Allergens: finding a balance between sense and sensibility

In the privacy of the IFFI network, managers and professionals will get an update on the interaction between the human immune system and food as well as the sense and nonsense in the public perception of food allergies. Are processed foods to blame for the rise in allergies? And are clean label, organic and natural products of any help in turning the tide?

Can biochemistry and bionica offer immunity?

How can we use biochemistry and bionica principles to find innovative alternatives for allergens or to deactivate allergens? Participants are invited to exchange ideas on innovative solutions for both regulatory as well as public opinion issues with regard to allergens.

Target Group

Innovation/R&D managers, market intelligence and marketing managers, business development and consumer insight managers, product development specialists, process and application technologists and colleagues from the food ingredients industry who are interested in food allergens a regulatory, R&D and marketing point of view.

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Programme

Thursday, 14 March 2019

Location: Post-Plaza hotel, Tweebaksmarkt 25-27, 8911 KW Leeuwarden, tel. 058-2159317

17.00 hrs	Reception and informal networking opportunity in Plugzaal
18.00 hrs	Words of welcome
18.15 hrs	Dinner
19.30 hrs	Presentation Prof. Harry Wichers – WUR
20.15 hrs	Dessert break
20.45 hrs	Presentation Ylva Poelman – the Bionic Woman
21.30 hrs	Plenary discussion
22.00 hrs	Drinks and networking opportunity
22.30 hrs	Possibility to stay overnight

Friday, 15 March 2019

Location: Royal Koopmans, De Merodestraat 3, 8901 BE Leeuwarden

09.00 hrs	Registration at Royal Koopmans
09.15 hrs	Words of welcome
10.00 hrs	Presentation about Value from Grain
11.00 hrs	Factory tour
12.00 hrs	End of formal programme; a light lunch will be served

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Guest speakers

Food for Immunity, Prof. Dr. Harry Wichers – WUR Prof. dr. Harry Wichers is biochemist by training, with immuno-chemistry as a minor subject. He obtained his PhD-degree from the University of Groningen, on the subject “Biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals via cultured plant cells”. After working for 5 years in the Biotechnology Department of TNO, he moved to Wageningen University and Research Centre. He is currently working on the relationship between food and its components and the immune system. The ultimate objective is to develop sensory attractive foods that can contribute to maintaining a balanced and active immune system. He is one of the founders of the Allergy Consortium Wageningen and since April 2005 holder of the chair “Immunomodulation by Food” at Wageningen University.

Nature’s answer to allergens – Ylva Poelman – the Bionic Woman Ylva Poelman studied physics and astronomy and is a specialist in bionics, innovation and people management. She is the initiator and booster of the Bionica Innovation and Expertise Center in Groningen. On this subject she also writes biweekly as a columnist under the title ‘The Bionic Woman’ for Trouw. As a nature lover and innovation expert, Ylva is completely taken by bionics, also known as biomimicry and bio-inspired innovation. Bionics is an out-of-the box innovation method that gets its inspiration from nature. During her presentation Ylva will explain what bionics is and what analogies there are in nature with allergens. Think of organisms that are insensitive for a certain toxin from which other organisms die. And mechanisms that we can use from nature to neutralize or reverse the reaction to substances. Ylva is author of the book ‘Nature as inventor’.

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Location dinner meeting

Hotel Post-Plaza has given the former Leeuwarden post office a second life. Since 2015 it is a metropolitan Grand-Café with 42 hotel rooms. You can see the old post office in innumerable details throughout the building. A glass passage connects the old post office to the other side of the hotel; a historical former bank that is almost as old as the post office. This building houses another 40 rooms and the Front Office.

IFFI can arrange a hotel room for you in the Post-Plaza Hotel, single rooms cost € 110,– including breakfast, excluding tax.

Address: Post-Plaza hotel, Tweebaksmarkt 25-27, 8911 KW Leeuwarden, tel. 058-2159317
For route description and parking please visit the hotel website.

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Company visit

Royal Koopmans Royal Koopmans is a family owned company, established in 1846. Our main goal is to create sustainable value from grain by the force of nature. Grain is an excellent raw material for our ingredients, suitable for a large number of applications such as artisinal and industrial bakery, food coatings and natural binding systems. All this in collaboration with our technological heart, the Koopmans Innovation Centre (KIEM), where innovation is the driving force and a nursery for new products and applications. This enables us to continuously provide innovative products to our customers. Address: Royal Koopmans, De Merodestraat 3, 8901 BE Leeuwarden, tel. 058-2948494

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Registration and accommodation

The IFFI dinner meeting programme includes dinner and drinks and excludes eventual accommodation costs. Participation costs for non-members are € 150,– excluding VAT. Participation costs for IFFI colleagues are covered by the membership fee. However, for cancellation of participation or accommodation after 7 March we will charge you € 150,–.

IFFI can arrange a hotel room for you in the Post-Plaza Hotel, single rooms cost € 110,– including breakfast, excluding tax.

Please use the online registration forms below to register for one or both days and to request a hotel room. Please note that in case of hotel cancellations later than 7 days in advance of your stay, we are forced to charge you 100% of the room rate including breakfast.

Please use our online registration forms to register before 1st of March:

Registration members / Registration non-members