Dr. Antonio Eugenio de Almeida Executive Director of the National Institute for Health Quality Control, FioCruz; Dr. Patricia Canto Ribeiro, Vice President of Environment, Health Care and Promotion of FioCruz, Dr. Ottorino Cosivi, Director of the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health of the Pan-American Health Organization, and Dr. Margarita Corrales welcomed the laboratories at the Assembly and highlighted the essential role of the INFAL in strengthening the capacities of food analysis laboratories in the region based on the principles of South-South cooperation.

The 10th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL was held in the emblematic neighborhood of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 29 to September 1 with virtual transmission for network members. 

The 10th Ordinary Assembly brought together representatives of the member laboratories of eighteen countries the Americas, with the aim of defining the new INFAL strategies, the action plans for the 2023-2024 biennium, the new ad-hoc groups, the election of the new representatives of the Executive Committee, as well as the election of the host country for the 11th INFAL Assembly.

The Assembly also featured a Technical Seminar on Risk Assessment and a round table on the importance of interlaboratories.

As a result of the 10th Ordinary Assembly, the network established the objectives and action plans for the 2023-2024 biennium, formalized the Technical Group (TG) on Antimicrobial Resistance, and nominated an ad-hoc TG on interlaboratories. The new members of the Executive Committee elected are: Mexico (Chair), Chile (Vice-Chair), Bolivia (Quality TG), El Salvador (Microbiology TG), Cuba (Antimicrobial Resistance TG), Paraguay (Chemistry TG) and Brazil (TG interlaboratory ad-hoc). Finally, Paraguay was nominated as the host country for the 11th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL.
 

 

AIMS OF THE ASSEMBLY

The main objectives of the 10th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL are:

  • Evaluate compliance with the action plans for the 2021-2022 work period.
  • Share achievements and challenges of the INFAL during the 2021-2022 work cycle.
  • Elect the new members of the Executive Committee and establish the Technical Groups.
  • Choose the host country for the 11th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL.
  • Define the biennial action plans of the INFAL 2023-2024.
  • Share knowledge and regional and international experience on risks and contaminants in food.
  • Exchange the scientific experiences of the member laboratories.

EXPECTED RESULTS

  • Election of new members of the Executive Committee.
  • Election of the host country for the 11th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL
  • Definition of Technical Groups.
  • Design and approval of action plans for the 2023-2024 biennial work cycle.
  • Selection of the host country for the 11th Ordinary Assembly of the INFAL (2024).

Informations

The assembly will receive the representatives of the INFAL Member Laboratories.

Participants must confirm their participation to the email rilaa@paho.org until July 15, 2022.

SCIENTIFIC POSTER PRESENTATION

Within the framework of the 10th INFAL Assembly, a Scientific Seminar will be held, for which member laboratories are invited to participate by presenting their experiences.

The laboratory that wishes to participate must complete the registration form and send their scientific works to the email trabalho.assembleiarilaa@gmail.com, following the rules established in the document attached to the form.

The deadline for submitting scientific works will be 22nd July, 2022.