Holistic approach for tackling food systems risks in a changing global environment

Project Information

HOLiFOOD

Grant agreement ID: 101059813

DOI

10.3030/101059813

EC signature date 17 June 2022

Start date 1 October 2022

End date 30 September 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 6 056 435,00

EU contribution

€ 6 056 434,25

Coordinated by

STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCH
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HOLiFOOD (Holistic approach for tackling food systems risks in a changing global environment)

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Current food systems and practices are challenged by the transitions in European food systems to more sustainable systems embedded in the Green Deal. In order to promote safe, resilient and secure food systems, improvements are needed at all key components in the risk analysis framework, and these must be integrated into governance practices in line with stakeholder requirements and priorities.
The overall objective of HOLiFOOD is to improve the integrated food safety risk analysis framework in Europe to meet future challenges arising from Green Deal policy driven transitions in particular in relation to climate driven changes, contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and support the realization of a truly secure and sustainable food production. HOLiFOOD applies a system approach, which takes the whole environment into account in which food is being produced, including economic, environmental and social aspects.
An effective impact pathway is developed and implemented through integration of the HOLiFOOD outputs into the legal framework associated with the food risk analysis process. The impact pathway is supported by an electronic data and knowledge sharing platform aiming at the full digitalization of food (safety) systems and supporting transparency and impact for all stakeholders. In order to align with stakeholder priorities, preferences and user requirements, the HOLiFOOD innovations are designed and tested in multi-actor approach (i.e. Living Lab) involving all stakeholders. Various citizen science activities are performed in the co-development of tools and models and the role of social media as a risk communication mechanism. Finally, policymakers are engaged to translate scientific results into recommendations for policies and regulation.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The HOLiFOOD project is divided into eight different content related Work-Packages, which focus on: applying Big Data technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the development of methods and tools to identify and monitor existing and emerging food safety risks (ERI) that will anticipate on the drivers of change due to a changing global environment and which will support risk managers to take timely mitigating measures. Various models and tools based on artificial intelligence and big data have been developed. The project focuses on three supply chains: maize, lentils and poultry. Targeted and untargeted methods have been developed to analyse chemical and microbiological hazards in these supply chains, including on-site methods. Holistic risk assessment methods and tools are being developed to support regulation in a changing global environment. Three HOLiFOOD Living Labs (LLs) have been established, aimed at addressing the following priorities: Identification and monitoring of food safety risks, Holistic risk assessment and acceptance, and Platform co-design. This bridges the gap between research and practice by facilitating discussions among stakeholders, while systemically integrating the Multi Actor Approach into all HOLiFOOD activities. Thus far, three workshops have been organized in each LL. The project optimises adoption and acceptance of the emerging food safety risk framework developed in the project by identifying barriers to, and faciliatory of, policy adoption. It ensures effective knowledge exchange with the public . Finally, the project designs and develops an integrated European data and knowledge exchange platform that will be able to power an ecosystem of decision support systems for the identification, assessment and mitigation of emerging food safety issues.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

1. HOLiFOOD responds to the need to develop new methods for Early Warning (EW) and Emerging Risk Prediction (ERI) and applies artificial intelligence (AI) and ‘big data’ technologies to automatically extract data relevant to drivers of food safety risks from publicly available websites and databases, and integrates these in AI ERI prediction models. Thus far, various AI-based tools have been developed for text mining and analysis, and prediction. Large amounts of data relevant to food safety have been gathered, cleaned, and pooled into a “large CompreHensive European Food Safety database” (CHEFS).
2. HOLiFOOD develops and validates methods and devices for the identification and characterization of existing and (re-)emerging hazards with the aim of anticipating and possibly mitigating/preventing impacts. It develops an untargeted pathogen detection procedure that combines non-selective enrichments, metagenomics analyses, and proof of concept for the poultry and legume chains. Several other devices for on-site analysis are being developd. Deep Learning algorithms based on AI are developed for feature detection in MS Data from Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-hrMS).
3. Holistic risk assessment for regulation. Focus is on embedding food safety risks in a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the food system including positive and negative health, environment and economic dimensions. Different scenarios are considered for lentils, maize, and poultry in several EU countries, with climate change as the main driver of change. A general framework for holistic risk assessment is being developed, and is planned to be finished by the end of the project.
4. Data and knowledge sharing infrastructures: HOLiFOOD takes the next step in aligning and harmonizing existing work that is carried out by both public and private stakeholders, boosting it with the development of a joint data and model infrastructure of which all European stakeholders can take advantage. Focus is on creating a shared registry of datasets that may be used for food risk mitigation, by connecting and extending them. Infrastructure was designed and set up that is integrated with software systems that support food risk mitigation decisions for multiple actors in the supply chain.
5. Codesign and citizen science: to understand the food safety system, interested stakeholders, and their interests, role and influence within the system and in relation to ERI is conducted. This ensures that representation from relevant sectors and institutions are included. Citizen science is applied and Living Labs are used to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from improved food safety, including consumers in vulnerable groups, small businesses and cooperatives within local supply chains.