Project

Fast, on-site methods for food safety and authenticity

Due to the globalisation of food production, establishing the origins, quality, and safety of food resources has become a significant challenge. Vocal, safety-conscious consumers and globally distributed communication have caused fraudulent food quality and unsafe food production to have significant financial and social impact. It is a necessity and an obligation for businesses and government authorities to guarantee the safety and quality of their raw materials and products throughout the production chain. This demands smart, affordable solutions for measuring food safety (VV - voedselveiligheid) and quality in the business chain and at the production location.

The advantage of on-site measurement (farm, harbour, or abattoir) is that it enables businesses and governments to rapidly assess food safety risks and their spread. By implementing on-site detection methods, economic damage to businesses can be limited and public health can be better monitored. The goal of this programme is to make customised, rapid measurement methods accessible and applicable for a variety of product chains and business groups. This programme will serve as a platform in which food-producing businesses, technological businesses, research institutes, and other stakeholders collaborate, share knowledge and technology with each other, and customise this knowledge and technology to respond to the measurement demands of various product groups and chains. The specific sub-objectives of the project are as follows:

  1. Development of fast, on-site detection techniques for specific applications
  2. Broad application of developed techniques in different production sectors
  3. Gathering data and communicating results to the consortia involved.

 

Publications