One of the main points of the day was the presentation of the functions of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). During her speech, Ms. Beatriz Llarena, representative of the EFSA focal point at AESAN, highlighted the crucial role of this entity in the evaluation of risks related to the food chain in Europe. In her speech, Beatriz underlined how EFSA works in collaboration with Member States and other international bodies to ensure a safe food supply, paying special attention to transparency in risk communication. One of EFSA's missions is to achieve "Safe food and sustainable food systems through transparent, independent and reliable scientific advice," she emphasized. To this end, EFSA pays special attention to maintaining an important network of organizations, made up of 300 universities, institutes, governmental and public bodies and other scientific bodies from the 27 EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. The URJC has been a member of this network since last March, where it will carry out various tasks in support of the work of the EFSA, such as preparatory work for scientific opinions, scientific and technical assistance, data collection and the identification of emerging risks.
The event also served as a stage for introducing attendees to the company NATAC, a leading company in obtaining high-quality ingredients from plant-based extracts. Its approach, centered on the richness of active compounds of natural origin, represents an example of sustainable innovation in the food industry. During her speech, Silvia Lizasoain, research and development technician at NATAC and graduate of the degree in Food Science and Technology from the URJC, showed how they develop products for both the food and pharmaceutical sectors, with the aim of improving health and well-being, always trying to guarantee safety and sustainability, from the selection of raw materials to the development of their production processes.
Another topic that generated great interest was the presentation of the latest advances in research on the purification of wastewater in the food industry. Dr. Cristina Pablos, researcher in the High Performance Research Group in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, presented recent results of projects that seek to improve the quality of recycled water for agricultural uses. According to Cristina, efficient wastewater treatment not only contributes to environmental sustainability, but also minimizes the transfer of contaminants to food.
Finally, the development of sustainable analytical methods for the determination of natural toxins in food was another of the highlighted topics. Begoña Fernández, researcher of the EVALKALIM-II project (PID2022-137278OB-I00), presented the latest advances in the development of innovative analytical methodologies that combine the use of miniaturized extraction methods with advanced analytical techniques. These strategies allow the detection of toxic compounds such as alkaloids at extremely low levels, thus complying with European regulations without generating significant chemical waste.
The day concluded with a lively challenge game called “Natural Toxins, Safe Food?”, in which the more than fifty attendees learned more about the presence of toxic alkaloids in food by working in a fun and relaxed way.
The event, organised by the Consolidated Research Group in Analytical Chemistry applied to the Environment, Food and Drugs (GQAA-MAF) of the Rey Juan Carlos University on the occasion of the celebration of the National Day of Food Safety (DNSA), represents an example of the university's commitment to innovation and sustainability in the food sector. These types of initiatives strengthen the link between science and society, promoting practical and effective solutions to complex problems.