News articles

The Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods Volume: 9, Number: 2 (2017) is now available!

The issue 2 of volume 9 contains 13 articles. You can access the articles and check the full list of content through the Table of Contents.

ICC members benefit from free subscription to the ICC scientific journal QAS - Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods. Enjoy reading!

The global message for World Food Day 2016 is “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.” According to the FAO, one of the biggest issues related to climate change is food security. The world’s poorest - many of whom are farmers, fishers and pastoralists - are being hit hardest by higher temperatures and an increasing frequency in weather-related disasters.

ICC recognises the importance of food security being one of the great challenges of the 21^st century. Together with the network partners of “FOODSECURITY.at“, ICC contributes in making some key topics a subject of discussion. In the event held in German language on 13 October „Mahlzeit - Gibt's auch morgen noch genug zu essen?”, some issues were addressed such as conditions for food security of the future - on a global and regional level; and food losses from the field to the plate.

Get more details in the press kit (German language)

According to its Statutes, ICC is electing every other year a new President Elect who will become the new ICC President after a two years term in this function. It's one of the rights of ICC Country Members to propose a suitable candidate for this function.

In case any ICC Member knows a suitable candidate, please get in contact with your ICC (Deputy) National Delegate(s) who are entitled to submit any nomination until Monday, 3 October 2016.

Furthermore ICC is looking for two new Auditors, who will supervise the management of the association's finances. These functions will become vacant end of 2016 and shall be elected for a four-year term.

Also here please contact your ICC (Deputy) National Delegate(s) in case you are interested or know a suitable candidate.

At the same time ICC Corporate Members are also asked to nominate their Representative 2017-2022 on the Executive Committee and who are entitled to vote in the ICC General Assembly.

The countdown to the 4^th International Symposium on Gluten-Free Cereal Products from 18^th - 19^th October 2016 in Cork/Ireland is running.

Excellent speakers will cover in only two days main scientific topics in the area as they are:

• Gluten Intolerances and Epidemiology
• Detection of Food Allergens
• Gluten-free market and trends
• Gluten-free Raw Materials and functional ingredients, like hydrocolloids, starched, proteins
• Gluten-free Cereal Products (bread, biscuits, pasta, beer)

Plenary session's talks will be given by internationally recognised scientists:

• Prof. Elke Arendt, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
• Prof. Peter Köhler, German Research Centre for Food Chemistry / Leibniz Institute, Germany
• Prof. Fred Brouns, Maastrich University, The Netherlands
• Prof. Sven-Erik Jacobsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Prof. Jan Delcour, KU Leuven, Belgium

Get all the details at the CONFERENCE WEBSITE at www.glutenfreesymposium2016.com.

The 15^th International Cereal and Bread Congress (ICBC) was organized by ICC - International Association for Cereal Science and Technology – and ICC's national representation in Turkey, Hacettepe University, on 18-21 April 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. The 15^th ICBC connected the East and the West in Istanbul, right at the crossroad of different continents and cultures. It was the first International Cereal and Bread Congress organized in Turkey and its neighbouring countries. The congress was endorsed by the major international research institutions CIMMYT, ICARDA and IRRI.

The 15^th ICBC attracted a large number of great researchers from various significant institutions despite the recent unfortunate incidents in Turkey and in Europe. We had 440 participants from around 50 countries, addressing researchers, policy makers, regulatory bodies, industries, SMEs, students and professionals. The event was an excellent opportunity for networking, getting up-to-date information and establishing international collaboration.

The following awards were announced at the conference:

Clyde H. Bailey Medal - the most prestigious ICC Award, for outstanding achievements in the service of cereal science and technology, granted once per four years, was given to:

Prof. Dr. Peter R. Shewry, Rothamsted Research, UK

Distinguished Research Fellow at Rothamsted Research and Professor of Plants and Health at the University of Reading, United Kingdom, for his outstanding research on wheat and other cereal grains, ranging from grain structure and functionality to molecular genetics.

See more details in his short biography.

Fellowship of the ICC Academy - for those who have made significant contributions to cereal science and the aims and objectives of the ICC was given to:

Prof. Dr. Elke Arendt, University College of Cork, Ireland

For outstanding activities in cereal related food and health research, notably in the area of gluten free foods and beverages.

See more details at www.ucc.ie/en/cerealscience.

Dr. Matthew Morell, International Rice Research Institute, Philippiness

for outstanding activities in cereal biochemistry and genetics research and research management

See more details at irri.org/about-us/our-people/management/matthew-morell.

Harald Perten Prize - for outstanding achievements in science, research, teaching or transmission of knowledge, which serve cereal sciences and technology - primarily recognizing practical applications in the areas of starch, gluten and enzymes, was given to:

Prof. Dr. Hamit Köksel, Hacettepe University, Turkey

He has covered areas of gluten, starch and enzymes in his long ambitious list of scientific papers and appearances. Being an active professor in Turkey and worldwide has also lead to extensive transmission of knowledge.

See more details in his short biography.

It is a great pleasure to announce that our highly esteemed colleague Eng. Amine Jbeily was officially elected as new ICC Technical Director by the ICC Executive Committee during its meeting in Istanbul on 18 April 2016.

Among all applicants for this position Mr. Jbeily was considered the best choice for leading the Technical Committee as this is a very important representative body for ICC. Dr. Meinolf G. Lindhauer will furtheron share his valuable experience and support Mr. Jbeily and the Technical Committee as Technical Co-Director.

