The ambition of PRO-METROFOOD is to crate, design and made sustainable a new RI representing a novelty in the landscape of the EU (ESFRI) RIs, with particular reference to the “Health & Food” Domain. The creation of such kind of new RI will lead to introduce different elements of innovation, such as: meeting and integration in a single RI of two areas traditionally separated (“Food” and “Metrology”); broad multidisciplinary approach with different application fields involving different kinds of users; wide audience of stakeholders and close relationships with them; active cooperation with industries and consumers; new approach to traceability aimed to create collaborative models between enterprises along the food chain and among local chains; development of functional models for sharing and performing collaborative validation of innovations and new technological solutions. Other more specific elements of innovation are strictly related to the pilot services: for the Physical-RI, production of new multipurpose-RMs filling a gap in the current production; for the e-RI, it can permit to enhance research by allowing exploitation of existing data and will realise an innovative application to access data and data analyses, in order to provide food and health innovations.
Expected impacts of PRO-METROFOOD can be grouped as follows: 1) strengthening the technological development capacity and effectiveness, as well as the scientific performance, efficiency and attractiveness of the ERA; 2) organisation of a first-class RI providing transnational access and cutting-edge services; 3) impacts on scientific and knowledge development, European research capacity, competitiveness, economy and society. PRO-METROFOOD at first and then more widely METROFOOD-RI operated/will operate though merit base to promote competitiveness, growth and jobs, economic and social cohesion. In particular, the RI will constitute a useful tool for promoting the competitiveness and the market expansion. In fact the Market Globalization requires, as essential prerequisite, a System of Measurements traceable to basic SI units such that the results become reliable and mutually recognized. An economic return will be produced in terms of industrial development, Technological Transfer, occupation and training. Furthermore METROFOOD-RI, through the wide involvement of stakeholders, makes possible to apply the principles of RRI tackling the research in the agrifood sector in a holistic way, by integrating the issues related to Safety, Sustainability and Competitiveness of the Agro-Industrial System, aiming towards convergent objectives and aligning research and innovation with the values, needs and expectations of the whole Society.
