BfR symposium spices up food safety
The event is in English at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin on 1-2 June.
Talks will be given by external experts and partners of the EU project SPICED.
Probable speakers include Chris Elliott, Queens University Belfast, Gerhard Weber, European Spice Association, Heidy den Besten, Wageningen University and Philipp Lins of AGES.
The European Union (EU) market is one of the largest markets for spices and culinary herbs. Mostly, these commodities are imported as dried raw materials from regions outside the EU, said BfR.
Contaminations with microbiological and chemical agents can occur at numerous points within production and supply chains and can pose a serious risk for farmers, processors, and consumers, it added.
Identification of contaminated spices and herbs as a cause of a foodborne infection or intoxication is difficult, because consumers and experts often focus on major food ingredients.
BfR said many detection methods are less suitable for heterogeneous herb/spice matrices.
The participation fee is €160 and registration is possible until 15 May here.
