniQA Association (http://shop.moniqa.org). The first set of materials includes testing materials for milk allergen analysis comprising a Positive Control (SMP-MQA 092014, characterized dried skim milk powder, validated protein content), Negative Control (BLANK-MQA 082015, based on a gluten free cookie), and 2 Incurred Materials: LOW-MQA 102016 (SMP incurred in gluten free cookies, milled, concentration approx. 3.5 ppm milk protein, validated) and HIGH-MQA 082016 (SMP incurred in gluten free cookies, milled, concentration approx. 35 ppm milk protein, validated).

The materials were produced by Trilogy Laboratories USA (MoniQA Member since 2013) and have been commercially available starting 01 January 2017 through MoniQA Association. All materials come with a data sheet and a reference certificate to the analytical results, a measurement uncertainty and validation information. The materials come in 5 g pouches (air tight sealed) and sold for 220.- Euro per pouch or 792.- € for the set of all 4 materials. The Reference Materials for Food Allergen Analysis can be ordered through MoniQA's online shop: http://shop.moniqa.org/order-form

The design and 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, and national authorities. 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.

 


 

7. Enrol now! Chemical Food Safety and Integrity part-time MSc at Manchester University

Starting in January 2018 the Chemical Food Safety and Integrity part-time MSc aims to provide those in work with the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills. It is not too late to enrol for the Modular MSc, which is run as both credit-bearing and non-credit bearing course. It will start in September with the Risk Assessment unit. Make your plans now!

Embedding analytical methodology within a risk assessment and management context the course has been designed to provide a flexible education suited to students who are in employment. It uses a range of teaching and learning methodologies, with on-line lectures and tutorials combined with face-to-face workshops, practicals and demonstrations. Individual taught units can also be taken as stand-alone continuing professional development courses. In the final year a workplace-based research project is undertaken with additional support and access to facilities at the University and its partners. This allows individuals to develop and expand their intellectual skills within a friendly, supportive environment. Informed feedback and support from academic staff will enable mature students to return to learning and help develop the critical and analytical skills expected for postgraduate studies.

For more information please refer to http://www.moniqa.org/node/922.

 


 

8. Mark your calendars! Symposium: Frontiers in Food Allergy and Allergen Risk Assessment and Management, 18-20 April 2018, Madrid, Spain

Following the end of iFAAM – the EU funded collaborative research project on "Integrated Approaches to Food Allergy and Food Allergen Management", ILSI Europe is organizing a symposium 18-20 April 2018, in Madrid, Spain. This symposium will provide an ideal forum to disseminate the evidence, knowledge and tools developed in the iFAAM project to stakeholders and actors involved in food allergen and food allergy management globally. The symposium will also identify key activities required for further implementation.

Themes addressed will include:
  • Patterns, prevalence and severity of reactions
  • Prevention of food allergy
  • Factors affecting sensitivity of allergic individuals and severity of reactions
  • Evidence based risk assessment
  • Allergen analysis in foods
  • Reactions in the community
  • Allergenicity risk assessment for novel foods and GMOs

Save the date and be part of this forum to address current and future challenges in food allergy and food allergen management. For more information please refer to the conference website: http://ilsi.eu/event/symposium-on-frontiers-in-food-allergy-and-allergen-risk-assessment-and-management/.
The MoniQA Association is consortium partner of iFAAM and supports the international efforts to make precautionary food allergen labeling more transparent for consumers and to provide a sustainable online toolbox for allergen management along the food supply chain. For more information on iFAAM please refer to www.moniqa.org/ifaam.

 


 

9. Sign-up now! MoniQA Membership offers you a variety of benefits

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. To date more than 40 institutions from some 20 countries from 5 continents are members of the association and some 8000 professionals from over 80 countries are linked to the association’s activities, providing a global network which has established an efficient and effective collaboration culture. Membership is open to institutions involved in food safety http://www.moniqa.org/membership/signup.

