Microbiological Food Safety
The Laboratory provides technical and scientific support to official control authorities, agri-food companies, and consumers to ensure the safety of food intended for both humans and animals.
Food safety is the responsibility of the Food Microbiological Safety Laboratory and the Food and Environmental Chemical Safety Laboratory, which provide technical and scientific support to official control authorities, agri-food companies, and consumers to ensure the safety of food intended for both humans and animals. They plan monitoring and surveillance activities, offering technical advice to identify food and feed risks.
The laboratories conduct research to develop innovative diagnostic methods and risk analysis tools to assess food safety levels and define measurable, verifiable objectives to protect public health. They collaborate with candidate countries for EU accession, supporting the alignment of national legislation and laboratory standards with European requirements.
All activities are carried out in collaboration with national and international scientific institutions.
- + - Head
-
Francesco Pomilio
Head
Born in 1960 in Atessa, in the province of Chieti, Dr Francesco Pomilio graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bologna in 1985. After a period in private practice, he joined the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise in 1994 as a senior veterinary officer.
Born in 1960 in Atessa, in the province of Chieti, Dr Francesco Pomilio graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bologna in 1985. After a period in private practice, he joined the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise in 1994 as a senior veterinary officer.
Among his many professional roles, he served as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Mario Negri Sud Consortium Centre for Pharmacological and Biomedical Research. He has lectured on livestock farming and on self-monitoring systems in agri-food businesses through the HACCP framework, and has repeatedly been appointed subject expert at the Department of Biosciences and Agro-Food and Environmental Technologies of the University of Teramo.
Dr Pomilio has also gained significant professional experience at the European Commission, where he was seconded as a National Expert to the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection, Unit D3 – Chemical and Physical Risks and Surveillance; at EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority in Parma; and as an expert for international organisations such as FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
He has served as Head of the Complex Operational Unit “Microbiological Food Safety” and of the Diagnostic Section of the IZS in Lanciano (CH). Over the years, he has developed extensive experience as a lecturer and speaker at international scientific conferences, and in the design and coordination of national and international training courses, particularly in the field of food safety risk assessment and surveillance plans. On behalf of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, he has undertaken numerous international missions, including, in recent years, assignments in Algeria, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States and Canada.
Francesco Pomilio is Head of the National Reference Laboratory for Listeria monocytogenes and of the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Food Safety in Animal Production. He has authored 134 scientific publications.
-
- + - Departments
-
Food Hygiene and Technology
Go to the UnitThe unit conducts analytical investigations on food for human and animal consumption, performing tests to identify and quantify pathogenic microorganisms and hygiene indicators in food production processes. It also carries out analyses for the detection of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The unit handles the genotypic characterization of foodborne pathogens to support epidemiological investigations and trace the sources of foodborne infections. It provides scientific consultancy and training for official laboratories and competent authorities, while collaborating in its areas of scientific expertise.
Bacteriology and Bacterial Antigen Development
Go to the UnitThe Unit focuses on the research and diagnosis of bacterial pathogens, with particular attention to foodborne pathogens and the analysis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Its diagnostic services include advanced bacterial identification (MALDI-TOF, PCR, WGS), antibiotic susceptibility testing, monitoring of veterinary drugs, and molecular diagnostics. The laboratory also participates in innovative national and international research projects on zoonoses, bacterial vaccine development, and AMR surveillance, aiming to contribute to improvements in global public and veterinary health.
- + - Selected papers
-
Titolo Articolo 1
Autori articolo 1
Titolo Articolo 2
Autori articolo 2
Titolo Articolo 3
Autori articolo 3
Titolo Articolo 4
Autori articolo 4