World Mycotoxin Forum 2023: What to expect this year
From 9-11 October, the 14th World Mycotoxin Forum will take place in Antwerp, Belgium, at the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center. The forum brings together a holistic conference programme covering the latest issues in mycotoxin management and is targeted at everyone working in the mycotoxin field. All About Feed spoke to one of the local conference chairs for the event, Prof Sarah De Saeger, who shares a few words about what to expect from this year’s forum.
The WMF will bring together the industry professionals, scientists and experts in the field of mycotoxins. What makes the forum so unique?
“The World Mycotoxin Forum is one of the biggest mycotoxin events in the world. I see it as an opportunity for people to come together to share ideas, voice concerns and look at figuring out solutions. The forum attracts researchers, experts in the field and professionals, but we also see a lot of participants coming from businesses and various other industry backgrounds. This makes it possible to make a real connection between science and finding solutions for the problem. This is what I think makes the World Mycotoxin Forum so unique.”
During the WMF programme there is also an interactive debate which you will be moderating. What will this entail?
“This is the first time that a debate like this will take place at the forum, this is an entirely new initiative organised by the International Society for Mycotoxicology (ISM). The debate will be a world tour on climate change and the battle against mycotoxins. We have invited the presidents of different mycotoxicology societies from all over the world. As well as ISM, the Latin America and the African Society of Mycotoxicology will be present.
“Per country we have the Thai, Japanese and Nigerian Society of Mycotoxicology. The presidents of the societies may not be experts on climate change, but they know about the current situation in their continent or country. You will also hear from companies who will give their views on mycotoxins and climate change. This is a great example of continuous interaction between scientists and industry. The floor will be open for a live discussion with all the participants.”
What do you want the ‘take home’ message to be for people visiting the forum?
“We really need to focus on finding solutions to manage mycotoxin contamination. There is a lot of literature and studies available on mycotoxin issues. This data is valuable and needed, but I think we need look at finding real solutions. This is difficult; we have been working for decades on this problem and it remains difficult to solve.
“Collaboration is another take home message, not just collaboration between scientists, but also with the stakeholders who are in the field, who see first-hand what the situation really is.”
What else you can expect from WMF 2023
During the 14th conference of the World Mycotoxin Forum – WMFmeetsBelgium will offer various ways to network and share ideas to close the knowledge gap. Attendees to the WMF will find:
- presentations and discussions in plenary meetings
- poster presentations
- company pitches and industry updates
- networking opportunities
- workshops.
WMF Young Scientists Forum
Selko with be hosting the 2nd edition at this year’s event. They invite young scientists, researchers, and students to share experiences and learn from each other. How do you find the right model for your research? Single or multi-mycotoxin, or mycotoxins combined with other environmental challenges? What are emerging technologies and how can they improve mycotoxin research in the future? These and other questions will be discussed during the informal brainstorm session.
The full conference programme is available to download here.
Don’t miss out and register now
There is still time to register to be part of the event.
Participants are responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements. WMF have arranged special room rates with several hotels, all of which conveniently located within walking distance of the conference venue.
