Biofilm Methodologies and Food Sector Regulation Workshop Report

In collaboration with the Biofilm Alliance and the UK Food Safety Research Network, we organised a workshop on Biofilm Methodologies and Food Sector Regulation, which took place in Nottingham on 6 March 2025. 

Executive Summary

The workshop report summarises the outcomes of the workshop, which brought together stakeholders from industry, academia, regulatory bodies, and testing
organisations to discuss the challenges that microbial biofilms pose across the food supply chain. The participants were asked to discuss the following points:

• What biofilm methodologies is the food industry currently using to meet regulatory requirements?
• What are the challenges and needs in addressing biofilms in the food sector?
• What challenges arise when navigating the UK’s food regulatory landscape?
• What solutions could be proposed to address the above difficulties?
• What additional methodologies or guidelines would the industry like to see developed to further support regulatory compliance?