BOOK OF ABSTRACTS - 7th International Symposium on RECENT ADVANCES IN FOOD ANALYSIS (RAFA)

Význam tématu

Advances in analytical chemistry are essential for safeguarding food safety, ensuring authenticity, and combating fraud and contamination in an increasingly globalised food market. Novel detection and screening methods support regulators, industry and laboratories in identifying trace-level residues (pesticides, veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, dioxins, heavy metals, marine toxins) and uncovering adulteration or mislabelling (e.g., origin, substitution). Integrating high-throughput tools and hyphenated techniques allows rapid response to emerging risks and protects consumer health.

Cíle a přehled programu

The 7th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis (RAFA) presented vendor-led seminars, plenary lectures and poster sessions covering cutting-edge methodologies. Key objectives were to:

• Showcase mass spectrometric solutions (GC–TOF, GC–Triple Quadrupole MS, LC–QTOF, LC–Orbitrap) for routine residue screening and confirmation under new EU regulations.
• Discuss enhanced sample preparation (QuEChERS, ASE, SPE, d-SPE) and novel chemistries (EMR-Lipid, polymeric sorbents, analyte protectants) to overcome matrix effects.
• Highlight ion mobility spectrometry, comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography (GC×GC, LC×LC) and advanced MS/MS acquisition modes for non-targeted screening and compound identification.
• Present biosensing and bioassays (ELISA, aptamers, cell-based assays, ELS scatter) for rapid on-site screening of allergens, pathogens, toxins and endocrine disruptors.
• Demonstrate vibrational spectroscopy (NIR, FT-IR, Raman, SERS) coupled with chemometrics for fingerprinting and authenticity testing of oils, spices, honey and beverages.
• Address nanomaterials analysis (SP-ICP-MS, TEM, AF4, DLS) and migration studies in food contact materials under EU FCM legislation.
• Present integrated omics strategies (metabolomics, proteomics, stable isotopes) for food forensic applications, origin tracing and impact of processing.
• Discuss risk governance, proficiency testing, reference material development and the role of EU Reference Laboratories in harmonisation and capacity building.

Použitá metodika a instrumentace

• Gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution (Orbitrap, TOF) and tandem quadrupole MS for pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, and emerging contaminants.
• Liquid chromatography–MS/MS and high-resolution LC–MS for mycotoxins, antibiotics, veterinary drugs, phosphodiesterase inhibitors and polar pesticides.
• Ion mobility spectrometry hyphenated with LC–HRMS for separation of isomers and collision cross section measurement.
• Comprehensive multidimensional chromatography (GC×GC, LC×LC) coupled with MS for complex sample profiling, contaminant screening and purity prep.
• Atmospheric pressure ambient ionization techniques (DESI, DART, REIMS, SIBATM) combined with portable MS for rapid in situ field testing.
• Inductively coupled plasma–MS (ICP–MS, ICP–QQQ–MS) and TXRF for elemental analysis, speciation and nanoparticles characterisation.
• Vibrational spectroscopy (NIRS, Raman, FT-IR) and hyperspectral imaging for non-targeted fingerprinting and prediction of composition.
• Bioassays and immunochemical methods (ELISA, multiplex flow-cytometry, CALUX, cell-based assays) for functional toxicology screening.
• Mass balance accounting, metagenomics and paper-trail approaches for traceability and prevention of food crime.
• Microfluidics platforms and isothermal amplification for on-site species identification and pathogen detection.

Hlavní výsledky a diskuse

Recent studies demonstrated:

• GC–QTOF and GC–Orbitrap MS meet EU confirmatory criteria for dioxin and PCB analysis with MS/MS qualification and <1 ppm mass accuracy.
• LC–QTOF screening of 140 veterinary drugs and >200 pesticides in food and supplements achieves sub-μg/kg detection with retrospective identification.
• High-throughput QuEChERS-based LC–MS/MS methods on multiplexed UPLC systems accelerate pesticide and antibiotic residue analysis while reducing matrix effects.
• On-line coupling of AF4 and spICP-MS resolves nanoparticle size distributions in toothpaste and food contact materials.
• ELISA and multiplex biosensors enable rapid screening of allergens, mycotoxins, antibiotics and EDCs in complex matrices with improved sensitivity.
• Non-targeted NMR, NIR and Raman chemometric approaches classify spice fraud, honey origin, olive oil adulteration and juice composition.
• Ambient MS imaging and REIMS correctly identify species adulteration in meats, oregano fraud and whisky authenticity within seconds.
• Migrating compounds from paper and polymer FCMs (amines, BPA analogues, oligomers) were quantified by GC–MS/MS and LC–MS/MS, informing risk assessment.
• Multidimensional LC×GC prep systems isolate volatiles from essential oils and food samples in high purity for aroma and contaminant analysis.
• Ion mobility Q-TOF resolved positional isomers of glycosylated mycotoxins and improved confidence in pesticide identification.
• Lostcheleken kinetics of degradation products from food processing (3-MCPD esters, vanillin quinones) revealed by UPLC-HRMS.

Přínosy a praktické využití metod

• Enhanced food safety and compliance by screening wide panels of residues and emerging toxins in a single run.
• Cost-effective, fast sample preparation and high throughput strategies reduce analysis time and solvent use.
• Functional bioassays provide hazard-based preliminary screening of complex mixtures.
• Non-targeted fingerprinting supports authenticity verification and fraud detection without extensive reference libraries.
• Portable ambient MS and microfluidics enable point-of-need testing at critical control points.
• Advanced FCM migration testing ensures safer packaging choices and informs legislation.
• Nanoparticle characterisation tools address novel material safety in foods and cosmetics.
• Integrated omics and chemometric platforms provide mechanistic insights and novel biomarkers for authenticity and exposure assessment.
• Monitoring and proficiency testing frameworks contribute to harmonisation and quality assurance across EU and global labs.

Budoucí trendy a možnosti využití

Future directions include:

• Expansion of HRMS full-scan quantitation with automated, library-driven workflows and fixed-mass calibrations.
• Wider adoption of ion mobility and collision cross section libraries for routine confirmatory analysis.
• Further integration of ambient MS imaging with AI-driven chemometrics for rapid fraud detection and authenticity mapping.
• Development of universal microfluidic sample-to-answer devices combining immunoassays, isothermal amplification or biosensors.
• Advances in portable spectroscopy for in situ nutrient profiling and non-destructive authenticity testing of fresh produce.
• Application of machine learning and big data analytics to non-targeted fingerprinting and risk prediction for foodborne toxins.
• Implementation of harmonised performance criteria for rapid tests and multi-analyte screens under new EU regulations.
• Use of blockchain and traceability technologies linked to analytical verifications to secure supply chains against fraud.

Závěr

The RAFA 2015 Symposium demonstrated the breadth and depth of analytical innovations that empower food safety, authenticity and compliance. From advanced MS platforms to on-site screening and non-targeted fingerprinting, these methods address critical challenges in detecting regulated residues, emerging contaminants and fraudulent practices. Continued cross-disciplinary research, harmonised validation and integration of digital tools will shape the next generation of robust, high-throughput and cost-effective food analysis solutions.

Reference

Not applicable