This page brings together learning and training resources developed through METROFOOD.BE activities, including concise training modules, practical reading materials, webinar recordings, and on-demand resources to support research, policy, and innovation in food and nutrition metrology.
Materials are shared in line with EU Open Science practices, aiming for content to be as open and reusable as possible while respecting legitimate confidentiality constraints. Where underlying data or full technical details cannot be published openly, clear summaries are provided and additional information or comparative analyses can be requested via a dedicated online questionnaire.
Discover our webinars, guides, training materials and practical resources on food quality, food safety, nutrition and metrology.
Webinars & Recordings
Guides & Factsheets
Training materials
(coming soon)
Tools & templates
(coming soon)
Project outputs
Webinars & Recordings
Explore recorded webinars and online sessions from METROFOOD.BE and related projects.
This section brings together expert presentations, project updates, training sessions and use case results that can be watched at any time. The recordings provide accessible insights into topics such as food quality, food safety, nutrition, metrology, food contact materials and research infrastructure services. They are intended to help researchers, laboratories, public authorities, companies and other stakeholders learn more about METROFOOD.BE activities, project outcomes and available expertise.
↓ METROFOOD.BE Webinar Series ↓
The METROFOOD.BE story: METROFOOD-FED.BE results and partner highlights
This webinar presents the main results and progress of METROFOOD.BE and the METROFOOD-FED.BE project. It highlights how Belgian expertise, services and infrastructure contribute to METROFOOD-RI and support metrology in food and nutrition.
When: 6 October 2026 @ 2PM
Type: Webinar
Topic: METROFOOD.BE
Audience: All stakeholders
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Safe-ZnO-BioPack: analysing nanomaterials and trace elements in innovative bio-based food packaging
This webinar shares the results of the Safe-ZnO-BioPack use case, focusing on the safety assessment of innovative bio-based packaging containing zinc oxide. It presents key findings, methods and lessons learned for food contact materials and sustainable packaging.
When: 13 October 2026 @ 2PM
Type: Webinar
Topic: Nanoparticles & Trace elements
Audience: Researchers, government
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RECYPAP: risk assessment of substances migrating from recycled paper and board food contact materials
This webinar presents the results of the RECYPAP use case, focusing on recycled paper and board materials intended for food contact applications. It highlights analytical approaches, safety considerations and findings relevant to circular and sustainable packaging.
When: 20 October 2026 @ 2PM
Type: Webinar
Topic: Food contact materials
Audience: Researchers, government
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SILIFOOD training: practical workshop on in silico support for food contact material risk assessment
This training webinar introduces the SILIFOOD topic and provides practical knowledge on the use, assessment or analysis of silicon-related materials in the food system. It is designed for participants interested in food safety, analytical methods and emerging material-related questions.
When: 27 October 2026 @ 2PM
Type: Webinar / Training
Topic: Contaminants & Risk Assessment
Audience: Researchers, food business operators, government
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More information
Webinar 1: The METROFOOD.BE story: METROFOOD-FED.BE results and partner highlights
The opening webinar will introduce the METROFOOD.BE story and present the main achievements of the METROFOOD-FED.BE project. METROFOOD.BE is the Belgian node connected to METROFOOD-RI, the European research infrastructure promoting metrology in food and nutrition. The Belgian node brings together scientific expertise, infrastructure and services that can support better measurements, stronger collaboration and more reliable data across the food and nutrition domain.
This session will explain how METROFOOD-FED.BE has contributed to the further development of the Belgian node. It will present the project results, including the work carried out to structure the Belgian service portfolio, test service provision through use cases, strengthen collaboration between partners, support visibility of Belgian expertise, and prepare the next steps for a sustainable and coordinated METROFOOD.BE network.
A special focus will be placed on the Belgian partners. Participants will get a clearer view of the expertise already available within the network, the types of services that can be offered, and how different Belgian institutes can contribute to a stronger and more connected food and nutrition metrology landscape.
This webinar is especially relevant for organisations that want to understand what METROFOOD.BE is, how it can support Belgian and European stakeholders, and how partners can become involved in future activities.
What participants will learn:
- How METROFOOD.BE fits within METROFOOD-RI and why a coordinated Belgian node is important for food and nutrition metrology.
- What METROFOOD-FED.BE has achieved, including service development, user engagement, use case testing and partner collaboration.
- Which Belgian expertise and services are available within the network.
- How METROFOOD.BE can support researchers, laboratories, public authorities, companies and other stakeholders.
- What METROFOOD.BE can mean for you.
Speaker:
Charlotte De Bruyn
Charlotte De Bruyn coordinates the METROFOOD-FED.BE project at Sciensano, where she supports the development of the Belgian node of METROFOOD-RI. She has a scientific background in Bioengineering and a PhD in Biotechnology, with experience in multidisciplinary research, project coordination and stakeholder engagement. Within METROFOOD-FED.BE, she works on strengthening the Belgian service portfolio, connecting national partners, and increasing the visibility and long-term relevance of METROFOOD.BE.
