Objective
Lipophilic phycotoxins are often found in high levels in bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates ormarine gastropods and the consumption of these contaminated seafoods can pose a significant threatto human health. There is a need to monitor levels of these toxins in seafood meant for humanconsumption and to keep levels below defined thresholds. In Europe the broad spectrum mouse or ratbioassay is the only official method for the detection of these toxins, although recently directives wereapproved stating that any functional method could be used to replace the bioassay if fully validated.
The overall objective of this project is to develop a multi-channel, high-throughput biosensor for the detection of diarrheic shellfish toxins, yessotoxins, pectenotoxins, azaspiracids and gymnodimine. Theproposed biosensor will exploit the phenomenon of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to detect andmeasure these lipophilic phycotoxins in seafood residues. The sensor will be designed as an inhibitionassay capable of rapid, reliable multi-toxin detection. The technology allows real-time, automated,multiresidue analysis of food products, both in laboratories and at on-site locations and is capable ofmeasuring coloured, turbid or opaque sample solutions. The assembled consortium has a great dealof experience in their respective fields and demonstrates a high level of complementarity. The projecthas the required expertise and resources required to carry out the development of this valuable newtechnology, which has the potential not only to eliminate the need for the ethically concerningbioassays currently used, but also to provide a simple, cheap and improved method for the detectionof phycotoxins in shellfish residues.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsbiosensors
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologylung cancer
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryamines
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Call for proposal
FP6-2003-FOOD-2-A
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
NoE - Network of ExcellenceCoordinator
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Spain