BOOK OF ABSTRACTS - 5 International Symposium on RECENT ADVANCES IN FOOD ANALYSIS (RAFA)

Symposium Overview

The 5th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis was held November 1–4, 2011 in Prague, bringing together leading experts to discuss the state-of-the-art in analytical chemistry for food and feed safety and quality.

• Significance: Emphasis on rapid, reliable methods to address emerging contaminants, allergens, and authenticity issues in complex matrices.
• Keynote Topics: EU research priorities in agri-food innovation; challenges of nanoparticles in the food chain; fingerprinting and profiling for authentication; cutting-edge hyphenated techniques; and green analytical chemistry.
• Technological Advances: PLatforms including LC–MS/MS (nominal and accurate mass), GC×GC–TOFMS, ion mobility spectrometry, high-resolution MS, DART ambient MS, NIR/FT-NIR spectroscopy, SPR-based biosensors, immunoassays, and planar waveguide biochips.
• Applications: Multi-residue multi-class analysis of pesticides, mycotoxins, veterinary drugs, flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, heavy metals, and food contact migrants; multiplex allergen screening; profiling of lipids, phenolics, and peptides; and authentication of oils, juices, honey, wine, and botanical supplements.
• Sample Preparation & Throughput: Development of automated, miniaturized, solvent-free or low-waste workflows (QuEChERS, SPE, TF-LC, LF-MS) and high-throughput screening platforms to increase lab efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Future Trends

Integration of multi-omics approaches with chemometrics, growth of portable on-site and real-time sensors, standardization of green methods, and expansion of databases for risk assessment, traceability and exposure monitoring.