Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MYCOBEANS (EXPLORING (EMERGING) MYCOTOXINS RISK IN BEANS: A GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE – MYCOBEANS)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-01-01 do 2025-12-31
The increasing reliance on plant-based proteins as key components of sustainable food systems has raised new food safety challenges, particularly regarding mycotoxin occurrence in legumes. Climate change, globalised supply chains and extended storage conditions are altering fungal contamination patterns, while scientific knowledge on mycotoxin occurrence, co-exposure and toxicological relevance in legume-based matrices remains limited. This gap represents a critical barrier to evidence-based risk assessment and mitigation strategies for emerging protein supply chains.
MYCOBEANS was designed to address this gap by generating integrated scientific knowledge on mycotoxin contamination in beans and related legume products, combining advanced analytical chemistry, exposure assessment, toxicological evaluation and risk mitigation approaches. The project responds directly to European policy priorities on food safety, sustainability and the transition towards resilient and safe protein systems, aligning with EU strategies on food system resilience, consumer protection and public health.
The overall objective of MYCOBEANS is to develop a robust framework for the detection, characterisation and risk assessment of mycotoxins in legume-based food and feed chains, supporting targeted mitigation strategies. To achieve this, the project follows a structured pathway in which analytical method development and occurrence data generation underpin realistic exposure assessment, toxicological investigations and risk-informed decision-making.
MYCOBEANS adopts a multidisciplinary and international approach, integrating expertise from analytical chemistry, food safety, toxicology and risk assessment, and promoting structured knowledge exchange between academic and non-academic partners across Europe and non-EU countries. Training and staff exchanges are a core component, ensuring capacity building, harmonisation of methodologies and long-term impact beyond the project lifetime.
Through the generation of high-quality analytical data, improved understanding of exposure scenarios and transferable methodological tools, MYCOBEANS is expected to contribute to more reliable risk assessment of mycotoxins in legumes, supporting regulators, industry and other stakeholders in addressing emerging food safety risks. The project’s outcomes are designed to have relevance at European and international level, particularly in the context of evolving dietary patterns and global protein supply chains.
MYCOBEANS was designed to address this gap by generating integrated scientific knowledge on mycotoxin contamination in beans and related legume products, combining advanced analytical chemistry, exposure assessment, toxicological evaluation and risk mitigation approaches. The project responds directly to European policy priorities on food safety, sustainability and the transition towards resilient and safe protein systems, aligning with EU strategies on food system resilience, consumer protection and public health.
The overall objective of MYCOBEANS is to develop a robust framework for the detection, characterisation and risk assessment of mycotoxins in legume-based food and feed chains, supporting targeted mitigation strategies. To achieve this, the project follows a structured pathway in which analytical method development and occurrence data generation underpin realistic exposure assessment, toxicological investigations and risk-informed decision-making.
MYCOBEANS adopts a multidisciplinary and international approach, integrating expertise from analytical chemistry, food safety, toxicology and risk assessment, and promoting structured knowledge exchange between academic and non-academic partners across Europe and non-EU countries. Training and staff exchanges are a core component, ensuring capacity building, harmonisation of methodologies and long-term impact beyond the project lifetime.
Through the generation of high-quality analytical data, improved understanding of exposure scenarios and transferable methodological tools, MYCOBEANS is expected to contribute to more reliable risk assessment of mycotoxins in legumes, supporting regulators, industry and other stakeholders in addressing emerging food safety risks. The project’s outcomes are designed to have relevance at European and international level, particularly in the context of evolving dietary patterns and global protein supply chains.
During months 1–24, MYCOBEANS established a solid scientific and technical basis for integrated mycotoxin risk assessment in legume-based matrices. Activities focused on analytical method development, occurrence data generation and capacity building, providing the foundation for downstream toxicological and mitigation work.
Significant progress was made in the development, optimisation and validation of advanced analytical methods for detecting mycotoxins in complex legume matrices. High-quality datasets were generated to characterise occurrence and variability, supporting realistic exposure assessment and subsequent project activities.
Preparatory toxicological work included protocol definition, model selection and pilot-scale testing. Although toxicological data generation is still at an early stage, the analytical evidence produced enables targeted, exposure-relevant studies in the second half of the project.
In parallel, training and knowledge exchange strengthened interdisciplinary competences and prepared staff exchanges. Overall, the first 24 months delivered validated analytical tools, trained personnel and a coherent scientific framework, positioning MYCOBEANS for full implementation of integrated risk assessment in the remaining project duration.
Significant progress was made in the development, optimisation and validation of advanced analytical methods for detecting mycotoxins in complex legume matrices. High-quality datasets were generated to characterise occurrence and variability, supporting realistic exposure assessment and subsequent project activities.
Preparatory toxicological work included protocol definition, model selection and pilot-scale testing. Although toxicological data generation is still at an early stage, the analytical evidence produced enables targeted, exposure-relevant studies in the second half of the project.
In parallel, training and knowledge exchange strengthened interdisciplinary competences and prepared staff exchanges. Overall, the first 24 months delivered validated analytical tools, trained personnel and a coherent scientific framework, positioning MYCOBEANS for full implementation of integrated risk assessment in the remaining project duration.
During the first half of the project, MYCOBEANS generated results that advance the state of the art in assessing mycotoxin risks in legume-based food and feed chains. Existing knowledge is fragmented and often limited to individual compounds, simplified matrices or non-representative exposure assumptions. MYCOBEANS addressed these gaps by establishing integrated analytical approaches and generating high-quality occurrence data in relevant legume matrices.
A key advancement lies in the consolidation of robust, transferable analytical methodologies tailored to legume-based matrices, enabling more reliable detection and quantification of mycotoxins under realistic conditions. The resulting datasets provide an improved basis for exposure characterisation, reducing uncertainty linked to hypothetical contamination scenarios.
The project also laid the groundwork for stronger integration between analytical chemistry and toxicological assessment. By prioritising exposure-relevant data generation in the first phase, MYCOBEANS enables toxicological studies based on realistic concentrations and mixtures, addressing a recognised gap in current risk assessment practice.
The results obtained so far can support future developments in risk assessment frameworks, regulatory decision-making and mitigation strategies for emerging protein supply chains. Further progress will require completion of toxicological evaluations, demonstration across supply chains and alignment with regulatory and standardisation frameworks, which will be addressed in the second half of the project.
A key advancement lies in the consolidation of robust, transferable analytical methodologies tailored to legume-based matrices, enabling more reliable detection and quantification of mycotoxins under realistic conditions. The resulting datasets provide an improved basis for exposure characterisation, reducing uncertainty linked to hypothetical contamination scenarios.
The project also laid the groundwork for stronger integration between analytical chemistry and toxicological assessment. By prioritising exposure-relevant data generation in the first phase, MYCOBEANS enables toxicological studies based on realistic concentrations and mixtures, addressing a recognised gap in current risk assessment practice.
The results obtained so far can support future developments in risk assessment frameworks, regulatory decision-making and mitigation strategies for emerging protein supply chains. Further progress will require completion of toxicological evaluations, demonstration across supply chains and alignment with regulatory and standardisation frameworks, which will be addressed in the second half of the project.