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Rapid DNA screening to secure the global food supply chains

Project description

On-site DNA test for the food supply chain

Bacteria, allergens and undeclared substances can contaminate raw ingredients and finished products during processing at any stage of the supply chain. This results in huge economic losses. Unfortunately, mitigation measures are expensive, and laboratory tests are time consuming. Consequently, most food products arrive to the market without comprehensive food safety tests, resulting in food recalls. The EU-funded DNAFoil project presents the world’s first portable, completely self administered on-site DNA test. The innovation allows for validating supply chain integrity in 30 minutes, without a lab, equipment and disruption to the process, offering instantaneous testing in the field. DNAFoil system is available for pork, beef, multi-spectrum vegetal detection, and Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Listeria DNA test.

Objective

Counterfeit, contaminated or non-compliant ingredients cost the global supply chain €83.5bn+ annually. Both raw ingredients & finished products can become contaminated with bacteria, allergens & undeclared substances during processing at any stage of the supply chain. Putting the situation under control results in product recalls, health risks assessments & major facility decontaminations.
These expensive mitigation measures could be prevented by proper food testing before it is released to the next step in the food supply chain or to the consumers. Unfortunately, this rarely happens because the laboratories that carry out tests require up to 7 days to produce the results. Such long waiting times are not compatible with the product shelf lives & distribution schedules. As a result, most of food products are brought to the market without comprehensive food safety tests, which results in ~30 food recalls per week both in the EU & the US.
SwissDeCode has developed DNAFoil—world’s first portable, completely self-administered onsite DNA test, allowing food production managers to validate supply chain integrity in 30 minutes with no lab, no equipment & no disruption to the process. It also allows inspectors & food manufacturers to replace current lengthy DNA tests that are performed in the laboratories with instantaneous testing in the field.
DNAFoil already available pork DNA test will be joined by beef detection and multi-spectrum vegetal detection in 2017, shortly followed by salmonella, e. coli & listeria.
We have started commercialization through beta sales in the early access program. Our business model is B2B. Our customers operate throughout the complete value chain—food & drink producers, distributors, retailers, caterers & regulatory agencies.
We are aiming at ~€16.7m in revenues by 2022 with 56 FTEs.

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

SWISSDECODE SA
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
CHEMIN DU CLOSEL 5
1020 Renens
Switzerland

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
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