Workshops on PAPs detection

Yearly a workshop, exclusively dedicated to the NRLs, is organized by the EURL-AP. This annual workshop goes on either in Belgium or in another Member State and takes place in spring months.

These annual two- or thee-days meetings are structured to meet both theoretical and practical points of discussion and issues. Subjects are chosen according to the scientific actuality and control requests of the NRL network. Special focus is repeatedly put on the interactive participation of each attendee. In this way each session is organised by presentations of scientific items followed by time for questions and discussion. EURL-AP annual workshops are unique moments for exchanges of experience and knowledge sharing among NRLs and between the NRL network and the EURL-AP team. Often successful collaborative works arise from these discussions as not as from the traditional workshop dinner, the social event for the participants.

Minutes of EURL-AP workshops are reported into a special edition of a newsletter. As an ultimate concern for accuracy of reporting, minutes are first written into a draft version which turns only into a final version after giving the opportunity to each NRL to comment on the content of the minutes.

Short overviews of the content of the different workshops are presented: 

2007 EURL-AP 1st Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Gembloux (Belgium) by mid April.

  • EURL-AP organisation and working programme
  • NRL network organisation
  • Presentation of the IAG network of experts
  • Results and discussion of the EURL-AP Interlaboratory Study 2006 on quantification
  • Proposal for possible improvements of quantification method
  • Demonstration and distribution of ARIES system
  • Expectations of NRLs
  • Development of alternative methods for PAPs detection in feed

Invited speakers were : Dr Van Dyck (DG Sanco), Dr Paradies (LUFA), Dr Nordkvist (NRL Sweden), Ms Frick (NRL Luxemburg), Dr van Raamsdonk (NRL Nederlands)

2008 EURL-AP 2nd Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Namur (Belgium) by mid April.

  • Tools developed for the NRL network
  • Activity report of 2007
  • Results and discussion of the EURL-AP Proficiency Test 2007 and EURL-AP Interlaboratory Study 2007 on quantification
  • Discussion on staining techniques
  • Perspectives of quantification by NIRM
  • Simulation on limits of detection
  • Presentation of a protocol for the submission of samples by NRL for official counter analysis by EURL-AP
  • Hydrolysed proteins weight analysis
  • PCR method : status and future developments

Invited speaker was : Dr van Raamsdonk (NRL Nederlands)

2009 EURL-AP 3rd Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Gembloux (Belgium) by mid March.

  • Results and discussion of the EURL-AP Proficiency Test 2008
  • Results and discussion of the experiments conducted in 2008 on quantification
  • Experimental design for defining limits of detection for PAPs in feed by light microscopy
  • Improvement and revision of Directive 123/2006
  • Quantification : alternatives offered by NIRM and RT-PCR
  • Presentation of evaluation report on the “ReVeal for Ruminant” immunoassay kit
  • Hydrolysed proteins : results by HPLC and electrophoresis approach
  • Organisation of future training sessions
  • Activity report of 2008
  • EURL-AP Imaging Services : presentation of research and tool development
  • Review of feed ban : present and future perspectives

Invited speakers were : MSc Joergensen (NRL Danemark), Mr Romnée (CRA-W), Dr Mauro (CRA-W), Dr Van Dyck (DG Sanco)

2010 CRL-AP 4th Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Turin (Italy) by end April.

  • Italian NRL network organization and activities
  • Results and discussion of the CRL-AP Interlaboratory Study 2009 and the SAFEED-PAP study 2009 on PCR detection of PAPs in feed
  • Transfer of the PCR method to the NRL network
  • Activity report of 2009
  • CRL-AP Imaging Services : updates
  • Epidemiology of BSE
  • Results and discussion of the SAFEED-PAP study on NIRM detection of PAPs in feed
  • Demo of ARIES upgrades and Laser microdissector
  • Revision work on Regulation 152/2009 Annex VI
  • Results and discussion of CRL-AP Proficiency Test 2009

Invited speakers were : Dr Abete (ITZO), Ms Amato (ITZO), Dr Ru (ITZO), Dr Benedetto (ITZO), Dr van Raamsdonk (NRL Nederlands), Dr Pinotti (University of Milan), Dr Boix (JRC-IRMM), Dr Wernitznig (NRL Austria)

2011 EURL-AP 5th Annual Workshop

The workshop wasill be held in Vienna (Austria) on beginon 6 and 7 April.

  • Austrian AGES presentation and activities
  • EURL-AP Interlaboratory Study 2010 results and discussion
  • Activity report of 2010
  • Revision of Regulation 152/2009 Annex VI considering LOD
  • Presentation of a future GTH proficiency test
  • EURL-AP Imaging Services : updates
  • Presentation of new website
  • Review of blood products detection by light microscopy
  • TSE Roadmap II : presentation
  • PCR extraction step, a bottleneck ?
  • Feedback from first PCR training sessions
  • Practical issue for starting up with PCR
  • PCR identification of PAPs : recent development and validation
  • Laser pulsed microdissection and PCR combination
  • Combination of methods

Invited speakers were : Dr Wernitznig (NRL Austria), Mr Girsch and Mr Doppelreiter (AGES), Dr Bellorini (JRC-IRMM), Dr Plantady (DG Sanco), Mr Broll (NRL Germany), Mr Vancutsem (NRL Belgium), Dr Haider (AGES), Dr Scholtens (NRL Netherlands)

2012 EURL-AP 6th Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Berlin (Germany) on mid April.

  • German BfR presentation and NRL network activities
  • Legislation on TSE and state of the art of revision of Annex IV of Regulation 152/2009
  • EURL-AP Proficiency Test microscopy 2011 and laboratory cross-contamination management
  • Insoluble impurities in fat : harmonisation of analytical methods
  • Romanian and Croatian NRLs
  • TNO Triskelion PCR method : assessment and validation
  • PRC Interlaboratory Study 2012 : presentation
  • Polish conventional PCR method
  • Immuno-assay method study
  • Integration of LM and PCR : discussion

Invited speakers were : Mr Broll and Dr Paradies-Severin (NRL Germany), Dr Plantady (DG Sanco), Dr Zadravec (Croatia), Ms Chirita (NRL Romania), Dr Weiner (NRL Poland), Dr van Raamsdonk (NRL Netherlands),

2013 EURL-AP 7th Annual Workshop

The workshop was held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) on mid April.

  • VF-NVI presentation and Slovenian NRL review
  • EURL-AP Proficiency Test microscopy 2012
  • Implementation test PCR 2012
  • EURL-AP Proficiency Test PCR 2013
  • Comparative study of sedimentation vials
  • Microdissection
  • FISH marking of bones
  • Review of feed ban : legal aspects
  • SOPs : presentation and discussion on requirements
  • Presentation of Czech NRL
  • Involvement of EURL-AP in horse meat fraud
  • Activity program review : 2012 and prospective 2013

Invited speakers were : Dr Ujcic Vrhovnik, Mr Gucek and Ms Zabavnik Piano (NRL Slovenia), Dr Axmann (NRL Austria), Dr Plantady (DG Sanco), Dr Zadravec (Croatia), Dr Ruzkova (NRL Czech Republic)