17 Aug 2025 SAAFoST Congress 2025 is almost here! It’s not too late to book!
It’s but a week away – one of the most widely anticipated and appreciated events on the biannual food industry calendar for food industry professionals – SAAFoST Congress 2025 being held at CSIR Pretoria, 25-27 August! Here are some highlights…. See you there!
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Here are details of some key speakers…. READ MORE HERE!
Session on GMOs – Weds 27 August, 11 am – 2:30 pm
Attend this session if you wish to have a sound understanding of the science, background to agriculture, regulations, analysis methods and consumer realities of GMOs.
The four-part session will cover the status of GMOs in agriculture, the regulations governing them, and the methods used to detect and quantify them. It will include a panel discussion with the opportunity to ask questions and discuss matters relating to GMOs.
The chairs and presenters are experienced leaders in their fields. This one is not to be missed!
Chair: Alison levesley (LLB, Msc), regulatory consultant and patent attorney, Biolegal: Levesley is a patent attorney and biotechnologist with extensive experience in legal and regulatory affairs across the African continent. Her areas of specialisation include GMOs, agricultural inputs and biologicals, gene editing technologies, and food labelling regulations.
Second Chair: Karin Carstensen (BSc Food Science), Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Woolworths: Carstensen’s responsibilities include: legal compliance management for foods area – monitoring legislation, commenting, driving implementation, and ensuring legal compliance; policy and guidelines development and management; stakeholder engagement, both internal and external.
Presentation 1: The Status of GMO Agriculture and its impacts on food security
Presented by Corné Louw — applied economics and member services lead at Grain SA: This will examine the status of GMO agriculture and commodity imports in SA, drawing comparisons with other African nations. Attendees will gain insights into the role of GM in stabilising SA’s agricultural output compared to non-GMO strategies employed by neighbouring countries, illustrating how GMO adoption has contributed to increased crop volumes, resilience against climate variability and supply chain disruptions.
Presentation 2: Clarifying the regulations relating to GMO in SA and a high-level overview in African regulations
Presented by Gabrielle Stevens BSc Dietetics Regulatory consultant, FACTS SA: The regulatory framework surrounding GMO in SA can be confusing due to its fragmented nature, complexities that Stevens will expand on and explain.
Presentation 3: Detecting and Quantifying GMOs: Analysis methods relevant to the food industry
Presented by Dr Tertia Erasmus (PhD, MBA, Pr Sci Nat), MD of SciCorp Laboratories: An essential guide for food scientists, regulatory professionals, and industry stakeholders seeking to advance their understanding of GMO analysis and its impact on regulatory requirements.
Panel discussion: Q&A discussion with these experts.