Project description
Greek public research institute to become food safety leader
The EU-funded FunShield4Med twinning project aims to bolster the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the Hellenic Agricultural Organisation ELGO-DIMITRA’s Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products (ITAP). The project will focus on food safety against mycotoxigenic spoilage fungi and mycotoxins under climate change challenges. It will carry out short-term staff exchanges and expert visits, training workshops, seminars and summer schools, as well as dissemination and outreach activities. Strategic collaboration across universities in Greece, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom will help to achieve knowledge and expertise transfer, establish new research alliances and strengthen the capacities of ITAP staff and young researchers from the four countries.
Objective
The overall aim of the FunShield4Med project is to strengthen the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products (ITAP) of Hellenic Agricultural Organisation – DIMITRA (ELGO-DIMITRA) from Greece in the field of food safety against mycotoxigenic spoilage fungi and mycotoxins under climate change challenges. The strategic collaboration of advanced partners from Italy (University of Parma/Dept of Food and Drug), Spain (University of Lleida/Food Technology Dept), and UK (Cranfield University/Soil and Agrifood Institute), and an internationally-leading University from Greece (National Kapodistrian University of Athens/Dept. of Chemistry) will ensure the knowledge and expertise transfer, help build new research alliances, and enrich, apart from Institute’s personnel, as well as young researchers' capacities from all members of the consortium. In order to achieve the Twinning call’s specific objectives the consortium of FunShield4Med will implement a comprehensive set of measures and activities, such as Short term staff exchanges and expert visits, Training workshops, Seminars, Summer schools, and Dissemination and outreach activities. In addition to the specific objectives of Twinning, a comprehensive research project is foreseen focusing on mycotoxigenic spoilage fungi and mycotoxins in relation to one main EU entry point (Greece) for imports from the South and East (African and Asian countries), to facilitate appropriate surveillance of commodities where mycotoxin contamination may increase because of climate change (CC) factors. This will minimize exposure of consumer to these toxins and will provide benefits in traceability of both emerging and modified forms of mycotoxins in staple food and drink chains in the context of CC scenarios.
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support ActionsCoordinator
11145 Athina
Greece