International Commission on Food Mycology
Fungal spoilage of products manufactured by the food and beverage industry imposes significant annual global revenue losses. Mould spoilage can also be a food safety issue due to the production of mycotoxins by these moulds. To prevent mould spoilage, it is essential that the associated mycobiota be adequately isolated and accurately identified.On the other hand fungi have been used for centuries to ferment food and beverages demonstrating the benefial impact for human society.
The main fungal groups associated with spoilage are the xerophilic, heat-resistant, preservative-resistant, anaerobic and psychrophilic fungi.
To assess mould spoilage, the appropriate methodology and media must be used. While classic mycological detection methods can detect a broad range of fungi using well validated protocols, they are time consuming and results can take days or even weeks. New molecular detection methods are faster but require good DNA isolation techniques, expensive equipment and may detect viable and non-viable fungi that probably will not spoil a specific product.
Although there is no complete and easy method for the detection of fungi in food it is important to be aware of the limitation of the methodology. More research is needed on the development of methods of detection and identification that are both faster and highly sensitive. The International Commission on Food Mycology serves food microbiologists as a platform where results of research are presented and discussed
Programme 2025
Sunday, July 6, 2025: Informal get-together with drinks and snacks in the evening at Hotel Biltsche Hoek (time to be communicated later).
Monday, July 7, 2025: Registration at Westerdijk Institute, followed by a welcome, introduction and scientific sessions.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025: Full day scientific program, with poster session in the afternoon. ICFM commission member meeting (open only to committee members).
Wednesday, July 9, 2025: Half day scientific program, with a wrap-up and farewell. Ending by 12:30 PM.
Draft programme - oral presentations
Opening
Rob Samson, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
History of ICFM.
Session 1. Guidelines and new insights in the identification of mycotoxigenic fungi
Ioanna Pyrri, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Penicillium section Brevicompacta: new insights in taxonomy.
Jens Christian Frisvad, DTU - Bioengineering, Denmark
Chemistry and morphology are excellent for separating Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus flavus, but difficult to achieve using genome sequencing.
Jos Houbraken, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
An update on Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces taxonomy.
Ya Bin Zhou, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
Barcoding Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces strains from the CBS biobank.
Nazik Hussain, Institute of Plant Sciences University of Sindh Jamshoro, Pakistan – [online]
Morphological and molecular characterisation of Alternaria alternata from tomato Lycopersicon esculentum fruit.
Session 2. Methodology development
Cathrine Kure Finne / Laura García Calvo, Nofima AS, Norway
Whole Genome Sequencing of Penicillium spoilage mould from food producers.
Gachara Grace, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Kenya
Rapid detection of Aspergillus spp. and quantitative simultaneous analysis of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) in Kenyan hybrid maize cultivars using FT-IR and LC-ESI-MS/MS spectro-analysis techniques.
Kaitlyn Parra, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Development of a droplet digital PCR assay for population study of ochratoxigenic and non-ochratoxigenic Aspergillus carbonarius strains.
Manuela Zadravec, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Croatia
Challenges in sample preparation of Alternaria, Cladosporium and Fusarium species for MALDI TOF analyses.
María A. Pavicich, Ghent University, Belgium
Hyperspectral imaging for early fungal detection and prediction of mycotoxins in apples.
Session 3. Food spoilage reduction: biocontrol and processing
Alicia Rodríguez, University of Extremadura, Spain
Discovering the effect of two antagonistic yeasts on metabolites involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus in a dried fig-based medium.
Emilia Rico, BCN Research Laboratories, USA
Heat-resistant moulds (HRM) spoilage of thermal-processed beverages: has anything changed in the last 35 years?
Miloslava Kavková, Dairy Research Institute Ltd., Czech Republic
The antifungal activity of lactobacilli against spoilage fungi in milk, bakery and vegetable matrices.
Muhammad Ahmed Ihsan, University of Malta, Malta
Antifungal properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Maltese sheep milk and cheese.
Diana Sousa, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal – [online]
Comparative heat activation and inactivation of Talaromyces trachyspermus ascospores inside and outside ascocarps.
Maodo Malick Cissé, Cheikh Ahmadoul University of Touba, Senegal – [online]
Evaluation of the antagonistic activity of indigenous Trichoderma species against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the fungal pathogen causing mango anthracnose in Senegal.
Session 4. Food spoilage reduction: preservatives
Alex Grum-Grzhimaylo, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
Genetic basis and evolution of resistance to the polyene preservative natamycin.
Frank Segers, Corbion, the Netherlands
The combined impact of organic acids and modified atmosphere on fungi resistant to modified atmosphere packaging.
Jan Dijksterhuis, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
Rethinking used and novel strategies to prevent food spoilage.
Mélanie Cadoret, Univ Brest, France
Impact of UV and/or biocides on the inactivation of Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404.
Petter Melin, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden
Practical use of weak acid preservatives in meat-analogues and other products.
