Background
The need for quality food and feedstuff has always been an important global concern to ensure food safety. Food and feed products should be free from mycotoxin contamination such as aflatoxin, Fusarium toxin and ochratoxin that are associated with food safety issues affecting the health of human as well as domestic animals. Information about mycotoxins in food and feedstuff is far from complete, but enough is known to identify them as a serious problem, especially in tropical, humid and developing countries such as in Southeast Asia. Mycotoxins, when ingested, have been considered to cause a mycotoxicosis which can result in an acute or chronic disease episode. Aflatoxin, for instance, has long been linked to liver cancer. Likewise, investigations on its other effects previously observed in veterinary studies such as immune suppression and growth faltering are recently being carried out in human populations.

Postharvest handling plays a significant role in determining the quality and quantity of food and feedstuff. The practice of appropriate postharvest handling methods is necessary to prevent and control fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination.

The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Tropical Biology (BIOTROP) has been working on the management of fungi and mycotoxins in food and feedstuff since 1984. In fact, BIOTROP has conducted two regional courses in 2004 and 2011 to share its research experiences in this aspect. Since then, the interest and the need to build more capacities in the region on this aspect for food safety purpose continue to grow. Thus, this third regional training course.

Objectives
In general, the training course aims to equip the participants with basic and applied knowledge and skills on the techniques for the analysis, prevention and control of mycotoxins in food and feedstuff and, in the process, establish a network of practitioners among them in Southeast Asia.

Specifically, at the end of the training, the participants must be able to:

1. Identify the factors affecting fungal growth and mycotoxin contamination in food and feedstuff.
2. Isolate, enumerate and identify fungi infecting food and feedstuff.
3. Analyze mycotoxins in food and feedstuff.
4. Practice appropriate methods to prevent and control mycotoxin contaminations in food and feedstuff.

Expected Outputs
The participants are expected to come up with the following outputs:

1. Individual action plans on how they will apply the knowledge and skills gained from the training.
2. Informal mechanism to sustain the exchange of knowledge and information among them on the analysis, prevention and control mycotoxins in food and feedstuff.

Target Participants
The course will be designed for research and development staff from government and private agencies, research institutions and universities; food and feed industry managers, and associated groups interested in the prevention and control of mycotoxins in food and feedstuff in Southeast Asia.

Preferably, the participants must comply the following requirements:

1. Have working knowledge on written and spoken English language
2. Have at least 1 year experience working in mycotoxin research or other related activities
3. Currently attached to an organization
4. Preferably not more than 45 years old
5. Pregnant women are not allowed to participate in this training course

Participants from other countries outside the region may also apply for this training.

Venue and Date
The training course will be held on 17-22 June 2013 at SEAMEO BIOTROP headquarter in Bogor, Indonesia.

Course Contents
The training course will consist of lecture-discussions and laboratory exercises on the following topics:

1. Mycotoxins: a continuous global concern.
2. Overview of food mycotoxin problems in Southeast Asia.
3. Spoilage fungi and their mycotoxin productions
4. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in relation to prevention and control of mycotoxins.
5. Fungal isolation, enumeration and identification.
6. Fungal identification using molecular biology technique
7. Mycotoxin testing solution from farm up to table
8. Determination of mycotoxin contents using HPLC method
9. Method development and quality assurance on mycotoxin analysis.
10. Risk assessment and worldwide regulations for mycotoxins
11. Fumigation as an alternative measure to control mycotoxins
12. Policy strategy of food safety for international trade

Resource Persons and Instructors
Resource persons and facilitators for this training course are as follows:

1. Dr. Hans P. van Egmond,  Senior Scientist from RIKILT Institute of Food Safety, Wageningen, The Netherlands
2. Dr. Roy A. Sparringa, Deputy Chairman for Food Safety and Hazardous Substance from National Agency for Drug and Food Control, the Republic of Indonesia
3. Prof. Dr. Okky Setyawati Dharmaputra, Senior Scientist and Course Coordinator from SEAMEO BIOTROP, also Lecturer from Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia
4. Prof. Dr. Rizal Syarief, DESS, Lecturer from Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia
5. Dr. Utut Widyastuti, Lecturer from Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia
6. Dr. Suwidji Wongso, Managing Director from PT Angler BioChemLab, Surabaya, Indonesia
7. Dr. Mulyo Sidik, Managing Director from East Asia Food Security Research Agency, Bangkok, Thailand
8. Dr. Ir. Gardjita Budi, M.Agr.ST, Director Quality and Standardization, Directorate General of Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products, Ministry of Agriculture, the Republic of Indonesia
9. Ferdi Ferdian Kusnadhi, STP, Laboratory Expert on Mycotoxin Analyses from PT Berca Niaga Medika, Jakarta, Indonesia
10. Mr. Joko Tanadi, Laboratory Expert on Mycotoxin Analyses from PT Radin Nugrah Deksatama, Jakarta, Indonesia

Training Certificate
Certificate of accomplishments will be provided to participants who would complete all training activities.

Course Fee and Subsidies
The training cost will be US$ 500 or IDR 5.000.000 / participant to cover tuition fee, training materials and supplies, field trip, other administrative costs and sertificate of accomplishment. The payment of the training fee can be made through Bank BNI Cab. Bogor,

US$ Account Account  Name   : SEAMEO BIOTROP Account Number : 0003890624

IDR Account Account Name   : SEAMEO BIOTROP Account Number : 0003893863

Interested participants are requested to fill up and send the duly completed application form to SEAMEO BIOTROP on or before 20 May 2013.

Limited subsidies are available for qualified applicants.

For further inquiries, please contact:
Prof. Dr. Okky Setyawati Dharmaputra
Course Leader
Email: okky@biotrop.org
okky_sd@yahoo.com
Tel. No: +62-251-8323848
Fax. No: +62-251-8326851
Cell. Phone: 0813 84954467
0816 1373690