Webinar 2: Safe-ZnO-BioPack: analysing nanomaterials and trace elements in innovative bio-based food packaging
The second webinar will focus on the METROFOOD-FED.BE use case Safe-ZnO-BioPack, which explored how METROFOOD.BE services can support the safety assessment of innovative, bio-based food packaging materials.
New packaging materials are being developed to respond to the need for more sustainable and functional food packaging. Some of these materials include active components, such as zinc oxide nanoparticles, plant extracts or natural resins, which may improve properties such as antimicrobial activity, UV protection or preservation performance. At the same time, these innovations raise important analytical and safety questions: How can these materials be characterised? Are nanoparticles present or released? Can zinc migrate into food simulants? How can different analytical approaches be combined to support a reliable assessment?
This webinar will show how expertise from Sciensano Units Electron Microscopy and Trace Elements can be combined to study such questions. Additionally, a central part of the webinar will be dedicated to the Safe-ZnO-BioPack results, presented by Sara Pinheiro, the use case applicant. She will provide an overview of the research question, the samples analysed, the main findings, and how the results contribute to the further development and evaluation of innovative bio-based packaging.
What participants will learn:
- How METROFOOD.BE services can support the safety assessment of innovative packaging materials.
- How electron microscopy can be used to characterise nanoparticles and material structure.
- How trace element analysis can support the study of zinc release or migration.
- Why combining analytical expertise is important for complex food contact materials.
- What lessons were learned from the Safe-ZnO-BioPack use case.
Speakers:
Frédéric Brassinne
Frédéric Brassinne graduated as an Industrial Engineer in Biochemistry in 2015. In the same year, he joined the Electron Microscopy Unit at Sciensano, where he has been contributing to research and analytical activities ever since. Since 2018, he has held the position of Laboratory Manager, overseeing the daily management of the laboratory and coordinating analytical services for external partners. Over the years, he has developed expertise in the physicochemical characterization of nanomaterials, with a particular focus on electron microscopy and complementary analytical techniques.
Heidi Demaegdt
Heidi Demaegdt graduated in 2003 from the Free University of Brussels (VUB) as a Bio-engineer (Biotechnology). She completed her PhD in Applied Biological Sciences at the VUB in 2008. After a post-doc at the same university, she started in 2010 at CODA (the predecessor of Sciensano) as a scientist and worked on the in vitro effects of endocrine disruptors. Currently she is the head of the unit Trace Elements and a scientist in the Trace elements and Nanomaterials department. The unit Trace Elements is the national reference laboratory for trace elements in food, feed and food contact materials. These topics are the base of the routine and research analysis of the unit. Additionally the lab also performs biomonitoring analysis of trace elements for several projects.
Sara Pinheiro
Sara Pinheiro holds MSc degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto (FFUP), Portugal, and in Forensic Sciences, with a specialization in Forensic Toxicology, from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto (FMUP). She is currently an FCT PhD Fellow (ref. 2023.04416.BD; https://doi.org/10.54499/2023.04416.BD) pursuing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, specializing in Toxicology, at FFUP. Her research is conducted at the Associate Laboratory i4HB/UCIBIO, Lab. of Toxicology, FFUP; the CBQF – Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (ESB/UCP); and the Associated Laboratory LAQV/REQUIMTE, Dep. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP). Her work focuses on nanotechnology, ZnO nanoparticles, bio-based materials for sustainable food packaging, and toxicology.
Webinar 3: RECYPAP: risk assessment of substances migrating from recycled paper and board food contact materials
The third webinar will present the METROFOOD-FED.BE use case RECYPAP, which focused on the preliminary risk assessment of substances that may migrate from (recycled) paper and board food contact materials
Recycled paper and board are important materials in the transition towards more circular and sustainable packaging. However, recycled materials can contain complex mixtures of known and unknown substances, including substances from inks, adhesives, coatings, previous uses or recycling processes. When these materials are used in contact with food, it becomes important to assess which substances may be present, which substances may migrate, and which of them should be prioritised from a risk assessment perspective.
This webinar will show how expertise from Sciensano Units Food Contact Materials and Risk Assessment can be combined to address these questions. The session will explain the scientific and regulatory context of recycled paper and board packaging, introduce the approach used in the RECYPAP use case, and present the main outcomes.
A central focus will be the stepwise process used to support risk prioritisation: collecting and structuring information on substances, linking chemical information to available toxicological and regulatory data, identifying data gaps, and using tools such as SILIFOOD to support hazard screening and prioritisation.
What participants will learn:
- Why (recycled) paper and board food contact materials require careful assessment.
