Portugal was selected to present the experience of its National Reference Laboratory at the annual plenary meeting dedicated to food contact materials, organised by the Joint Research Centre (JRC).
The meeting took place from 7 to 9 October in Ispra, Italy, and also marked the 20th anniversary of the European network.
Portugal was represented by the Packaging Laboratory of CINATE, at the Faculty of Biotechnology of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, which once again took part in this international meeting. This year, the laboratory contributed to the formal anniversary celebration with a presentation.
Entitled “The National Reference Laboratory Perspective – The Experience of the Portuguese Laboratory”, the presentation showcased the work carried out in Portugal in this field.
The meeting brought together representatives from the 30 countries that make up the European network of reference laboratories for food contact materials, providing a forum for sharing knowledge, experience and practices relating to the safety of these materials.
European cooperation
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) organises its activities across around 25 areas of work, including the safety of materials intended to come into contact with food.
In this field, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials (EURL-FCM) provides scientific and technical support to the European Union and its Member States.
The work carried out by this body helps strengthen the scientific and technical capabilities of national laboratories and promotes a coordinated approach to assessing the safety of materials used, for example, in food packaging.
Portugal’s participation in the annual meeting is therefore particularly important for knowledge-sharing and for showcasing the work carried out in Portugal within the European network.
A meeting with 20 years of history
The EURL-FCM plenary meetings are held annually, alternating between Ispra, Italy, and Geel, Belgium, the two centres that host activities associated with this European body.
This year’s meeting was particularly significant, marking two decades of the network’s work. The Packaging Laboratory of CINATE’s participation in the anniversary celebrations provided an opportunity to share the Portuguese experience and strengthen the country’s involvement in European scientific cooperation on the safety of food contact materials.
