Objective Chemical taminant monitoring in foodstuffs is a highly important and complex issue. A huge investment in time and effort is placed on these activities by regulatory and industrial laboratories. As demands from sumers and regulators grow to improve the quality and safety of food the need for improved technologies has never been greater. Biocop has included all classes of compounds referred to in the T5.The Biocop proposal has been structed to supply regulators, sumers and industry with long-term solutions to the complex problems associated with chemical taminants. A range of new technologies such as transcriptomics, proteomics and biosensors will be utilised within the project. These new approaches are based on measuring effect rather than on measuring single target compound centrations. The biomarker and fingerprinting cept is key to this strategy. Substantial advances in sample preparation will be achieved using novel procedures such as aptamers, microwave assisted extraction and pressurised liquid extraction. Experts from all classes of chemical taminants will oversee the project to ensure fit-for-purpose tests are developed and validated to the required standards.The SME cluster in the project will ensure full exploitation of all developed technologies. This will be greatly assisted by the substantial phase of demonstration and training to all stake holders includev within the project. Dissemination activities to all stake-holders (regulators, food industries, laboratory networks and sumers) will be well organised by communication experts. sumer groups will be informed about the aims and progress of Biocop from the start of the project to the end and will have mechanisms to feed back any views and cerns they have.The successful management of this project will be a key to its success. A Biocop matrix management system has been developed to ensure high level organisation and communication exists right across the network. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsbiosensorsengineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsproteomicsnatural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrymass spectrometryagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedscereals Keywords Food safety advanced sample preparation biomakers biosensors chemical contaminants demonstration fingerprints monitoring training trust Programme(s) FP6-FOOD - Food Quality and Safety: Thematic priority 5 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) FOOD-2003-T5.1 - New approaches towards monitoring and preventing chemical contaminants in food products Call for proposal FP6-2003-FOOD-2-A See other projects for this call Funding Scheme IP - Integrated Project
