The Secretariats of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) facilitated a joint workshop with the Latin American and Caribbean Analytical Network (RALACA) on Quality Assurance and Quality Control Measures in Food Testing Laboratories (herein referred to as “event” in Foz do Iguazú, Brazil on 5 May 2019.
The purpose of the event was to raise awareness on key quality concepts for the analytical testing of contaminants in food, and to strengthen the analytical capability of Member States in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
The workshop was held on Sunday, 05th May 2019 at Rafain Palace Hotel and Convention Center. Structured presentations addressed the following topics:
- Food safety and quality in the Latin American region
- Current international guidelines/regulations for consumer protection and international trade (Spanish)
- SweEt multiresidue method as an alternative to QueChERS
- QA/QC measures for the implementation of residue testing using LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/ MS
- Sample preparation alternatives for food contaminants in milk (Spanish)
-The impacts of different parameters on LC-MS/MS and HRMS determination for toxins and pesticides
- Food contaminants analysis in cereals (Spanish)
- QA/QC measures for the development and implementation of analytical methods (Spanish)
- Analytical control as a tool for the study of biobeds performance (Spanish)
- Achipia’s Model for Risk Assessment and the Rapid Alert System (Spanish)
-Monitoring and verification of food safety and quality: screening technology for fruits and vegetables (Spanish)
-RALACA for food safety, quality and consumer protection: stakeholder analysis in the farm to fork chain.
- Shimadzu LC-MS 8060 for pesticide analysis
HIGHLIGHTS
Topic: Food Safety and Quality in the Latin American Region
Presenter: Prof Ionara Pizzutti, CEPARC, University of Santa Maria, Brazil.
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Food Safety vs. Quality in Latin America
• Food Hazards: microbiological, pesticide residue and misuse of chemicals
• Factors that contribute to potential hazards- quality of water, misuse of chemicals, poor hygiene at all food stages.
• Responsibility for food control – International (FAO & WHO), National (Regulations)
• Food Safety Actions – Food Law, Inspection, Laboratory Services
• Food Production in Latin America
• Recent Problems in Food Safety – water pollution, fish pollution and falsification
Topic: Current international guidelines/ regulations for consumer protection and international trade
Presenter: Prof Horacio Heinzen, UDELAR, Uruguay
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Rapid Alert System for Food & Feed 2007 (Notification for Pesticide Residue)
• WHO, Feb. 12 1971 – DDT Withdrawal
• Silent Spring – Rachael Carson
• Pesticide residue in foods
• Maximum limits of residues
• Codex Alimentarius – Codex Pesticide Residue online database
• Pesticide use in the world
• Distribution of pesticides in rice from. Start to End
• ISO Standard 22000: Food Safety Management
Topic: SweET multi residue method as an alternative to QueChERS
Presenter: Dr. Susanne Ekroth, National Food Agency, Sweden
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• SweET multi residue vs. QueChERS as a method of sample preparation in pesticide residue analysis.
• Swedish ethyl acetate method (SweEt) as a method for chemical analysis of pesticide residues in food using ethyl acetate as an extraction medium.
• SweET pros and cons.
Topic: QA/QAC measures for the implementation of residue testing using LC-MS, GC-MS/MS
Presenter: Dr. Carmen Ferrer EU-RL Almeria, Spain
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Analytical Guidelines in QC & Method Validation Procedures for pesticide residue analysis in food and feed (online book)
• EUPT-FV – European Proficiency Tests for pesticide residue
Topic: Sample Preparation alternatives for food contaminants in milk
Presenter: Prof Lucia Pareja, UDELAR, Uruguay
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• EU Max. Residue Levels
• Sample Treatment- SweET for pesticides, veterinary drugs & mycotoxins
• Aflatoxin M1 in milk
• Contaminants in milk – e.g insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, mycotoxins, etc.
Topic: The impacts of different parameters on LC-MS/MS and HRMS determination for toxins and
pesticides.
Presenter: Dr.Susanne Ekroth, National Food Agency, Sweden
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• LC-MS/MS vs. HRMS
• Optimizing MS Parameters
• Impact of Gradient Flow, Gradient Composition, Injection Volume on LC-MS/MS and
HRMS
Topic: Food contaminants analysis in cereals
Presenter: MSc. Maria Rosa Repetti, University del Iitoral, Argentina
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Pesticide and mycotoxin contamination in cereal and cereal products in Argentina
• Use of HRMS/MS to determine pesticide residue and mycotoxins
Topic: QA/QC measures for the development and implementation of analytical methods
Presenter: MSc. Miriam Loewy, RALACA BOARD, Argentina
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Guidance document on analytical quality control and method validation procedures for pesticide residues and analysis in food and feed. SANTE/11813/2017 supersedes SANTE/11945/2015
Implemented by 01/01/2018
Topic: Analytical control as a tool for the study of bio beds performance
Presenter: Dr. Anisleidy Rivero, UDELAR, Uruguay
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• The use of bio bed as a conventional technology.
• Biobed – an inexpensive, simple and efficient innovation that can minimize environmental contamination when using pesticides.
• Composition of Biomix – when properly prepared, acts to absorb a large amount of moisture, adsorb the pesticide molecules, and provide an environment in which microbes break down the residues.
Topic: Achipia’s Model for Risk Assessment and the Rapid Alert System of Chile
Presenter: Dr. Eduardo Aylwin, ACHIPIA, Chile
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• The use of ACHIPIA to provide objective and scientifically based information to the National System of Food Safety and Quality.
• The use of ACHIPIA for dissemination of information and risk communication.
• The use of InfoACHIPIA a technical bulletin containing technical information concerning issues of food safety and quality.
• RIAL Portal as a tool that offers consumers, market operators, academics, researchers and the general public information on food safety events.
Topic: Monitoring and verification of food safety and quality: Screening Technology for fruits and
vegetables
Presenter: Prof. Agustin Costa Garcia, University Oviedo, Spain
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Screening Technology for fruits and vegetables
• Immunosensor – A Portable Pesticide Residue Detection Instrument Based on Impedance Immunosensor
• Transducer Modification- Direct Measurement
Topic: LC-MS 8060 for pesticide analysis
Presenter: Dr. Juliana Núñez Da Cruz, Shimadzu Brazil
The presenter made emphasis to the following during the presentation-
• Introduction to the new Shimadzu LCMS-8060 Triple Quadrupole Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) instrument.
NEXT STEP
Participants were encouraged to register to RALACA. RALACA is a non-profit network of laboratories and associated institutions that brings together analytical laboratories to enhance regional capabilities to target food safety and environmental sustainability.