The Book of Proceedings of the 10^th AISTEC Conference "Grains for feeding the world", organised by the Italian Association for Cereal Science and Technology (AISTEC) in collaboration with the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC) and held at the University of Milan, 1-3 July 2015, with a theme inspired by the broader EXPO theme, "Feeding the planet, energy for life" was published by AISTEC and is available as a digital version in the ICC Online Store.

The event brought together more than 180 participants from more than 20 countries from 5 continents and provided opportunities for both young and senior scientists and industry representatives for networking and exchanging knowledge about grains and derived products. It also marked the 20^th anniversary of AISTEC which happened to be in conjunction with the 60^th anniversary of ICC.

We are happy to announce that ICC now has a Company Page on LinkedIn - the world's largest professional network: www.linkedin.com/company/icc---international-association-for-cereal-science-and-technology

We will publish on a regular basis updates about ICC events; ICC-endorsed events; event reports; new issues of the ICC Journal; new standard methods; press releases; member updates; as well as science updates.

To stay tuned on ICC updates, click the "Follow" button on ICC's LinkedIn Company Page or on the upper right corner on the ICC homepage. Furthermore, you are welcome to "like" specific updates which will then figure on your own personal profile which will be seen by your network.

If you are affiliated to ICC (for example, as an ICC Official), we encourage you to select ICC - International Association for Cereal Science and Technology as the company on your personal LinkedIn profile. Instructions on how to do so are in the attached PDF file.

From 21-23 September 2015, the 9^th Flour Mill 2015 in Moscow (Russia) took place. ICC was invited to participate this conference, which was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, the Russian Union of Flour Mills and Cereal Plants and the International Industrial Academy.

Executives and experts of national and regional bodies of the flour mills and grain market as well as experts from research & educational institutes and representatives of international companies discussed a wide range of questions, including product quality and safety, market perspectives for grain, flour and cereals, latest technical developments for flour mills and grain producers, innovative tools and methods to implement and control quality management systems, new consumer demands etc.

In the frame of this conference ICC Secretary General, Ms. Michaela Pichler, was able to discuss new cooperation possibilities with the Russian representatives and to strengthen again the Russian engagement in the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology. As a result, the Russian Country Membership is currently again under discussion and the International Industrial Academy, the Russian Union of Flour Mills and Cereal Plants, Kirov's Mill and the Maltcev Alliance Group confirmed their ICC Membership from 2016 onwards.

Based on a number of recent studies, the related questions about the level of evidence and a very strong social media drive, to avoid the consumption of gluten-containing grains, there is an urgent need for well controlled studies. The latter is especially the case since in most published studies the types of grains used and the foods produced from them have been very poorly characterized and described, making many conclusions questionable. Future studies should address the detailed composition of different cereals used, the changes in composition that may occur as a result of food processing (dough making using yeast or sourdough culture, extrusion, time, temperature, etc.) as well as final baking, drying, etc.

The ultimate aim of such an approach is to have a full analytical picture of the actual food that will be supplied to individuals for the study of effects on metabolism, symptoms and well-being. When addressing the in vivo effects of wheat based foods, consumed "as part of a typical daily diet", only a known composition will help to obtain reliable data. The latter is of crucial importance to make evidence based recommendations for future product development in the context of "good food for a healthy life". Here we propose an international project of global importance to the cereal supply chain and food industry.

The HealthGrain Forum Europe, endorsed by ICC and AACC, is seeking for active participation of the cereal foods chain related academic and industrial partners. Read the attached PDF files for more information about the backgrounds and aims of this pre-competitive research project.

DF15 - a really stimulating event – this was the main opinion of the over 250 participants from all over the globe from industry, academia and regulatory bodies.

The 6^th International Dietary Fibre Conference (DF15), organised in Paris in Les Salons de l'Aveyron from 1-3 June 2015 by INRA - the French National Institute for Agricultural Research – and ICC – the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology – highlighted in 8 sessions a range of new developments in fibre research, including the role of fibres, in:

• modulating the human gut microbiome and its impact on health, going far beyond the old notions of just lactobacilli and bifidobacteria as beneficial species and selected fibres as prebiotics;
• influencing cognitive functions and mental well-being, where recent research confirms earlier work on beneficial effects of cereal fibres and where mechanistic insights are emerging;
• and reducing constipation - dietary changes towards a higher intake of fibre may result here in considerable health care costs savings (for the UK ~ GBP 125 million per year).

The final Round Table discussion brought up a series of remarks and recommendations:

• Fibre is not fibre – the properties and physiological impact of fibres varies widely, even within a single type of fibre, such as pectin. Therefore a full description of the source, composition and further relevant physical and chemical properties of the fibres studied is essential.
• Priority for research on fibre, the human microbiome and health – preferably in multi-disciplinary consortia of science and industry

Since 1 January 2015 Ms. Michaela Pichler is the new Secretary General of ICC Headquarters. Michaela Pichler has a degree in Economics from the University of Economics in Vienna and has worked more than 15 years in the Austrian agricultural administration, where - during the last 10 years - she was responsible for the implementation of various international projects mainly in the context of the EU enlargement. From 2012 to 2014 she was working as Resident Twinning Adviser at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development in Pristina, Kosovo where she actively supported the elaboration of the Agricultural and Rural Development Program for 2014-2020. She succeeded Roland Poms, who decided to leave ICC and take on a new professional challenge at the beginning of 2015.

ICC is looking forward to working with Michaela Pichler and thanks Roland Poms for nearly 11 years of serving the Association at the ICC Headquarters in Vienna.