Nestlé wades into debate on rapid and conventional microbiological methods

Organised by research body, Campden BRI, the seminar and exhibition on rapid and conventional microbiological methods will take place at the firm’s HQ in Gloucestershire, on June 4.

Genome sequencing​

Around 80 delegates are expected to attend the event including Dr Adrianne Klijn of Nestlé Research Centre, Lausanne who will present a session entitled: ‘From Gram staining to genome sequencing – how will the past shape the future?’

Klijn obtained her Ph.D on physiological and molecular characterisation of stress responses in Bifidobacterium longum​ NCC2705 at the Nestlé Research Centre.

After which, she became head of the microbiology lab at the Nestlé Quality Assurance Centre in York, UK. Since 2010 she returned to the Research Center, working in the Microbiological and Molecular Analytics group. This group is responsible for maintaining the portfolio of laboratory instructions in use by Nestlé laboratories.

Other guests include Professor Mieke Uyttendaele of the Department of Food Safety & Food Quality, Ghent University, looking at the ‘Challenges in interpretation of pathogen detection by PCR for food safety decision making.’

Emerging microorganisms​

Meanwhile, Dr Melody Greenwood, chairman of the BSI Technical Committee will tackle AW/9 Microbiology – Update on ISO methods.

Campden BRI says the event will allow candidates to discover how to save time and money on microbiological analysis and learn how to validate new methods introduced into the laboratory. They will be able to speak to the experts and discuss current problems and their potential breakthroughs while networking with other microbiologists.

Fiona Cawkell, event director, Campden BRI, told foodqualitynews.com it was the first time the company had focused solely on microbiological methods, due to demand for more information.

“It is an important topic for the industry as the microbiological acceptability of ingredients and foodstuffs is a pre-requisite to producing good quality and ‘safe’ products. Microbiological testing is a vital link in the chain of producing safe food and the methods used to achieve this as cost-effectively as possible is extremely important,” she said.

This event is relevant to all companies which have microbiological testing carried out on their goods, added Cawkell.

Areas of focus include emerging microorganisms and methodologies, methods that are sensitive enough to detect low numbers of microorganisms and ways of ensuring recover of stressed and damaged cells.

Ways to be able to validate control systems in place and to be able to provide ‘robust’ rapid methods, employing methods that cover a range of food-stuffs, are key areas of development, said Cawkell.

Campden BRI organised a similar event in 2013 but that included chemistry methods while this one is solely focused on microbiology.