It is only one year ago that the International Food Safety Training Laboratory (IFSTL) was inaugurated at the University of Maryland. In this short period, the IFSTL has already provided training to participants from 15 countries. A networking hub, the laboratory creates a haven for the discussion of scientific methods for the detection of food contaminants.

Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland (D), supported the International Food Safety Training Laboratory from the beginning and issued a statement commemorating the one-year anniversary of the lab.

House Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland commemorates IFSTL's one-year anniversary.

JAN 15-17, 2013: Food Microbiology for Industry Analysts FEB 25-MAR 1, 2013: Methods of Determination of Mycotoxins MAR 4-14, 2013: Methods of Determination of Drug Residue in Meat and Poultry APR 22-26, 2013: Methods of Identification of Shiga-toxin E. coli APR 29-MAY 3, 2013: Methods of Identification of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Foods JUN 3-12, 2013: Method Development for Pesticide Residue Analysis and Use of Data in Risk Analysis JUN 17-26, 2013: Chemical Identification of Intentional and Unintentional Additives (e.g. melamine and acrylamide) AUG 19-23, 2013:Methods of Detection of Artificial Colors in Foods SEP 16-25, 2013: Methods of Determination of Drug Residues in Aquaculture OCT 7-11, 2013: Methods of Identification of Salmonella and Campylobacter in Food NOV 4-8, 2013: Microscopic and Chemical Methods of Identification of Botanicals and Contaminants in Dietary Products DEC 4-13, 2013: Methods of Determination of Pesticide Residue Analysis

September is Food Safety Education month in the United States and IFSTl is helping spread some good advice to students at the University of Maryland.

The International Food Safety Training Laboratory (IFSTL), the leading provider of hands-on laboratory training in methods for food safety, today announced the launch a new website. The new design features improved access to information on courses for current and potential participants, and is a critical piece of the organization's effort to support its rapid growth.

The IFSTL now has its own page on Facebook; you can become friends with the IFSTL and see what we are up to. Photos from past courses are posted as well as a schelule of upcoming courses.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a Public Meeting entitled, "International Capacity Building with Respect to Food Safety." The purpose of the Meeting was to provide interested persons an opportunity to discuss FDA's comprehensive plan to expand the technical, scientific, and regulatory capacity of foreign governments and their respective food industries in countries that export foods to the United States (the "capacity-building plan"). FDA is developing this plan pursuant to the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The UK Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) announced the signature of a contract with Waters Corporation for private support for a permanent food safety training laboratory to open in October 2012 in the UK. The second site of a network started with the opening of the International Food Safety Training Laboratory (IFSTL) at the [...]

Ms. Caitlin Boon, Dr. Michael Taylor and Dr. Elizabeth Calvey of the US FDA toured the IFSTL on May 9th. A few hours later, JIFSAN welcomed Dr. Ye Zhihua of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, accompanied by Dean Cheng I. Wei of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland and [...]

A schedule of eight courses has been announced for 2012.

Dr. Janie Dubois, Manager of the IFSTL traveled to China in February to meet with Director Li Yunlong, Deputy Directors Jian Zou and Zhilu Wang, and their team to discuss potential collaboration in the area of laboratory training.

This course will be offered at IFSTL from May 14th to the 18th, 2012.

A course entitled "Pesticide Resiude Analysis is Fresh Fruits and Produce" will be offered at IFSTL from May 14th to the 18th, 2012.

IFSTL participants Gabriela Alvarez and Monica Mendez are now part of a new team able to offer pesticide residue analysis testing services at the Laboratorio Nacional de Salud for Guatemalan exporters of fruits and vegetables.

JIFSAN is seeking a Microbiologist for its newly established International Food Safety Training Laboratory.

The International Food Safety Training Laboratory received funding to deliver laboratory capacity building activities to APEC economies. As a result of this grant, a special course on Methods of Pesticide Residue Analysis will be offered at IFSTL in May 2012, where select participants from APEC economies meeting criteria defined in the EMP program will receive financial assistance to participate in the training. An online introductory course will also be developed as part of this initiative.

Each year the symposium focuses on a different topic associated with state-of-the-art food science and technology. The topic of the 2012 event is "New developments in food science: realising the potential of 'omics' technologies".

The International Food Safety Training Laboratory was honored by the presence of 25 representatives of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission on December 8th, 2011.

The International Food Safety Training Laboratory hosted a Microscopic Identification of Botanicals course on November 30th through December 2nd.