Program 12th International Symposium on RECENT ADVANCES IN FOOD ANALYSIS (RAFA 2026)

Significance of the topic

The 12th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis (RAFA 2026) assembles analytical chemists, regulators, reference laboratories, industry and technology providers to address evolving challenges in food safety, authenticity and quality. The symposium emphasises methods that bridge research and routine control—especially high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), multi‑omics, advanced chromatography, spectroscopic screening, and modern data science/AI approaches—because these tools determine how emerging hazards are detected, quantified and managed in practice.

Objectives and overview of RAFA 2026

RAFA 2026 aims to: present recent analytical developments; discuss harmonisation and validation needs for regulatory use; foster interaction between EU Reference Laboratories, academia and industry; showcase vendor innovations; and promote capacity building through workshops and Living Lab sessions. The programme spans workshops, plenary lectures, parallel thematic sessions (authenticity, contaminants, allergens, PFAS, omics, bioanalytics, data/AI), vendor seminars and poster sessions across four days.

Methodology and approaches presented

Key methodological themes covered at the symposium include:

• Targeted and broad‑scope screening using HRMS workflows (DIA and DDA strategies), including data‑driven approaches to reduce complexity and enable retrospective screening.
• Non‑targeted and suspect screening combined with effect‑directed analysis to prioritise toxicological hazards.
• Advanced chromatographic separations: multidimensional GC×GC, 2D‑LC, UHPLC and microscale LC for high‑throughput or selectivity‑demanding applications.
• Ion mobility spectrometry (cyclic IMS), GC‑IMS and HS‑GC‑IMS for volatile profiling and rapid fingerprinting.
• Elemental speciation and ICP‑MS based methods for trace element and methylmercury determination, including HPLC‑ICP‑MS interlaboratory validation.
• Vibrational spectroscopy (NIR, MIR, Raman) coupled with chemometrics for rapid, non‑destructive screening and in‑field applications (handheld instruments, on‑combine NIR for grain quality and mycotoxin screening).
• Molecular and bioanalytical techniques: qPCR, LAMP, dPCR, targeted proteomics and long‑read metabarcoding for species and GMO detection, allergen quantification by MS, and immunoassays for fast screening.
• Omics and volatilomics: multi‑platform metabolomics, volatilome analytics, data fusion approaches and machine learning for shelf‑life, authenticity and exposure assessment.
• Computational advances: foundation models for DIA HRMS, transfer learning for cross‑experiment generalisation, explainable AI for pattern interpretation, and no‑code solutions for IMS and chromatographic data.
• Method development and validation strategies, including DOE optimisation for PFAS sample preparation and automated online SPE enrichment.

Instrumentation used

The symposium highlighted a broad array of modern analytical platforms and sensors routinely applied or under development in the food sector, including:

• High‑resolution mass spectrometers (Orbitrap, QTOF) and hybrid systems for HRMS screening and isotope ratio/metrology applications.
• Triple quad and QTRAP MS for targeted quantitation and regulatory workflows.
• GC×GC‑TOFMS and multidimensional GC for complex volatile and contaminant profiling.
• LC‑MS/MS and UHPLC‑HRMS for toxins, pesticides, PFAS and process contaminants.
• Ion mobility (cyclic IMS) coupled to HRMS for enhanced separation and structural information.
• ICP‑MS and HPLC‑ICP‑MS for elemental and species‑specific analyses (e.g., methylmercury).
• FTIR/ATR spectroscopy, handheld and benchtop NIR and Raman spectrometers for rapid compositional screening.
• GC‑IMS and headspace systems for volatile fingerprinting and on‑line monitoring.
• Molecular biology platforms: qPCR, LAMP, nanoplate dPCR, and long‑read sequencing for species authentication and detection of genome‑edited organisms.
• Imaging mass spectrometry (e.g., Nano‑DESI) and molecular imaging approaches for spatially resolved migration and contamination studies.

