Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MycoTWIN (ENHANCING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CAPACITY OF TUBITAK MAM FOOD INSTITUTE ON MANAGEMENT OF MYCOTOXIGENIC FUNGI AND MYCOTOXINS)
Reporting period: 2022-03-01 to 2024-05-31
Mycotoxins pose a major concern worldwide since they are harmful to both humans and animals and have a tremendous economic impact with significant implications for food and feed safety, food security, and international trade. They have a destructive effect on crop yield and negatively affect the quantity and quality of agricultural commodities. The EU-funded MycoTWIN project brought together the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), the National Research Council of Italy and the University of Valencia of Spain. The goal was to strengthen effective and sustainable mycotoxin management for minimising contamination in crops by exchange of knowledge and new pre- and post-harvest measures.
MycoTWIN supported the entire value chain from planning of the cropping system to cultivation of crops, harvest, storage, transport, processing and consuming, all of which can be affected by mycotoxins. MycoTWIN multi-actor partnership approach will integrate the EU Commission food safety policy as well as relevant supranational guidelines (e.g. CODEX).
The project aims to significantly strengthen researches on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in TUBITAK by linking it with CNR and UV. MycoTWIN will enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the all three institutions in this specific field with a principal focus on TUBITAK by providing knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins between the işnstitutes. The project has been clustered in three operational areas: i) Integrated Information System; ii) Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxin Monitoring; iii) Prevention, Intervention and Remediation.
With the scientific activities organized within the scope of MycoTWIN project, more than 1100 representatives/researchers of stakeholders gained experienced on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. More than 174 early-stage researchers have been trained in this spesific field of MycoTWIN.
Within the scope of the project, 4 short-term on-site visits, 6 info-days, 3 open-days and seminars, 6 workshops, 8 summer schools, 4 round-table meetings with participation of national and international experts, 1 international conference, 10 national and international technical visits were organized and 6 scientific publications were published.
MycoTWIN supported the entire value chain from planning of the cropping system to cultivation of crops, harvest, storage, transport, processing and consuming, all of which can be affected by mycotoxins. MycoTWIN multi-actor partnership approach will integrate the EU Commission food safety policy as well as relevant supranational guidelines (e.g. CODEX).
The project aims to significantly strengthen researches on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in TUBITAK by linking it with CNR and UV. MycoTWIN will enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the all three institutions in this specific field with a principal focus on TUBITAK by providing knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins between the işnstitutes. The project has been clustered in three operational areas: i) Integrated Information System; ii) Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxin Monitoring; iii) Prevention, Intervention and Remediation.
With the scientific activities organized within the scope of MycoTWIN project, more than 1100 representatives/researchers of stakeholders gained experienced on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. More than 174 early-stage researchers have been trained in this spesific field of MycoTWIN.
Within the scope of the project, 4 short-term on-site visits, 6 info-days, 3 open-days and seminars, 6 workshops, 8 summer schools, 4 round-table meetings with participation of national and international experts, 1 international conference, 10 national and international technical visits were organized and 6 scientific publications were published.
Short term on-site trainings for early stage researchers: Specific advanced short-term trainings were conducted on the topics of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins organized by CNR and UV which improved institutional capacity. Three of training were scheduled for 1 month and a half (2 TUBITAK researchers in each), and one prolonged for three (1 TUBITAK researcher). Total 7 researchers from TUBITAK participated these training sessions, 5 of them were ESR (at least 1 ESR in each training). 2 of them were advanced researcher (AR). Prototype products (rapid test and reference material) were developed with knowledge provided within the 3rd trainings, and 3 scientific publications were prepared from rest of trainings (1 publication from each training).
Summer school for early-stage researchers: 8 summer schools were carried out by CNR-ISPA and UV. All activities of summer schools were very well received by all participants. 2 ESRs from TUBITAK and 5 from other institutes of Türkiye participated to each of 8 summer schools. Total of 37 ESRs from Türkiye got benefit from these MycoTWIN events.
Technical visits to leading institutes: A total of 8 technical visits (3 national-Türkiye and 5 internationals) were carried out to share information about latest development, laboratory systems, ongoing projects, and exchange ideas for mutually beneficial collaborative HORIZON projects.
Expert visits from leading partners to TUBITAK: 3 expert visits were carried out by experts from leading partners (CNR and UV) in order to exchange specific knowledge with on-site prospecting of TUBITAK’s facilities.
