Project description
Optimising sustainable technologies to keep food safe
Sustainable technologies (pulsed electric field, ultrasound, non-thermal plasma and high hydrostatic pressure) provide clean-label, nutritious food products and solutions to antimicrobial resistance. Nevertheless, the application of these technologies is currently limited in the food industry. The EU-funded TRANSIT project brings together 13 participating organisations from eight European countries to train the next generation of scientists to optimise and drive the utility of these sustainable technologies in the food industry. TRANSIT will identify the main microbial molecular targets in food associated pathogens and spoilage organisms and will design effective antimicrobial impact strategies for the non-thermal technologies. In concert with renowned industrial partners, the product range for application will be extended taking into account consumer acceptance, and upscaling of the equipment will be realised to accelerate market uptake of sustainably produced foods.
Objective
Over the last few decades major efforts have been made to develop innovative food technologies that deliver safe, nutritious foods with high organoleptic qualities that meet consumer demands. Sustainable technologies such as Pulsed Electric Field, Ultrasound, Non-Thermal Plasma and High Hydrostatic Pressure offer consumer benefits like clean label food products and solutions to anti-microbial resistance. Nevertheless, their application is currently limited in the food industry. Some key technical blockers of wider application include the narrow range of product applications realized, variability in antimicrobial effects and engineering challenges related to upscaling. Additionally, consumer acceptance is currently low. TRANSIT brings together 13 participating organisations from 8 European countries to offer the necessary interdisciplinary and intersectoral training to the next generation of scientists to optimize and drive utility of these sustainable technologies in the food industry. Participants’ expertise at the interfaces of microbiology, process technology, cost benefit analyses, risk assessment and consumer sciences will provide comprehensive training to ten ESRs. Using a functional genomics approach, TRANSIT will identify the main microbial molecular targets in five model species that represent major food associated pathogens and spoilage organisms and will design effective antimicrobial impact strategies for the non-thermal technologies accordingly. In concert with renowned industrial partners, the product range for application will be extended and upscaling of the equipment will be realised. Importantly consumer acceptance studies will be used to support broader product application of the optimized technologies in the food industry. TRANSIT will nurture successful collaborative relationships between first-class universities, companies, governmental and research institutions, and contribute to the competitiveness and leadership of the food sector in Europe.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsfluid statics
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsultrasound
Keywords
Programme(s)
Coordinator
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands