Fourth Workshop on Food Allergens

October 15-18, 2006
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Food Allergy is an on-going public health problem and continues to be a challenge to both the clinical community and the food industry. Health Canada, through its Food Program and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have been proactive in developing risk assessment and risk management procedures related to inadvertent consumption of allergenic ingredients by vulnerable consumers.

The Allergen Method Committee (AMC), jointly created by Health Canada's Food Directorate and the CFIA , along with the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) from the University of Nebraska, U.S.A. are co-organizing a fourth workshop on food allergens to take place in Quebec City, Quebec, from October 15-18, 2006.

As a follow-up to the 2005 workshop organized by Health Canada , the CFIA and FARRP, this initiative aims at increasing consultation, information exchange and harmonization in the area of food allergens.

The Fourth Workshop on Food Allergens aims at gathering scientists, chemists, analysts and other representatives from government agencies, university, industry and consumer associations, to discuss issues related to the detection, identification and characterization and control of allergens in foods. Various topics will be discussed:

• Method development /evaluation and validation
• Proficiency testing
• Risk assessment / risk management - Impact on methodology development
• Development of reference materials
• Confirmatory techniques
• Standardization of techniques, evaluation criteria, etc.
• Approaches to regulation/control of food allergens

Workshop Scientific Committee:

• Dr. Steve Taylor, Co-Director Food Allergen Research & Resource Program University of Nebraska
• Dr. Jupiter Yeung, Principal Scientist, National Food Processors Association Washington , D.C.
• Michael Abbott, Health Canada Food Allergens Program Manager
• Dr. Samuel Ben Rejeb, Director, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Canada
• Stan Bacler, Labo ratories Directorate, CFIA

Workshop Organizing Committee:

Food Allergy Research and Resource Program:

• Dr. Steve Taylor, University of Nebraska

Food Allergen Research Group, Food Directorate, Health Canada:

• Dr. Samuel Ben Rejeb
• Chantal Cléroux
• Michael Abbott
• David Davies

CFIA, Laboratories Directorate:

• Stan Bacler
• Karl Kurz
• Daniel Langlois

Participation in the workshop

Registration will be required. Details will be provided at a later date on the Health Canada website and/or on  FARRP's website.

Location

The workshop will be held at the:

Loews Le Concorde Hotel
1225 Cours Du General De Montcalm
Quebec City G1R 4W6 Canada
Telephone: 418.647.2222 for reservations
Fax: 418.647.4710

http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/quebec/default.asp

Hotel Information

Hotel information will be updated at a later date.