2015 European Symposium

April 20 – April 22 | Cardiff City Hall, Cardiff, Wales

IAFP’s European Symposium on Food Safety took place at Cardiff City Hall from 20–22 April. In collaboration with the International Life Sciences Institute Europe and with the technical cooperation of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, IAFP hosted over 340 delegates at this year’s symposium.

Vaughan Gething, Assembly Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, welcomed delegates to the Symposium. Steve Wearne, Food Standards Agency, presented the talk “Strategic Challenges to Food Control until 2020.” Jaap Wagenaar, Utrecht University, concluded the Opening Session with the presentation, “Effort: A European Project on the Ecology from Farm to Fork of Microbial Drug Resistance and Transmission.” Twenty-four symposia and eight technical sessions along with a Closing Plenary Session compiled the three-day program. More than 120 oral presentations and 90 poster presentations were given in Cardiff.

Several students competed in the developing scientists competition during the event. Bernhard Merget, University of Aberdeen, received technical honors and Hend Ali Gahmi, University of Nottingham, received the poster presentation honors.

The IAFP Foundation awarded a Student Travel Scholarship to the European Symposium on Food Safety. This year’s deserving winner was Emily E. Jackson. Emily received her Bachelor of Science degree in Genetic Biology and Microbiology from Purdue University and her Master of Science degree in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 2013, Emily moved to Nottingham, United Kingdom and began her Ph.D. with Professor Steve Forsythe at Nottingham Trent University.
She is currently working on the characterization of Cronobacter species, with a particular focus on DNA sequence-based methods. Her published works include a re-evaluation of cultural, biochemical and molecular detection methods and the identification of a new species, Siccibacter colletis.

Exhibitors and sponsors helped to support this year’s symposium through their financial contributions. Twenty-seven companies shared their food safety equipment, products and services with attendees through displays in the Exhibit Hall. We appreciate each of these companies for the support they provided to the symposium. We are also very appreciative for the special support provided by the Welsh Government.

Networking breaks, luncheons and receptions were held each day. On 21 April, 180 delegates participated in the Tuesday Evening Social at the National Museum Cardiff. Harpist Hannah Stone, the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, welcomed guests in the gallery. Guests were then seated
and served Welsh culinary delights while being serenaded by the Aber Valley Male Voice Choir. A delightful evening!

Other groups to be recognized include the Organizing Committee and the Local Organizing Committee. Christina Harzman served as chairperson for the Organizing Committee and David Lloyd served as
the chairperson of the Local Organizing Committee. We appreciate the work of the committee members, along with that of the symposia organizers and convenors. With everyone’s help and all working together, the European Symposium in Cardiff was a grand success!

Full programme

2015 European Symposium Resources