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Conference “Reflections on the implications of COVID19 in food security” within the framework of the RISEGAL network

  • Attendance will be possible either in person or online, with prior registration at https://www.risegal.csic.es/es/seminario-web-a-covid-alimentos-e-galicia
  • The webinar will be opened by Ana Canals (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition) and will include talks by Rosario Martín de Santos (Complutense University of Madrid), Jesús López Romalde (University of Santiago de Compostela) and Clara Medina Hernández (Mercadona).

Santiago de Compostela, 23 March 2021. The Spanish National Research Council, as coordinating body of the Galician Network on Emerging Risks in Food Safety (RISEGAL), will hold tomorrow the seminar entitled “Reflections on the implications of COVID-19 for food safety”.

The aim of the event, which will take place in person at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Santiago de Compostela from 10:00 to 13:00 and can also be followed online, is to convey some of the main implications of the SARS-CoV-2 virus for food safety.

Registration is free through https://www.risegal.csic.es/es/seminario-web-a-covid-alimentos-e-galicia/

The event, which will begin with an address by Ana Canals, advisor for scientific and international coordination at the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, consists of three talks.

  1. “Emerging zoonotic viruses: SARS-CoV-2 and its implications for food safety”, by Rosario Martín de Santos, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid). She is the author of more than 170 scientific articles in prestigious international journals (JCR), has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Biotechnology Innovation Circle of the Community of Madrid, of the Innovation Advisory Board of the Madrid Science Park Foundation, and of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety.
  2. “Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the marine environment and molluscs. Implications for food safety”, by Jesús López Romalde, professor of microbiology and director of the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology at the University of Santiago de Compostela. Author of more than 230 articles in JCR journals, his research focuses on the microbiology of aquatic organisms, including different aspects of bacterial and viral pathogens, combining two major lines of research, “Microbiology of aquatic organisms” and “Study of enteric viruses”. He currently carries out his research at the Institute for Research in Environmental Technologies (i-CRETUS) of the USC, where he develops several lines of research related to viral contamination in various environments and the effectiveness of wastewater treatments for eliminating viruses and micropollutants.
  3. “The new consumer. Consumption and purchasing habits in times of COVID-19”, by Clara Medina Hernández. She holds a PhD in Pharmacy and has worked at Mercadona since 2001. From 2001 to 2013 she was a member of the technical team in the company’s Quality Division throughout the entire chain and is currently Director of Relations with Consumer Associations, including associations of people with allergies and intolerances.

Programme of the RISEGAL 2021 conference

RISEGAL

The Galician Network on Emerging Risks in Food Safety (RISEGAL) was created in 2017 as an opportunity to bring together the knowledge of various experts in food safety in the Galician autonomous community. It consists of a multidisciplinary working group with high synergistic potential, capable of developing lines of research to design preventive strategies that increase consumer safety and strengthen the competitiveness of the sector in Galicia.

It is coordinated by CSIC through the Marine Products Microbiology and Technology group. The three Galician universities participate and the Galician agri-food sector collaborates through the Galician Food Cluster (CLUSAGA) and the Galician Public Health Surveillance Network (RGVSP), responsible for monitoring and controlling health problems among the Galician population.

RISEGAL received competitive funding from the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN) for the creation of this scientific platform, which was launched with a view to future expansion at national and international level.

Its mission is to identify emerging risks that compromise food safety in the chain of foods produced or marketed in Galicia and to propose actions to guarantee their safety. The aim is to strengthen consumer safety and the Galician agri-food sector.