Food, biotechnology and health - news


Visit of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn to JRC-IRMM
25/02/2010
Newly appointed European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, today visited the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.

Food safety: IRMM team wins JRC Excellence Award 2009
03/02/2010
A team from IRMM has won a JRC Excellence Award 2009 for policy support, in recognition of their work on the safe use of animal by-products in animal nutrition.

New cotton and maize GMO reference materials available
18/12/2009

JRC-IRMM method to detect chocolate fraud becomes international standard
04/12/2009
A method developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) to measure vegetable fats in milk chocolate has become the first such method to be adopted as an international standard by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Latest news from the Turkey metrology project
27/11/2009
The Fifth VERMI Young Researchers Workshop on the Standardisation of Radionuclides took place in Ankara, Turkey 1-6 November. This workshop was the first in a series of many training events to be carried out during the three-year project.

Read more: JRC-IRMM Turkey metrology project webpage.


New EU-Turkey metrology project launched
27/10/2009
A new three-year project has been launched which will bring together European and Turkish experts in measurement science.

Contaminated sunflower oil: testing labs measure up
13/07/2009
Following the discovery of contaminated sunflower oil imported from Ukraine (April 2008), the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has tested 55 analytical laboratories from 17 EU Member States plus Switzerland and Ukraine to determine their capability to measure levels of the contaminant, mineral oil, in sunflower oil. The test results are now available and show that around 80% of laboratories performed satisfactorily.

New certified reference material for mycotoxin analysis
25/05/2009
JRC-IRMM has released a new certified matrix reference material for mycotoxin analysis, namely aflatoxins in compound feedingstuff (ERM-BE376).

Detecting melamine in food: world's labs are ready and able
08/05/2009
A new report from JRC-IRMM summarises the results of a proficiency test for melamine in food.

New clinical reference material for important liver enzyme
30/03/2009
JRC-IRMM has developed a new clinical reference material for the liver enzyme aspartate transaminase - which is a biomarker for liver damage.

JRC-IRMM and KRISS sign collaboration agreement
03/03/2009
The JRC-IRMM and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have signed a collaboration agreement that aims to advance measurement science and foster greater confidence in the comparability of international measurements. Areas covered will range from bioanalysis (DNA measurements) and radionuclide metrology (environmental measurements), to food control and mechanical testing (e.g. toughness of steel).

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Alejandro Herrero, Director of the JRC's Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, commented: "In the EU, an estimated €80bn is spent on measurements annually. From structural tests of building materials to patient's blood tests in our hospitals, accurate measurements are the foundation for global trade and a better quality of life. This agreement will enable European and Korean measurement scientists to coordinate their research into new and difficult areas, such as bioanalysis and food control."

Dr. Myungsoo Kim, President of KRISS, added, "Metrology has become the essential key to underpin the global agenda such as facilitation of trade, safe food, health, environment, and green growth. I am confident that enhanced collaboration between IRMM and KRISS will make a significant contribution to helping secure greater well-being for all through the provision of valuable measurement infrastructure that helps us tackle global problems."

More information is available in the JRC press release (icon).


JRC / CEN workshop on standards for food and feed analysis, Brussels, 25/11/08
06/10/2008
The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) are pleased to announce a one-day workshop on Horizontal Issues for Setting Standards for the Analysis of Food and Feed . The workshop is being organised in the frame of CEN Technical Committee 275 on food analysis.

A draft agenda and instructions for registration are available here.

Paper on new measurement standards for BSE tests published
30/03/2007

A review article on allergen declarations on food labels published
01/02/2007

Two reports on analysis of processed animal proteins published
03/01/2007
Reports 'Ruggedness study of immunoassays for processed animal proteins detection in feed: Neogen Reveal for Ruminant Feed Test System' and ' Prevalidation study for the detection of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in feed by PCR' have been published on our web site. See activities on meat and bone meal.




Last Update 02/03/2006