MoniQA has a special offer for consultants and for micro-companies! A special membership category was initiated in 2016 to better meet the needs of small companies (one-man-company, consultants, company with max. 2 employees). Micro-companies can enjoy the full suite of benefits of a regular membership in MoniQA at half price (500.- € per year) including all services listed at http://www.moniqa.org/membership/signup.

The MoniQA Association undertakes research, coordinates and manages various working groups in areas such as food authenticity, food allergens, chemical and processing contaminants, mycotoxins, and microbiological contaminants. MoniQA Association is a publisher of harmonized protocols, new methods and food safety research results. MoniQA’s training programme includes workshops and courses, eLearning and webinars. MoniQA Association provides validated information, databases and on-line tools, training and continuous professional development, and a network of highly qualified institutions dealing with food safety research and assessment. The partners have successfully worked together on method validation studies, ring trials and proficiency tests, production of reference materials and advising CEN and ISO and the European Commission in food safety issues. Since 2008 MoniQA has been the official organiser of the technical training session for the delegates of the yearly meeting of the joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Committee on Methods and Sampling. Additionally, MoniQA provides robust policy support and socio-economic impact assessments. MoniQA has contributed to several high-level events, such as the World Expo in Shanghai (2010) and in Milan (2015). MoniQA has a very effective and efficient dissemination network (not least with other EU projects).

 


 

10. Calendar update: Upcoming Meetings and Events

Biofach 2018, World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food
Nuremberg, Germany
14-17 February 2018

Gulfood 2018
Dubai, UAE
18-22 February 2018

MoniQA-Tecna-Hylobates joint workshop on Innovative Food Allergen Management and Risk Assessment
Bologna, Italy
21 February 2018

USP's Workshop on Adulteration and Fraud in Food Ingredients and Dietary Supplements
Rockville, USA
27-28 February 2018

Food Fraud 2018
London, UK
01 March 2018

4th Latin America Cereals Conference, LACC4
Mexico City, Mexico
11-14 March 2018

CIMMYT – International Gluten Workshop
Mexico City, Mexico
14-17 March 2018

ILSI Symposium – Frontiers in Food Allergy and Allergen Risk Assessment and Management
Madrid, Spain
18-20 April 2018

10th Food Allergen Methodologies Workshop
Toronto, Canada
07-09 May 2018

2nd MoniQA Symposium on Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management
Vienna or Zurich
07-08 June 2018

5th International ISEKI_Food Conference 2018
Stuttgart, Germany
03-05 July 2018

Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo
Chicago, USA
15-18 July 2018

132nd AOAC Annual Meeting & Exposition
Toronto, Canada
26-29 August 2018

2018 AACC International Annual Meeting
London, UK
21-23 October 2018

19th World Congress of Food Science and Technology
Vashi, Mumbai, India
23–27 October 2018

12th Conference RME 2018
Amsterdam, Netherlands
05–07 November 2018

32nd EFFoST International Conference
Nantes, France
06-08 November 2018

 


 

11. Imprint and Disclaimer

MoniQA eNewsAlerts and Newsletters are published by MoniQA Association quarterly and additional issues may be distributed based on demand. Traditionally the eNewsAlerts are written by the Secretary General. MoniQA’s eNewsAlerts reach close to 9000 contacts in over 85 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas and Australia-New-Zealand. As international and interdisciplinary network of professionals from institutions working in food research, regulatory bodies and trade, MoniQA aims at 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. MoniQA contributes to the development and validation of analytical methods, provides training and continuous professional development (CPD), consultancy and socio-economic impact assessment.

You can view and download the full newsletter at www.moniqa.org/enews-alert-2018-02-08

 


 

12. Your feedback is important to us

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.

Stay connected with MoniQA and enjoy reading this MoniQA eNews Alert 2018-02-08!

On behalf of the MoniQA Association

Richard Cantrill (Canada), President
Roland Poms (Austria), Secretary General


© 2018, MoniQA - International Association for Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Total Food Supply Chain, General Secretariat, Europastraße 1, 7540 Güssing, Austria, www.moniqa.org. Email: moniqa [at] moniqa [dot] org.

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