FoodSafetyGuardian: Using digital solutions to lower the risk of foodborne illnesses

Descripción del proyecto

Un «software» innovador para el control de la seguridad alimentaria

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud, las enfermedades de origen alimentario se relacionan con más de 420 000 muertes cada año (2015). Se estima que los organismos patogénicos como la salmonela y la listeria representan el 80 % de este peaje. El objetivo del proyecto Novo, financiado con fondos europeos, es reducir esta carga mediante la propuesta de programas preventivos y robustos de control de patógenos sirviéndose de avances digitales, internet de las cosas (IdC) y aprendizaje automático. El proyecto se centrará en enriquecer FoodSafetyGuardian®, una solución en la nube que permite recoger datos de distintas operaciones de seguridad alimentaria, que incluyen sistemas como la pasteurización, procedimientos de limpieza y programas de control medioambiental. Ofrece una plataforma consolidada para reducir los procedimientos de calidad con manipulación manual, aumentar la trazabilidad, identificar tendencias y cumplir la normativa. FoodSafetyGuardian® desarrolla además algoritmos en tiempo real para ayudar a los profesionales de seguridad alimentaria y garantía de calidad a tomar decisiones con mayor rapidez, fluidez y fiabilidad.

Objetivo

Stricter food safety laws have been/are being implemented around the globe to minimise largely preventable foodborne diseases that currently afflict over 600 million people a year. A major challenge in verification processes is the inability to guarantee a finished food product is pathogen free. By monitoring and verifying the parameters that have been set are actually effective during food manufacturing, companies can minimise microbial risk.

Accordingly, Novolyze is developing FoodSafetyGuardian (FSG) - the first cloud-based software solution that integrates with equipment already in place at manufacturing plants, to collect data in real time for continuous analysis. FSG uses algorithims to determine if a change in set parameters (e.g. a specified temperature) should trigger an alarm or whether it is not a risk at the specific stage of food processing. FSG is the first platform that performs this level of analysis in real time. It also allows for add-ons such as a hygiene monitoring platform (HMP) to analyse cleaning and sanitation operations within a factory environment.

The aim of this EIC project is to complete development of software for FSG and the HMP and then test it amongst customers. These products are expected to streamline and transform the food safety market. Novolyze aims to take FSG and the HMP to TRL8. Following commercialisation activities post-EIC, both products will be ready for market entry. Novolyze then aims to dominate an estimated total, global addressable market, valued at EUR 457m by 2023.
The company has grown its organisation to ensure they have the expertise and competencies with the team to complete development in the EIC project and eventually launch the products on the market. This will lead to accelerated growth for the company. The current project is therefore central to the company’s long-term vision and growth.