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

5th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis – Prague, November 1–4, 2011

Significance of the Symposium

This event brought together leading experts in food chemistry, analytical science, and regulatory authorities to share innovations in methods for ensuring food safety, quality, and authenticity. It addressed emerging contaminants, allergens, nanoparticles, and novel processing compounds, emphasizing fast, reliable approaches suited to modern production and regulatory needs.

Workshops and Vendor Seminars

• EU Research and Career Development: Strategies for funding and collaboration in agricultural food research and innovation under Horizon 2020.
• Spectroscopic Techniques: Infrared, Raman, and near-infrared methods for rapid, reagent-free quality and authenticity monitoring of agricultural produce.
• Ambient Mass Spectrometry (DART, ASAP): High-throughput screening workflows for contaminants, adulterants, and metabolomic fingerprinting in complex food matrices.
• LC-MS and GC-MS Innovations: New hardware and software solutions enabling full-scan accurate mass, tandem MS, ion mobility, and ultrafast workflows for multi-residue and non-targeted screening.
• Atomic Spectroscopy and NMR Screening: Techniques for trace element analysis, vitamin quantification, and non-targeted metabolite profiling in food samples.

Key Lecture Themes

Regulatory and Risk Assessment

• EU priorities in agri-food research and innovation to support sustainability, health, and food security.
• Challenges in monitoring persistent organic pollutants (POPs), emerging flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds in the food chain.
• Requirements for sampling, method validation, and enforcement strategies to ensure compliance with EU food-law contaminants legislation.

Advanced Analytical Approaches

• Metabolomics and proteomics fingerprinting for distinguishing organic, conventional, and adulterated food products.
• Comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography (GC×GC, LC×LC) under high-pressure conditions to resolve complex mixtures of contaminants and flavor compounds.
• Hyphenated mass spectrometry (Q-TOF, Orbitrap, Ion Mobility) for the accurate, high-resolution identification of known and unknown compounds, including allergens and toxins.

Food Contaminants and Toxins

• Detection of mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, and pesticide residues using cutting-edge sample preparation (QuEChERS, streamlined clean-up) and rapid screening assays (ELISA, biosensors).
• Novel speciation techniques for inorganic arsenic, persistent organic pollutants, and nanoparticles in food and feed matrices.

Food Processing and Quality

• Investigation of off-flavors, aroma profiling, and flavor development in roasted nuts and coffee using GC-O, PTR-ToF-MS, and comprehensive MS approaches.
• Green analytical methods, including solvent-free and miniaturized procedures, for sustainable food analysis.

Poster Sessions and Emerging Topics

Over 130 poster presentations covered a broad spectrum of specialized topics, from novel chromatographic columns and immunoassays to genetic and isotopic authentication of food origin. Innovations in rapid screening, laboratory automation, and method miniaturization were highlighted as key trends.

Future Directions and Applications

The symposium concluded with discussions on integrating these advanced analytical tools into routine food control laboratories, emphasizing the need for certified reference materials, interlaboratory studies, and harmonized regulations. Emerging trends include on-line monitoring, high-throughput multiplex assays, and the continued development of green chemistry approaches for a safer and more sustainable food supply chain.