Tuesday, 21st November

 Opening lecture: Overview on rapid methods, automation and miniaturization in microbiology (Dr. José Juan Rodríguez Jerez, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra –Cerdanyola del Vallès–, Barcelona) 10:15-11:35 a.m.

Sampling of solid and liquid foods, surfaces, and air

Miniaturization: microtiter plate, most probable number (MPN), viable cell counts. Diagnostic kits

Methods for viable cell counts: hydrophobic grid, spiral plating, flow cytometry, direct epifluorescence filter technique (DEFT), turbidity

Methods for viable cell counts, based on electric impedance and conductance

Methods for viable cell counts, based on ATP – bioluminiscence and colorimetry

Immunological methods for microbial and toxin detection and identification: immunomagnetic separation, ELISA and ELFA, reversed passive latex agglutination, lateral immunomigration, immunoprecipitation

Molecular biology methods for microbial detection and identification: hybridization (DNA and rRNA probes), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA and rRNA characterization (fingerprinting, riboprinting), sequencing, proteomics

 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and massive genome sequencing applied to food safety (Dr. Armand Sánchez BonastreUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra –Cerdanyola del Vallès–, Barcelona) 11:50 a.m.-1:10 p.m.

 Beyond legislation: comparison between culture and molecular methods for drinking water quality assessment (Dr. Anna Pinar Méndez, Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l’Aigua, Barcelona) 5:45-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, 22nd November

 Who, when and why must take legal responsibility in food industries? (Ms. Sara García-Gurtubay, Compliance&Values, Leioa, Vizcaya) 12:10-12:55 p.m.

 Food safety culture: are our foods safer than ever? 5-6 p.m.

Mr. Pascal Monzó Martos (Productos Florida, Vila-real, Castellón)

Dr. Oscar J. Esteban Cabornero (Grupo Entrepinares, Valladolid)

Mr. Jon Basagoiti Azpitarte (Imagining Management Systems, Ermua, Vizcaya)

Mr. David Tomás Fornés (Working Group on ISO/CEN microbiological methods standardisation, Valencia)

Thursday, 23rd November – Thanksgiving day

 Listeria monocytogenes: update in regulations and impact of genetic diversity on its behaviour and detection (Dr. Nathalie Gnanou Besse, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail –ANSES–, Maisons‐Alfort, France) 12:05-12:50 p.m.

 Future trends in food safety (Dr. Marta Hugas Maurici, independent expert, former chief scientist at the European Food Safety Authority –EFSA–, Girona) 5:15-6 p.m.