3/19/03

Michael J. Tullier, 334/844.3419

SECOND 'TECH PREVIEW' ANNOUNCED BY AU PEAKS PROGRAM

AUBURN -- Auburn University's Detection and Food Safety Center will display the latest advances in food and livestock feed safety to representatives of industry, government and trade associations at its 2003 Technology Preview April 30-May 1.

The conference will showcase cutting-edge university-based research, facilitate AU's technology transfer program and share information on industry needs and sponsored research opportunities, says Bryan Chin, center director and chair of AU's Materials Engineering program.

AUDFS is seeking conference participants that represent food manufacturers, packagers, labelers, transporters, wholesalers and retailers; feed manufacturers, packagers, wholesalers and retailers; diagnostic testing companies; electronics companies; food and feed safety practitioners; government agency leaders and lawmakers; trade association leaders and safety advocacy groups.

"Industry interaction is vital to ensuring we are meeting the needs of the food and feed industries," says Chin. "An event such as this not only provides that interaction, but also a forum for industry, government and trade association leadership to network in a research and development setting."

AUDFS, an AU Peaks of Excellence program, was established in 1999 as a multidisciplinary effort among five university academic colleges. Today, nearly 20 Auburn researchers are combining knowledge, facilities and resources to improve foodborne pathogen detection, "mad cow disease" prevention and bioterrorism readiness. The center boasts several significant scientific accomplishments that will be discussed in detail during the conference, including:

** detection methods for foodborne contaminants, such as Salmonella and E. coli, that provide confirmed results within 100 seconds;

** licensed and "next-generation" patent-pending methodologies capable of detecting prohibited meat-and-bone meal in agricultural feed at or below current U.S. Food and Drug Administration minimums;

** patented phage display technology as a "next-generation" detection method, including demonstrated phage capture of Bacillus anthracis stern strain spores and Salmonella bacteria; and

** prototype handheld detector for Salmonella detection.

Center researchers plan a research poster session, AUDFS center overview and research forum during its two-day conference. The event will begin the afternoon of April 30, and conclude after lunch on May 1.

The conference will be at the AU Hotel and Dixon Conference Center. Click here for electronic versions of informational and registration materials. Participants should register before March 30.

Conference participants will be the guests of AUDFS at all meals, but travel arrangements and accommodations are the participants' responsibility.

For additional information, contact Michael Tullier, AUDFS communications and industrial relations coordinator, at 334/844-3419 or email at: (mtullier@eng.auburn.edu).

mar03:AU-foodsafety

CONTACT: Tullier, 334/844-3419.