CNR-ISPA – NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL – INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES OF FOOD PRODUCTION
The Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA, with a total staff of 102) belongs to the Italian National Research Council. The basic purpose of ISPA activities is the production, preservation and improvement of food quality and food safety. The research is focused on identification of risk factors in food safety and achievement of safe food through monitoring and detoxification of toxic contaminants. Particular attention is paid to the development of rapid analytical methods, based on immunoassays and biosensors, for the detection of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in foodstuffs and feedstuffs. ISPA’s action is in line with the national and European research policy and is carried out using a multidisciplinary approach (chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, biotechnology, veterinary science, agronomy, biology and plant pathology). ISPA has worldwide collaborations on chemical, biological and genetics aspects of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins, and has been involved in seven FP5 and three FP6 projects dealing with mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi, and is currently involved in four FP7 projects.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
R esearch at ISPA is particularly focused on development and validation of innovative analytical methods for the quantitative detection of contaminants in food and feed and development and validation of biomolecular detection methods such as immunoassays and DNA biosensors assays. As expert laboratory in method validation, ISPA is i nvolved in international organizations for standardization of methods such as CEN/TC 275 Working Group on Biotoxins (WG5) and AOAC International. ISPA has been coordinator of interlaboratory studies for AOAC 2001.01/EN 14133 (Ochratoxin A in wine and beer) and AOAC 2001.04/EN 14352 (Fumonisins B 1 and B 2 in corn and cornflakes). ISPA has been involved in seven FP5 and three FP6 projects dealing with mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi. In particular, it has been coordinator of FP5 project DETOX-FUNGI and of FP6 projects MYCO-GLOBE, 2E-BCAS IN CROP. It is currently involved in seven FP7 projects, namely CONffIDENCE, RAF-Regions, MYCORED (coordinator) and DREAM.
MAIN TASKS WITHIN CONffIDENCE
WP4c: Leader in WP 4c. Development of single and multiplex mycotoxin dipstick immunoassays. Coordination of small-scale interlaboratory study.
PROJECT TEAM
Contact :
Dr. Angelo Visconti
Director of CNR – ISPA
National Research Council
Institute of Sciences of Food Productions
Via Amendola 122/O
70126 Bari, Italy
Tel. +39.080.5929333
Fax +39.080.5929373
Email: Web site: http://www.ispa.cnr.it
Staff :
Dr. Angelo Visconti :
Director of ISPA-CNR. Involved in numerous expert groups in the field of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi at European and international level (ISPP, IUMS, AOAC, IUPAC, ILSI Europe etc.) He is responsible for tasks and coordinates several national and EU projects in the mycotoxin field in the framework of different DGII programmes, BCR and MAT projects. WP4c leader in CONffIDENCE.
Dr. Michele Solfrizzo :
Senior Researcher. Prolonged experience in development and validation of analytical methods for measurement of mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites in agricultural products, fungal cultures and biological matrices. Italian representative on CEN/275/WG5 committee on biotoxins.
Dr. Veronica M.T. Lattanzio :
Researcher. She has 4 years experience in development and validation of analytical methods for the detection of mycotoxins and their metabolites in foods and biological fluids.
Dr. Vincenzo Lippolis :
Technician. He has 6 years experience in the development of rapid analytical methods, based on immunoassays and biosensors.