Roya Choupannejad, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
Natural antimicrobials for enhanced food bio-preservation.
Siavash Atashgahi, AB Mauri, the Netherlands
Natural preservation of bakery products.
Session 5. Mycotoxin contamination and exposure risk in food
Ana-Rosa Ballester, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spain
Deciphering ochratoxin A biosynthesis and degradation in Aspergillus niger: functional insights from halogenase and ochratoxinase mutants.
Andika Sidar, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia
Mycotoxins on Indonesian Agricultural Commodities: Challenges and Mitigation Approaches.
Angel Medina-Vaya, Cranfield University, UK
Towards climate change resilient biocontrol to avoid OTA contamination in Robusta coffee production.
Júlia Marquès, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Competitiveness study among black aspergilli strains.
Monika Coton, Univ Brest, France
How to evaluate mycotoxin exposure due to moldy foods at the consumer level. A case study on Alternaria mycotoxins in tomatoes.
Paula Cristina Azevedo Rodrigues, Instituto Politécnico de Braganca, Portugal
Toxigenic fungi from Mozambican maize, peanuts and rice: what is the associated risk?
Su-lin Hedén (Leong), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Mycotoxin production by Penicillium species during refrigerated storage of plant-based analogues of cheese, fraiche and pâté.
Sylvia Kalli, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
Expanding the mycotoxin horizon: Analytical approaches for fungal metabolites in lupins and forage grasses.
Sofia Noemi Chulze, CONICET-UNRC, Argentina – [tentative]
An increasing risk driven by climate change: Aflatoxins and the urgent need for biocontrol.
Myrsini Kakagianni, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Agriculture Sciences, University of Thessaly, 43100, Karditsa, Greece – [online]
Probabilistic assessment of deoxynivalenol (DON) exposure from pita bread consumption: A Greek population study.
Session 6. Fungi for alternative proteins and food fermentation
Alex James Pate, University of Nottingham, UK
Meddling with mycoprotein - novel strain development of Fusarium venenatum.
Asaph Kuria, University of Nottingham, UK
Unravelling the enzymatic dynamics of mould-ripened Camembert and Brie cheese.
Eleni Kollia, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Mycological fermentation of plant-based substrates for blue cheese analogue production.
Emmanuel Coton, Univ Brest, France
Metabolite profile variability in Penicillium roqueforti populations: a footprint of ecological niche specialisation and domestication.
Session 7. Ecological insights into fungal communities and mycotoxin formation in food
Andrea Patriarca, Cranfield University, UK
Ecophysiology of Alternaria strains from tomato producing AAL toxins.
Mahshid Saedi, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, the Netherlands
Exploring the mycobiota and mycotoxin contamination in traditional Iranian foods.
Maria Laura Ramirez, Instituto de Investigación en Micología y Micotoxicología, Argentina
Aspergillus section Nigri and ochratoxin A accumulation in raisins: A comparative study of drying systems.
Marie Belair, Univ Brest, France
Ecological niche shapes fungal communities from vine to wine and impacts FMA detection in wine.
Marta Taniwaki, Food Technology Institute (ITAL), Brazil.
Beyond the flavor: Assessing the risks and rewards of Brazilian artisanal cheese.
Draft programme - poster presentations
Santiago Ruiz-Moyano, Instituto Universitario de Investigación de Recursos Agrarios (INURA), Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Investigación s/n, Campus Universitario, 06006, Badajoz, Spain
Optimization of a HPLC-fluorescence method for quantification of fumonisins FB1 and FB2 in food matrices and synthetic culture media.
Elettra Berni, Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Conserve Alimentari-Fondazione di Ricerca – SSICA, Parma, Italy
Influence of reduced water activity on Monascus ruber heat- and sorbate-resistance.
Dana Tančinová, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia
Ability of selected plant essential oils to inhibit cyclopiazonic acid production by Penicillium commune strains.
Simas Borkertas, Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, 54333 Kaunas, Lithuania
Fungal strains of industrial food by-products fermentation and its techniques for mycelium and food production.
Alberto Martín, Nutrition and Bromatology, University Institute of Agricultural Resources (INURA), School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura, Spain
Study of Alternaria alternata on tomato agar by VOCs, mycotoxin and metabolomic analysis.
Bruna Sepúlveda, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Isolation of filamentous fungi from beans, maize and peanuts from Cuanza Sul, Angola.
Teresa Vale Dias, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Fungal ecology along the production line of Portuguese goat cheese.
Zuzana Barboráková, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia
Ochratoxin A producers in green coffee beans.
Frank Segers, Corbion, Gorinchem, the Netherlands
Predictive modeling for bread spoilage prevention: simplifying complex data.
Linda Mezule, Water Systems and Biotechnology Institute, Riga Technical University, Latvia
Enzymes from wood-decaying fungi as tools for waste hydrolysis.