What do cheese, sauerkraut and yeast dough have in common? Their production is only possible with the help of bacteria or fungi. The microorganisms initiate fermentation or maturing processes and thus create foods that have been on the human menu for, in some case, centuries. On the other hand, microorganisms contribute to the rotting and spoilage of food and can even make people ill, as outbreaks caused by pathogens in food have repeatedly shown, e.g. with Salmonella. "Food microbiology is a very multifaceted field of research," says Professor Andreas Hensel, President of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). "It investigates the properties of a wide variety of microorganisms and touches on topics from the fields of food technology, food safety, animal health and environmental and consumer protection." In order to discuss current research, the BfR, the German Society for Microbiology and Hygiene (DGHM) and the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM) are inviting researchers to the 19th Food Microbiology Conference in Berlin from 1 to 3 April.
The first day of the conference will focus on the intestinal bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) and its pathogenic properties. As an "indicator germ", E. coli indicates faecal contamination in food. The bacterium can also transfer antibiotic resistance and cause serious illnesses in humans. An introductory overview lecture will focus on the different virulence factors of the pathogen that contribute to its pathogenic properties. Another presentation will examine the development of antibiotic resistance rates in E. coli in pork and poultry ten years after the introduction of the antibiotic minimisation concept in Germany.
The second day of the conference will focus on bacterial contamination in the food chain and how it can be avoided. In food production, for example, bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes can cause problems if they persistently survive in food-producing environments. This can lead to repeated contamination of the food produced and subsequently to infection of consumers. A second block of lectures will focus on the beneficial properties of bacteria, for example in the production of water kefir or the stabilisation of fruit preparations. The day will end with an excursion into sometimes exotic areas of food microbiology: for example, the question of whether eating raccoon meat can lead to Trichinella (threadworm) infections in humans or the significance of microbial contamination in insects that are to be used as food and feed will be discussed. This conference day is being organised jointly with the German "One Health Platform", an association of researchers from various disciplines. The intersection of the topics presented is the so-called One Health approach: in the search for sustainable solutions in the supply of food to the population, the focus is not only on human health, but also on aspects of animal health and environmental protection.
After further presentations on various topics, the last day of the conference will end with a panel discussion focussing on future challenges in food microbiology. A poster prize will also be awarded to young scientists.
You can find the complete programme here:
https://www.bfr-akademie.de/english/events/19lm-2025.html
Journalists are cordially invited to attend the conference. Please register in advance at pressestelle@bfr.bund.de. Please also send any requests for interviews on the topic to the press office.
Further information on food microbiology:
Topic page Assessment of microbial risks in foods
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/assessment_of_microbial_risks_in_foods-739.html
National reference laboratory for Escherichia coli (NRL E. coli)
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/national_reference_laboratory_for_escherichia_coli__nrl_e__coli_-10496.html
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States (‘Laender’) on questions of food, chemicals and product safety. The BfR conducts independent research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.
This text version is a translation of the original German text, which is the only legally binding version.