Listeria detection kits receive European certification 10 January 2012

Two assays for the detection of Listeria have received Europe - recognised validation from the Association Francaise de Normalisation (AFNOR). Life Technologies Corporation’s MicroSEQ assays for the detection of Listeria spp and Listeria monocytogenes, received the certification. AFNOR certification, which recognises alternative methods in accordance with the ISO standard EN/ I SO 16140, is applicable across Europe. The company has earned both AOAC and AFNOR certification for its Listeria testing kits, as well as its Salmonella and E. coli assays.

SAFE News, December 2011

EFSA reconfirms safety of bisphenol A

EFSA consults on new food additives guidance

Bacteriophages to control spoilage microorganisms in fish

The European Technology Platform Food4Life Board meeting of February 24^th in Brussels decided that the seven Scientific Working Groups of the ETP will resume their work in 2011 and prepare a revised Strategic Research Agenda, to be launched later this year. The SAFE consortium has played a significant part in the ETP Food4Life since its start in 2005, coordinating the food safety related actvities of the ETP. SAFE will continue doing so by leading the Key Thrust Working Group "Safe Food Production" towards a redefinition of the strategic research issues most relevant for food safety in Europe for the next decade.

The SAFE consortium and member IBA (Institutul de Bioresurse Alimentare) have the pleasure to announce an upcoming seminar/workshop entitled "Update on Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce".

The event will take place on Thursday and Friday 15 and 16 March 2012 at the IBA Main Office in Bucharest Romania.

The SAFE consortium has published a position paper and call for action entitled,

'The need for research in tools for shelf-life and safety prediction in the food chain.'

The paper is based on a seminar of the same name, one in the SAFE consortium Food Safety Seminar Series, which took place in October 2010 at the research laboratories of SAFE member AZTI-Tecnalia in Derio (Bilbao) Spain. Sixteen SAFE members from 10 SAFE institutes and 9 colleagues of the SAFE consortium participated in writing the paper. Interested in presenting this paper to your colleagues? To your National Representatives? To others who might be interested to support funding for research in this area?

Download part 1 of the paper here.

SAFE members may download the entire paper. Log in as a member and go to the Publications link.

The SAFE Consortium members only pages have just re-opened!

Are you registered as a SAFE member? Your old user name and password will get you access to our new members only pages which include

1. PowerPoint presentations from SAFE seminars and workshops

2. Full text of SAFE position papers and manuscripts

3. SAFE Infomails

Log in on top right.

(New individual members may join SAFE after Jan 2012)

The SAFE consortium has just published a position paper and call for action entitled,

'Food contact materials: Knowledge gaps and research needs.'

This position paper is based on a seminar in the SAFE consortium Food Safety Seminar Series 'Developments in Safety Assessment of Food Contact Materials' which took place on 24 and 25 February 2010 in Driebergen Netherlands. Ten SAFE members from 6 different SAFE institutes participated together with 11 colleagues of the SAFE consortium from industry, regulatory agencies and universities in writing the paper. You can raise awareness of the need for research in this area by presenting this paper to your colleagues, National Representatives or others.

Download Part 1 of the paper here.

The full paper is available only to SAFE members. Log in as a member and find the paper in the Publications tab.

Read more about the Seminar here.

'LIFE - THE LIFE SCIENCES FACULTY OF COPENHAGEN UNIVERSITY'

Find out more about them here.