Main results and discussion

As a programme rather than a single study, RAFA 2026 synthesises community progress and recurring challenges rather than presenting one dataset. Key takeaways include:

• HRMS is maturing into routine screening but harmonisation, accreditation, and data interoperability remain bottlenecks for regulatory adoption; coordinated EURL engagement and policy dialogue are necessary.
• Combining non‑target screening with effect‑directed analyses and biological readouts improves hazard prioritisation, especially for complex natural toxins and novel psychoactive contaminants.
• AI and data‑centric methods (foundation models, transfer learning, explainable AI) substantially improve interpretation of complex datasets (metabolomics, volatilomics, untargeted MS), yet require robust training datasets, drift correction strategies and transparent reporting for uptake in official control.
• Rapid spectroscopic and portable platforms offer valuable at‑line and in‑field screening capability (e.g., handheld NIR for spice adulteration, on‑combine NIR for wheat), but require chemometric models validated on incurred or real‑world samples to be fit for purpose.
• Method validation, reference materials and interlaboratory studies (e.g., methylmercury, PFAS, MOSH/MOAH) are critical to ensure traceability and comparability across laboratories.
• Omics and volatilomics provide powerful fingerprints for authenticity, shelf‑life and exposure assessment; yet multi‑platform fusion and deployment of robust ML pipelines are prerequisites for generalisable results.
• Food contact materials, recycled polymers and microplastics continue to pose analytical and toxicological challenges; novel imaging and online coupling techniques help characterise migrants and map exposure pathways.

Benefits and practical applications

The advances showcased at RAFA 2026 have concrete benefits for stakeholders:

• Regulators and reference labs can expand screening scopes and retrospective analysis capacity to detect unforeseen contaminants and emerging PFAS variants.
• Industry gains tools for faster in‑process quality control, authenticity verification, and supply‑chain risk management through validated, transferable spectroscopic and MS workflows.
• Laboratories can adopt AI‑assisted data processing to accelerate non‑target annotation and reduce false positives, improving laboratory throughput and decision quality.
• Public health and risk assessors benefit from integrated analytical‑toxicological approaches (effect‑directed analysis, biotransformation studies, exposomics) that better link analytical findings to exposure and hazard metrics.

Future trends and potential applications

Predicted directions and near‑term opportunities emerging from the symposium include:

• Wider adoption of AI foundation models tailored to mass spectrometry and spectroscopy, enabling cross‑instrument, cross‑lab learning and improved annotation of unknowns.
• Standardised HRMS screening frameworks promoted by EURL networks and stakeholders to enable regulatory acceptance, including common spectral libraries, reference materials and interoperable reporting formats.
• Integration of multi‑omics, volatilomics and exposomics with clinical and dietary data to map real‑world exposure, biomonitoring and nutritional impacts at population scale.
• Scalable on‑site testing solutions (handheld spectroscopy, portable MS, automated sample‑to‑report workflows) for rapid field triage and decentralized monitoring.
• Greater use of automated and green sample preparation workflows (robotic QuPPe, online SPE) and microscale chromatography to reduce costs, solvent use and laboratory footprints.
• Enhanced imaging mass spectrometry and nanoscale desorption methods to study migration from single microplastics and assess localized contamination in complex matrices.
• Development of new certified reference materials and IDMS‑based metrological approaches for emerging contaminants (PFAS, ultrashort‑chain PFAS) to underpin traceability.

Conclusion

RAFA 2026 reflects an active, multidisciplinary community driving analytical innovation to meet evolving food safety and authenticity needs. Progress in instrument capability, computational methods and collaborative validation initiatives are converging to make advanced techniques more applicable to routine control. Key challenges—harmonisation of HRMS screening, robust model transferability for portable sensors, and creation of fit‑for‑purpose reference materials—require continued collaboration between laboratories, EURLs, industry and policy makers. The symposium highlights actionable pathways to translate research into practical, regulatory‑ready workflows.

References

This summary is based on the RAFA 2026 programme and session descriptions; individual presentations and vendor materials form the primary sources cited during the symposium.