Info-days: One-day organizations planned to be held in different regions of Türkiye were mainly organized to convey the MycoTWIN structure, objectives and activities. A total of 6 info-days were held. All interested parties (At least 30 targeted stakeholders for each info-day) such as academia, food processors in the region, governmental organisations, SMEs etc. were invited. During the info-days, presentations were given by TUBITAK researchers.
Open-days: Open-days were organized together with seminars as it was planned. Three open days and seminars were conducted by TUBITAK to inform interested stakeholders . All interested parties came together for establishing a structured link between science and industry, and other relevant groups. In total 287 targeted stakeholders attended in all three open days and seminars. T
Seminars: As mentioned above, seminars (S) were organized together with open-days in order to distribute up-to-date information to interested parties. Also, the key note speakers, well-known leading scientists from CNR and UV shared their knowledge with interested parties. Participants actively interacted with national and international experts and developed networking opportunities.
Workshops: A series of technological workshops (WS) open to all interested parties were organized on specific topics in the field of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. A total of 6 workshops were held during the project period.
Summer school for early-stage researchers: 8 summer schools were carried out by CNR-ISPA and UV. All activities of summer schools were very well received by all participants. 2 ESRs from TUBITAK and 5 from other institutes of Türkiye participated to each of 8 summer schools. Total of 37 ESRs from Türkiye got benefit from these MycoTWIN events.
Technical visits to leading institutes: A total of 8 technical visits (3 national-Türkiye and 5 internationals) were carried out to share information about latest development, laboratory systems, ongoing projects, and exchange ideas for mutually beneficial collaborative HORIZON projects.
Expert visits from leading partners to TUBITAK: 3 expert visits were carried out by experts from leading partners (CNR and UV) in order to exchange specific knowledge with on-site prospecting of TUBITAK’s facilities.
Info-days: One-day organizations planned to be held in different regions of Türkiye were mainly organized to convey the MycoTWIN structure, objectives and activities. A total of 6 info-days were held. All interested parties (At least 30 targeted stakeholders for each info-day) such as academia, food processors in the region, governmental organisations, SMEs etc. were invited. During the info-days, presentations were given by TUBITAK researchers.
Open-days: Open-days were organized together with seminars as it was planned. Three open days and seminars were conducted by TUBITAK to inform interested stakeholders . All interested parties came together for establishing a structured link between science and industry, and other relevant groups. In total 287 targeted stakeholders attended in all three open days and seminars. T
Seminars: As mentioned above, seminars (S) were organized together with open-days in order to distribute up-to-date information to interested parties. Also, the key note speakers, well-known leading scientists from CNR and UV shared their knowledge with interested parties. Participants actively interacted with national and international experts and developed networking opportunities.
Workshops: A series of technological workshops (WS) open to all interested parties were organized on specific topics in the field of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. A total of 6 workshops were held during the project period.
TUBITAK has submitted 8 national projects and started to coordinate 6 national projects, and participated to 3 new EU project in the field of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins.
16 oral and 25 poster presentations on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins have been presented by MycoTWIN team within different MycoTWIN and/or external scientific events.
More than 1100 representatives (174 of them are young researchers) from mycotoxin related private companies, ministrial organisations, farmers, universities, students and decision makers were participated to MycoTWIN activities in Turkey and European countries.
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) was visited by more than 4600 users from 114 countries. The MycoTWIN posts through its social media accounts have been reviewed by more than 40.000 peoples from academia, public, and private companies including SMEs.
By the end of the project; prototype of rapid test kit and reference material for mycotoxin analysis as model products were developed and 6 scientific paper on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities were published.
16 oral and 25 poster presentations on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins have been presented by MycoTWIN team within different MycoTWIN and/or external scientific events.
More than 1100 representatives (174 of them are young researchers) from mycotoxin related private companies, ministrial organisations, farmers, universities, students and decision makers were participated to MycoTWIN activities in Turkey and European countries.
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) was visited by more than 4600 users from 114 countries. The MycoTWIN posts through its social media accounts have been reviewed by more than 40.000 peoples from academia, public, and private companies including SMEs.
By the end of the project; prototype of rapid test kit and reference material for mycotoxin analysis as model products were developed and 6 scientific paper on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities were published.