WORKSHOP 2

Programme

SCOPE

Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics aimed at improving intestinal health currently represent the largest segment of the functional foods market in Europe, Japan and Australia. Evidence continues to emerge demonstrating that these ingredients have potential to improve human health in specific intestinal disorders. The European Commission, through its 5th Framework Programme, is presently investing a substantial research effort in the intestinal microbiota, their interaction with its host and methods of manipulating their composition and activity for the improvement of human health.

The Food, GI-tract Functionality and Human Health (PROEUHEALTH) Cluster (from 2001 to 2005) brings together eight complementary, multicentre interdisciplinary research projects. All have the common aim of improving the health and quality of life of European consumers. The collaboration involves 64 different research groups from 16 different European countries. The research results from the cluster are disseminated through annual workshops the first of which was held in Saariselkä, Finland in February 2002. Our Taormina event is the second one in the series of workshops and involves the activities of three different platforms: a science, an industry and a consumer platform.

The 2nd PROEUHEALTH Workshop in beautiful Taormina will also serve as an arena for combining many other European research efforts on health foods. The EU Commission, in conjunction with the PROEUHEALTH Cluster, has established a series of other projects which are ongoing in the health and food area and the audience has the priviledge of enjoying many prospects of future health foods research.

REGISTRATION

Registration fee: 600 € incl. VAT 20%

One person/contractor representing a partner in the PROEUHEALTH Cluster project may participate free fo charge. The project coordinators are kindly asked to give the names of these persons to Ms. Patrizia Contri (p.contri@ideacpa.com) as soon as possible in order to avoid unnecessary payments.

Registration can be done via the Internet: http://www.ideacpa.com/congressi2003/taormina/index.html or by sending Ms Patrizia Contri a registration by mail.

WORKSHOP LANGUAGE

All lectures during the workshop will be held in English.

POSTERS AND ABSTRACTS

Participants are welcome to submit abstracts within the scope of the workshop for poster presentations. One poster board will be assigned to each poster.

Please send your abstract (max. 200 words) in Word or Rich Text format (.rtf) as an e-mail attachment to Ms. Annemari Kuokka (annemari.kuokka@vtt.fi) before 1 October 2002. The abstracts will be evaluated by the Scientific Committee of the Workshop.

VENUE

The workshop will be held in the Grand Hotel San Domenico Palace which is a former 14th Century monastery. Situated on the Taormina terrace, San Domenico has one of the most beautiful views over the Mediterranean Sea.

TAORMINA

Taormina is a small picturesque Sicilian town close to the sea and Mount Etna. It lies on a hill called Monte Tauro. Taormina is a world famous holiday resort with a mild climate.

TRANSPORTATION AIRPORT - TAORMINA - AIRPORT

The closest airport – Catania Fontanarossa International – lies 55 km from Taormina.

Public transportation (1 hour 15 min) from the Catania Airport to Taormina:
*7:00 - 8:45 - 10:54 - 12:45 - *13:45 - 16:45 - 19:45 h

Public transportation from Taormina to the Catania Airport:
6:40 - *8:00 - 9:00 - 11:00 - *14:00 - 16:00 - 18:00 h

* every day except on Saturday and Sunday

Due to local rules the times of public transportation can be changed. Before your departure check on the organizing secretariat web site if there are further information.

The organizers offer the following bus transportation: From the Catania Airport to Taormina
1 and 2 March: 8.00 - 12.00 - 15.00

Bus transportation will be organized at the end of the workshop programme on 5 March according to flight times. Information will be given on a bulletin board near the secretariat desk during the workshop.

ACCOMMODATION

Our hotels are presented in the hotel accommodation form. You can check the distance from each hotel to the workshop venue on the web site of our congress service: http://www.ideacpa.com/congressi2003/taormina/mappa.html.

EVENING PROGRAMME

1 March, 2003 Get-together for the project partners
2 March, 2003 Workshop get-together
3 March, 2003 Italian evening in Taormina
4 March, 2003 Workshop dinner at San Domenico

ACCOMPANYING PERSONS

The registration fee (200 €) for the accompanying persons includes all of the get-togethers and dinners that will be arranged during the Workhop.

CANCELLATIONS

Notification of cancellation must be made in writing to the Rome office of iDeaCpA and a refund will be issued after the conference as follows: Cancellation by 30 December, 2002: 50% refund of total amount of registration fee. Cancellation after December, 2002: no refund.

QUERIES

Registration, hotel bookings: Ms Patrizia Contri, IDea Congress s.r.l., Tel. +39-6-35402148, p.contri@ideacpa.com, fax. +39-6-35402151, www.ideacpa.com

Posters, abstracts: Ms Annemari Kuokka, VTT, Tel. +358 9-4565823, fax +358-9-4552103, annemari.kuokka@vtt.fi

Programme: Ms Paula Bergqvist, VTT, Tel. +358-9-4565161, fax +358-9-4552103, paula.bergqvist@vtt.fi

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Prof. Willem de Vos
Prof. Glenn Gibson
Prof. Michael Blaut
Dr Jöel Doré
Prof. Charlie Daly
Prof. Dietrich Knorr
Dr. Annick Mercenier
Prof. Fergus Shanahan
Prof. Herman Goossens
Prof. Luc de Vuyst
Dr Jürgen Lucas
Dr Liisa Lähteenmäki
Prof. Tiina Mattila-Sandholm

WORKSHOP COMMITTEE

Ms Paula Bergqvist
Dr Liisa Lähteenmäki
Prof. Tiina Mattila-Sandholm
Ms Päivi Myllärinen
Dr Maria Saarela
Dr Jaana Mättö

IMPORTANT DATES

Hotel bookings by 20 September, 2002
Abstracts by 1 October, 2002
Hotel payment by 30 October, 2002
Registration by 10 December, 2002
Cancellation of participation before10 December, 2002
Closed project meetings on 2 March, 2002
Workshop on 3 - 5 March, 2003