Project description
A global solution for the food waste crisis
Mountains of discarded food contribute to a staggering global challenge: food waste. Each year, billions of tonnes end up in landfills, straining economies, and the environment. It is a problem that requires urgent intervention. In this context, the EU-funded MICROORC project aims to tackle the root causes of food waste. Specifically, the project will develop tools and guidelines designed to improve process control, accurate shelf-life prediction, and dynamic date labelling. Its multinational consortium, comprising cutting-edge companies and research institutions, will assess consumer acceptance, environmental sustainability, and regulatory challenges, guiding the shift towards a more sustainable and healthy food future.
Objective
The MICROORC project aims to provide business innovations for monitoring and orchestrating the microbiome and by that reduce the amount of avoidable food waste – by developing tools, technologies, services, and guidelines for i) improved food process control, accurate shelf life prediction and dynamic date labelling, and ii) extension of shelf life by bioprotection and packaging technologies that control the growth of spoilage or pathogenic organisms. Five areas are selected for the potential for predicting and extending shelf life, reduction in food waste and fostering a sustainable food system:
• Predictive analytics models incorporating microbiome information to predict shelf life
• Time-temperature indicators (TTIs), sensoring and smart label solutions for dynamic shelf life labelling
• Rapid detection assays for microbial indicators of food spoilage
• Microbiome based protection technologies to replace synthetic chemicals and increase shelf life and safety
• Novel packaging solutions targeting spoilage for sustainable development and increased shelf life
MICROORC will support the transition to more sustainable and healthy food systems by considering raw chicken and salmon as well as plant-based meat analogues. To guide and demonstrate the industrial, social and economic relevance of the MICROORC innovations, the project will evaluate consumer acceptance and the environmental sustainability aspects of all stages of the product life cycle, identify and help resolve legislative and regulatory challenges to implementation of new technologies, and propose a novel policy framework for microbiome control in the food system. A multinational, multi-actor and trans-disciplinary consortium including cutting-edge companies and experienced research institutions has been established to develop and pilot tools, technologies and guidelines that utilize and control microbiomes for fighting food waste to ensure transition to more sustainable food production and consumption.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation ActionsCoordinator
9291 Tromso
Norway
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Participants (16)
1649 023 Lisboa
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90570 OULU
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4815 999 Vizela Santo Adriao
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
69280 Marcy l'Etoile
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1165 Kobenhavn
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00189 Roma
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501 15 Boras
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17857 Sant Joan Les Fonts
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234 56 ALNARP
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2970 HORSHOLM
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7300 Orkanger
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8286 NORDFOLD
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3090-485 FIGUEIRA DA FOZ
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29280 Plouzane
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75014 Paris
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
4760-003 VILA NOVA DE FAMALICAO
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Partners (1)
1078 Budapest
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