RAFA 2026 Preview: Food For Thought

What is the RAFA conference and why was it set up?

RAFA, the International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis, is a scientific conference dedicated to analytical and bioanalytical strategies in food quality and safety control. It brings together food scientists from academia and industry, as well as representatives of national and international agencies, control authorities, governmental, and commercial laboratories. The symposium was established in 2003 as a result of the long-standing scientific collaboration between the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, and Wageningen Food Safety Research (former RIKILT) in the Netherlands. Since then, RAFA has developed into a well-recognized international platform where the food analysis community can discuss current challenges, emerging risks, new analytical approaches, and practical solutions for food and natural products analysis. RAFA 2026 will be the 12th edition of the symposium and will take place in Prague from November 3–6, 2026.

Does RAFA 2026 have a value that is distinct from that of other conferences?

Yes, we believe RAFA has a very distinct value. One of its strengths is that it combines high-level scientific content with a very practical focus. The program is not only about presenting the latest analytical technologies but also about discussing real challenges in food quality and safety control, such as emerging contaminants, authenticity, food fraud, PFAS, micro- and nanoplastics, allergens, natural toxins, and many other issues that are highly relevant for laboratories and regulatory bodies. Another distinctive aspect is the community around RAFA. The symposium has been held in Prague since its first edition, and over the years it has created a very recognizable atmosphere— scientifically strong, international, but also friendly and open. It attracts participants from different sectors, which makes the discussions very useful and application-oriented. Moreover, Prague provides a beautiful and inspiring setting for meeting colleagues, collaborators, and friends.

What are you most excited about for the RAFA 2026 conference? What do you want to achieve?

What we are most excited about is bringing the international food analysis community together again in Prague. RAFA has always been a place where people not only hear about the latest scientific developments, but also meet colleagues, discuss challenges, exchange practical experience, and often start new collaborations. For RAFA 2026, our main ambition is to once again prepare a balanced and inspiring scientific program that reflects both current and emerging issues in food analysis. We want participants to leave the conference with new ideas, new contacts, and practical inspiration for their own work. We also want RAFA 2026 to strengthen the connection between science and real-life application. Food safety and quality control are evolving very quickly, and analytical laboratories are facing increasingly complex questions. Our goal is to provide a forum where these questions can be discussed from different perspectives: academic, industrial, regulatory, and technological.

Is there anything new or different in the program of RAFA 2026?

RAFA always follows the same core philosophy, that is, to provide an overview of contemporary trends in analytical and bioanalytical strategies for food quality and safety control. At the same time, the program is continuously updated to reflect new scientific and societal challenges, and this will also be the case for RAFA 2026.

In 2026, we expect strong attention to topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) in food analysis, smart data handling, sustainability and green food analysis, PFAS, micro- and nanoplastics, alternative proteins, food authenticity, and new approach methodologies. The program will also include satellite events and workshops, for example on vibrational spectroscopy and chemometrics, smart data handling and AI in food analysis, and sessions on experiences, achievements, and challenges by EU Reference Laboratories.

What aspects of the conference will be of value to young scientists?

Young scientists are an important part of RAFA. Since both organizing institutions, UCT Prague and WFSR, are strongly connected to academic research, we understand how important it is to give early-career researchers opportunities to present their work, receive feedback, and become part of the international scientific community. RAFA 2026 will provide several opportunities for young scientists. Space is reserved in the main scientific program for oral presentations by young researchers, and young scientists will also be able to present posters and compete for poster awards. In addition, RAFA 2026 offers travel grants for PhD students and early-stage researchers, which can help them attend the symposium and present their scientific contribution. Beyond the formal program, RAFA is valuable for young scientists because it gives them direct access to leading scientists, regulatory experts, industry representatives, and technology providers. For someone at the beginning of their career, this kind of networking and exposure can be extremely important.

In today’s digital world—particularly given the many virtual events held in recent years—do you think people need to be convinced of the value of attending an in-person scientific meeting?

Virtual events have shown that online formats can be useful, especially for sharing information quickly and reaching a wider audience. RAFA also experienced this during the COVID-19 period, when a virtual edition was organized in 2021. However, an in-person scientific meeting offers something different. At RAFA, many valuable interactions happen outside the formal lectures—during coffee breaks, poster sessions, discussions with exhibitors, informal meetings, and social events. These are often the moments when new ideas emerge, collaborations begin, and practical experience is exchanged. This is particularly important in food analysis, where the field is closely connected to instrumentation, laboratory practice, and regulatory implementation. So yes, we may still need to remind people why in-person meetings matter, but the experience of previous RAFA editions shows that participants appreciate this format and return to Prague because of both the scientific quality and the atmosphere of the meeting and well known RAFA conference dinners. With the exception of post-Covid RAFA, it is usually attended by 700+ participants.

Putting together a large conference is a lot of work. How will you judge if it was a success?

For us, success is not only about the number of participants, although strong international attendance is of course important. RAFA has traditionally attracted hundreds of participants from many countries, and we hope RAFA 2026 will again bring together a broad and active international community. We will judge the success of RAFA 2026 by the quality of the scientific program, the level of discussion, the diversity of participants, interest of exhibitors and sponsors, and the extent to which the symposium helps people exchange knowledge and build new collaborations. Another important indicator will be whether participants leave the conference feeling inspired, with new scientific ideas, practical solutions for their laboratories, and useful professional contacts. If young scientists feel encouraged, if industry and regulators find the discussions relevant, and if participants want to return to the next RAFA, then we can consider the conference a success.

Anything else you would like to add in relation to chromatography and food analysis at RAFA 2026?

Chromatography remains one of the key technologies in food analysis, and RAFA 2026 will be highly relevant for everyone working with liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), and related analytical approaches. Food and natural product analysis often involves very complex matrices and low-level contaminants, so robust separation techniques, reliable sample preparation, high-resolution detection, and advanced data evaluation are essential. At RAFA 2026, chromatography will be discussed not as an isolated technique, but as part of integrated analytical strategies for solving real food safety and quality challenges. This includes residues and contaminants, natural toxins, authenticity, food fraud, packaging migrants, PFAS, micro- and nanoplastics, and many other areas where chromatographic methods play a central role. For chromatographers and food analysts in particular, RAFA 2026 offers a strong combination of advanced separation science, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, chemometrics, AI, quality control, and real-world food safety applications. It is an opportunity to see how these approaches are being used to address urgent questions in food control, learn about new instrumentation and workflows, and exchange experience with scientists, regulators, and industry experts.

We warmly invite the food analysis community to join us in Prague for RAFA 2026. We believe it will be an excellent opportunity to learn, exchange ideas, meet colleagues, and contribute to the future of food analysis.

Further information

Website: www.rafa.com