Project description
Food quality, safety and security training for early-stage researchers
The rapidly growing and changing nature of food science means researchers require a multidisciplinary, intersectoral understanding of mass spectrometry to successfully exploit both traditional and state-of-the-art methodologies and techniques. The FoodTraNet project will address this challenge by providing training to high achieving early-stage researchers (ESRs) via a common platform of advanced mass spectrometry tools for food quality, safety and security. A multidisciplinary training and research network will be created to give ESRs the opportunity to transfer their knowledge from scientific to industrial applications. FoodTraNet will cover techniques including stable isotopes, target, suspect, non-target screening, and mass spectrometry imaging to identify biomarkers and bioactive compounds to ensure food quality and traceability.
Objective
FoodTraNet is designed to provide high-level training of a new generation of high achieving early stage researchers (ESRs) in a common platform of advanced mass spectrometry tools for food quality, safety and security. Due to the fast growing and changing area in food science researchers need a multidisciplinary, intersectoral grounding in these tools to extract all the potential from traditional and new available methodologies and techniques. Although already available there is still a big gap between research capability and industrial uptake that needs to be bridged to assure their use in more practical and efficient way. The network is designed to bridge this translational gap by creating a multidisciplinary training and research network that will give ESRs the ability to transfer their knowledge from basic sciences to industrial applications. FoodTraNet will cover techniques including stable isotopes, target, suspect, non-target screening and mass spectrometry imaging to obtain the following objectives: 1) identify biomarkers and bioactive compounds to assure food quality and traceability; 2) characterize novel foods to support food safety and security; and 3) developed and characterize new products based on the latest advances in nanotechnology: edible photonic barcodes; nano-sensors; multi-functional polymer nanostructured materials; and new, active and intelligent packaging. These goals will be achieved by a unique combination of “hands-on” research training, non-academic placements/courses and workshops on scientific and complementary transferrable skills facilitated by the academic-non-academic composition of the consortium. Strong industry involvement in the project, with full participation of CONCAST and SMEs from different sectors, will provide ESRs with the transferable skills necessary for thriving careers in a burgeoning area that underpins food sustainability through innovative technological development across a range of diverse disciplines.
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Coordinator
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia