May 1999 Volume V, No. 1SUMMARIES OF SYMPOSIA & MEETINGS The ENM’98 – IX BRAZILIAN MEETING ON MYCOTOXINS: "Brazilian Perspective for the XXI Century" and the SAG-MERCOSUR – SYMPOSIUM ON QUALITATIVE GRAIN STORAGE OF MERCOSUR: "Insects, Microorganisms, and Grain Quality Control" both organized by Vildes M. Scussel, were held in Florianopolis, Brazil, from May 18-21, 1998. Both meetings were geared for Latin American scientists and professionals working in the fields of mycotoxins, animal nutrition, and grain storage. The idea behind combining the 1st SAG-MERCOSUR and the ENM’98 stemmed from organisers’ wish to gather scientists from both fields to discuss one of the main problems of storage (mycotoxins), and to find solutions through improvements of the storage quality conditions of the Mercosur countries. The Latin American continent was well represented with participants from 11 countries. Also present were participants from Austria, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Italy, and the USA. As a result of such an international audience, debates were extremely stimulating. The ENM’98 main topics consisted of: 1) Emerging mycotoxins, 2) Methodology of analysis (immunoaffinity columns versus ELISA), 3) Mycotoxins in Latin America and the XXI Century, 4) Animal mycotoxicosis, 5) Ochratoxin maximum level in green coffee, 6) Brazilian mycotoxin monitoring program (Agriculture and Health Ministries). 7) Epidemiology. The round table on decontamination of grains and animal feeds generated the most fervent debate and drew the most attendance. The discussion covered the latest in the field, and included input from debaters from Austria, Venezuela, the USA and Brazil. In the SAG-MERCOSUR, the following topics were covered: 1) Sampling and commodity handling, 2) Antifungal agents and integrated pest control, and 3) Harvesting and drying equipment. Oral presentations were delivered on: 1) Harmonization of the Mercosur regulations for food contamination, 2) Nutrient interactions versus mycotoxins, 3) Ergot and toxicological effects of ergotoxin on different animals, 4) Quality control in grain storage, 5) Sampling, 6) Epidemiology of mycotoxin related diseases, 7) Enhancement of coffee quality by controlling molds, 8) Fungicide and other antifungal agents on storage, and 9) Interactions between temperature, moisture, and gaseous composition in non-ventilated grains. Particular interest revealed the presentation of REDLATIN (www.ufrrj.br/slam/evento.htm), a website containing addresses and a publication list of all Latin American scientists working on mycotoxins, including abstracts of their recent research publications. One of the website’s aims is to organize and link the Latin American scientific community in order to harmonize and improve the quality of the mycotoxin data produced. The II SAG-MERCOSUR will be held in September 1999, in Buenos Aires, Argentina; the exact dates are yet to be determined. Abstracts of both meetings are available in Portuguese, Spanish, and English at a price of $10 for inquiries from Brazil, $13 for inquiries from Latin American countries and $16 for inquiries originating from other countries. Proceedings of the two meetings with full papers’ publications will be available soon. Contact: Costa L.L.F., Mycotoxin Laboratory, Food Science and Technology Department, CP 476, Centre of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. Fax: +55-48-331-9943. E-Mail: vildes@cca.ufsc.br. The 4th INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON MODERN METHODS IN FOOD MYCOLOGY was held in Uppsala, Sweden, from June 6-10, 1998. It included panel discussions and 42 oral presentations related to: 1) Chemical analysis, 2) Dilution, 3) Fungi in natural samples, 4) Yeast determinations, 5) Quality control, 6) New culture media for yeasts and molds, 7) Sensor-based technology, 8) Molecular biology, 9) Coffee mycology, 10) Emerging fungi, 11) Mycological risk assessment, 12) HACCP and prevention, and 13) Progress reports on international harmonization of methods. Contact: M. Olsen, National Food Administration, Box 622, SE751 26 Uppsala, Sweden. Fax: +46-1-810-5848. E-Mail: mool@slv.se. At the 7th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection held from October 14-19, 1998, in Beijing, China, a session on STORED PRODUCT FUNGI AND MYCOTOXINS was held. This session included several posters and 9 oral presentations dealing with the following: 1) Physiological characterization of common storage fungi, 2) Preharvest contamination of grains by Fusarium and consequences on mycotoxin content, 3) Effects of moulds on nutrition and prevention, 4) Aflatoxin binding abilities of some probiotic bacteria, and 5) Reviews of research on fungi and mycotoxins in Indonesia, Yugoslavia, India and Brazil. A keynote lecture on: "Problems associated with Fusarium mycotoxins in cereals" was presented by A. Visconti of Italy. Proceedings will be available late this year. Contact: Prof. Jin Zuxun, University of Economics, 128 Tielubeijie, Nanjing 210003, Jangsu Province, P.R. China. Fax: +86-25-341-8207. About 100 experts from the majority of European countries attended the 1st European COST-835 Workshop on AGRICULTURALLY IMPORTANT TOXIGENIC FUNGI which was held in Athens, Greece, from October 29-31, 1998. In addition, the following lectures were also given by non-European scientists: 1) Finding variation in agriculturally important toxigenic fungi (J.F. Lesly, USA), 2) Fumonisins in plant pathogenesis (A.E. Dejardins, USA), and 3) Improving biocontrol activity by cloning lytic enzymes (I. Chet, Israel). The workshop was structured into 5 Working Groups (see August 1998 MTNL), including 5 plenary lectures and 42 oral presentations. The following topics were agreed to be developed by the Working Group (chaired by A. Rizzo, Finland), on "Biological and Chemical Characterization of Toxic Metabolites": 1) Improvement of and exchange of information on analytical methods for mycotoxins, 2) Analytical methods of moniliformin and Penicillium toxins and their occurrence, 3) Investigation and collection of data on the occurrence of toxigenic fungi and related mycotoxins in plants, food, and feed in Europe, 4) Levels of trichothecenes in cereals and human intake, 5) Use of cell culture bioassay as a diagnostic tool, and 6) Biological and chemical characterization of lesser known toxins and their producer organisms. The book of abstracts is available upon request from: Prof. E.C. Tjamos, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University, 75 IERA ODOS Votanikos 118 55 Athens, Greece. Fax: +30-1-529-45-13. E-Mail: etc@auadec.aua.gr. |