Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL): what lies ahead


Date
23/03/2023 - 15:00 - 17:00 GMT+1

Chairman
Roland E. Poms, PhD

Speakers
Rene Crevel, PhD
Steven M. Gendel, PhD
Jasmine Lacis-Lee
Maurizio Paleologo
Bert Popping, PhD
Comaine van Zijl
Cesare Varallo
Michael Walker, PhD

To watch the video you have to be logged in to www.affidiajournal.com
If you haven’t registered yet, you can sign up to our website right now, it’s completely free of charge.
Please, note that the email used to sign up has to be the same you used to register for the event.


PAL should only be used when, following a rigorous risk assessment, an actual risk of allergen cross-contact within the supply chain is identified and cannot be removed through meticulous risk management actions.

The adoption of quantitative limits (based on internationally agreed reference doses) as a standard method, would help the food industry make informative choices in term of labelling, restoring credibility to PAL and, therefore, strengthening the protection of allergic consumers.  

The food industry, via FoodDrinkEurope, has already asked for official thresholds and for a standard to follow for the correct use of PAL. Now the responsibility for what lies ahead is on the legislator.    

Is the time ripe for this change? If not, what is missing for this step to be taken?    

Our exceptional panel of experts will discuss what awaits us.  

 

Agenda

Video introduction by Affidia Journal

Video presentations
- "PAL-ling for food safety” by Bert Popping, PhD  
- “Regulatory framework, recalls, and sanction risks” by Cesare Varallo  
- "Current analytical methods - strengths and weaknesses” by Michael Walker, PhD  

Promotional videos by the sponsors of the event

Panel discussion (René Crevel; Steven M. Gendel, PhD; Jasmine Lacis-Lee; Bert Popping, PhD; Comaine van Zijl)

Q&A session

Conclusions

 

Why this event

In 2011, the European Union harmonized the legislation about allergens intentionally added in food as ingredients. However, cross-contaminations (unintentional and unavoidable) can cause non-allergen-containing products to become potentially threatening for allergic consumers. To tackle the problem, many food producers started voluntarily to use so-called Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL) to alert consumers about the possible accidental presence of allergens.    

Although this system was born with the best of intentions, it is now clear that the use of precautionary statements have little value for consumers and may lead to unnecessary avoidance or risk-taking behaviors. Moreover, the inconsistent application of PAL by the food industry and the difference in levels of contamination have caused many withdrawals, resulting in substantial economic losses.    

Countless clinical studies have followed over the years, which have allowed to collect a considerable amount of data related to anaphylaxis and allergic reactions. This knowledge has led international organizations to defining safety thresholds (e.g. VITAL), which could be now used by the legislator to set levels below which no precautionary warnings on the label is needed, so that PAL would reflect only an actual risk. 

 

Who should attend

  • - food technologists;
  • - safety and quality managers;
  • - food safety auditors;
  • - product development specialists;
  • - food scientists;    
  • - food regulatory experts.

If you miss the live event, visit www.affidiajournal.com and watch it on demand (registration is required).

 

The format

As in any Affidia Talks, there will be a clear separation between the free opinions of the experts, the points-of-view of the stakeholders, and the advertisements of suppliers of products or services.

 

Experts

An exceptional panel of independent experts will share their knowledge and experience in food allergen management to help you understand what may happen in the near future, in regard to precautionary allergen labelling, and how to react accordingly. 

 

Participation fees and payment

Professionals*:
regular registration 85€ (from 02.03.23 00:00 CET)
early bird registration 20% OFF! >>> 68€** (until 01.03.23 23:59 CET)
*for multiple registration from the same company contact us to get the best offer. 
** to take advantage of this offer you have to be registered to www.affidiajournal.com (subscription free-of-charge)

Students (Master’s/PhD) and those who obtained the degree less than 12 months ago***:  25€
***<30 years old; must send a certificate attesting such status to [email protected] in concomitance with the registration. NOTE: The registration will be approved and valid only after the certificate verification. No refund will be offered if no evidence is provided. 

All prices are in Euro and do not include VAT, which will be charged when appropriate. Private individuals: VAT 22%, whether EU or non-EU residents. Companies: VAT 22% if Italian companies; VAT not applicable if EU companies (art. 7 -ter -D.P.R. 633/72, Reverse Charge) or non-EU companies (art. 7 -ter -D.P.R. 633/72). Professionals with VAT number: same provisions as for companies.

The participation fee includes:
· Online participation to the live event
· Access to the recorded version of the event on-demand
· E-Certificate for participation (sent upon request) 

Payment should be made by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, and Maestro). Exceptionally, in case of multiple registrations, we also accept payment by bank transfer (deadline 10 December 2022; the registration will be completed only after the payment has been received). All bank charges and commissions are paid by the participants.

Bank details for transfers in Euro (EUR)
Recipient Affidia Srl SB Recipient address Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy
Bank name CREDIT AGRICOLE / FRIULADRIA
Bank address VIA MAZZINI 7 – 34121 TRIESTE
IBAN IT27R0533602207000040968919
BIC / SWIFT BPPNIT2P171

The invoice will be sent via email as PDF attachment. To receive an invoice on behalf of a company or organization, you must state it in the registration form. If the bank transfer originates from a personal account, it is not possible to issue an invoice to a company or organization afterward.

 

Contact us

For any questions about the workshop, contact us at: [email protected]
To learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at: [email protected]
For any query about payments or invoices, please contact us at: [email protected]