- Which types of substances may be relevant in (recycled) packaging materials.
- How Food Contact Material expertise and Risk Assessment expertise can be combined in a practical service.
- How chemical, regulatory and toxicological information can support substance prioritisation.
- How the RECYPAP use case contributes to safer and more sustainable packaging innovation.
Speakers:
Hugo Van Nimmen
Hugo Van Nimmen works as a scientist in the Food Contact Materials Unit of the Organic Contaminants & Additives Department at Sciensano, Belgium’s National Reference Laboratory in Brussels. His work spans both in scientific projects and in quality-control activities with migration testing, risk assessment of contaminants, and drafting of opinions on the compliance of food contact materials under EU frameworks. He will be presenting RECYPAP, a project developing a risk assessment methodology for contaminants migrating from paper and board FCMs into food. He holds a BSc in Engineering Sciences from the École Polytechnique de Bruxelles (ULB), an MSc in Chemical Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and a specialized master’s in Industrial and Technology Management from the Solvay Brussels School (ULB). Belgian-Spanish and based in Brussels, he can work in French, English, Spanish and Dutch.
Webinar 4: SILIFOOD training: practical workshop on in silico support for food contact material risk assessment
The final webinar will be a practical SILIFOOD training and workshop. SILIFOOD is a tool developed to support the fast risk assessment of non-evaluated substances migrating from food contact materials. It combines available toxicological and regulatory information with in silico predictions, including QSAR-based information, to help users collect and interpret relevant data for food contact material substances.
This training will guide participants through the practical use of SILIFOOD and show how the tool can support a first screening or prioritisation of substances. The session will be especially useful for participants working with food contact materials, chemical safety, risk assessment, packaging development, analytical results or regulatory dossiers.
Participants will learn what type of input information is needed, how to run the tool, what type of output is generated, and how the results can be interpreted. The workshop will also explain the strengths and limitations of SILIFOOD, including how it can support decision-making while still requiring expert judgement.
What participants will learn:
- What SILIFOOD is and why it was developed.
- Which types of food contact material substances can be assessed with the tool.
- How to enter a substance using identifiers such as CAS number, SMILES or FCM number.
- How SILIFOOD collects information from toxicological, regulatory and chemical data sources.
- How to interpret the generated report, including hazard-related information and model predictions.
- How SILIFOOD can support screening, prioritisation and preliminary risk assessment.
- Where expert judgement is still needed and what the limitations of the tool are.
By the end of the workshop, participants should have a clearer understanding of how SILIFOOD can be used in practice and how it can support a more structured approach to assessing substances migrating from food contact materials.
Speaker:
Ilse Van Overmeire
Ilse Van Overmeire serves as a Senior Scientist within the Risk and Health Impact Assessment Service at Sciensano. With a strong foundation in medicinal chemistry, she earned her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her work involves contributing to projects that utilize in silico tools, including QSAR models, for regulatory applications. As the Coordinator of the SILIFOOD project, which led to the development of the SILIFOOD tool, she has acquired extensive knowledge of the regulatory requirements pertaining to Food Contact Materials (FCM) and their associated risk assessments. Additionally, her research and expertise encompass the endocrine-disrupting activities of FCM and various other chemicals.
Register here for the METROFOOD.BE Webinar Series
Guides & Factsheets
Find practical guides, factsheets and concise reference materials developed through METROFOOD.BE and related projects.
This section provides clear, easy-to-use documents that explain key topics, methods, services and project outcomes. The materials are designed to support quick understanding and practical application, helping users access reliable information on food quality, food safety, nutrition, metrology, food contact materials and research infrastructure services.
EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials
This regulation sets requirements for plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
EU Framework Regulation 1935/2004 on food contact materials
This framework regulation defines general safety requirements for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
JRC guidelines for testing kitchenware articles
These guidelines provide testing conditions for kitchenware articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs.
SILIFOOD User Manual
This manual provides practical guidance for using the SILIFOOD tool and supporting related assessment activities.
Project Outputs
Explore public results and outputs from METROFOOD.BE and related projects.
This section provides access to project materials such as reports, deliverables, summaries, presentations and other published outcomes. These outputs help communicate project progress, results and lessons learned, and support the wider sharing of knowledge with researchers, public authorities, industry partners and other stakeholders.
Safe-ZnO-BioPack Study Brief
A concise overview of the Safe-ZnO-BioPack use case, focusing on the safety assessment of innovative bio-based food packaging containing zinc oxide. The brief summarises the study context, approach and key findings relevant to food contact materials and sustainable packaging.
RECYPAP Study Brief
A concise overview of the RECYPAP use case, focusing on recycled paper and board materials intended for food contact applications. The brief summarises the study context, analytical approach and key considerations related to the safe use of recycled materials in food packaging.
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