We are proud to announce that HUGIN is part of BIOTRACER -
Improved bio-traceability of unintended microorganisms and their
substances in food and feed chains. BIOTRACER is an IP project
under the 6th framework.
All food and feed producers (including water-bottling
companies) within the European Union are required to provide
records to food safety authorities upon request, but there is no
common standard for the format or in what media these records
must be produced.
In addition, current methods for microbial
analysis of food-borne pathogens are time-consuming, have limited
sample throughput, and do not provide all of the information
needed.
Prediction of how pathogens in food and feed
would spread in a given situation is essential to control
potential threats to public health. Thus, it is important to
develop fast and simple methods for tracking microbial pathogens
in the complex environment of the food chain.
Objective
The objective of BIOTRACER is to develop
methods to trace the course of food and feed contamination.
Methodology
Using a total food chain approach,
BIOTRACER will develop recommendations to control any risk
through the integration of novel genomic and metabolomic data
resulting in a better understanding of the physiology of the
micro-organisms, combining these with advances in predictive
food-based microbiological models.
Contribution to Advancing Proven Scientific
Methods
- Collection of physiological data on virulence, gene
expression persistence, pathology and metabolite composition of
micro-organisms that might enter into the food chain.
-
Application of whole genome micro-arrays and polymerase
chain reaction-type methods to the fast-tracking of pathogens
in the food and feed chains.
-
New quantitative food chain modelling systems using many
combinations of current methods.
-
Computation of risk assessment for pathogens in animal
products.
Dissemination and Exploitation
BIOTRACER has brought together experts from
microbiology, software and database development, risk assessment,
legislation and standards, as well as food retailers, to develop
novel frontier technologies and exploit them to track and trace
micro-organisms in selected food and feed chains, and will model
the behaviour of the pathogens in these environments.
In order to assure a wide impact on food
safety and quality, dissemination and technology transfer issues
are at the core of the BIOTRACER strategy. This information will
be available through regional, national and European Union
databases and will promote a better understanding of how microbes
are transmitted within Europe.
Basic project information
Full project title: Improved
bio-traceability of unintended micro organisms and their
substances
in food and feed chains
Duration: 48 months
Starting year: 2007
EU funding: EUR 11 million
FP6 instrument used: Integrated Project
Partners: 47
Project coordinator:
Jeffrey Hoorfar
Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary
Research, Copenhagen Denmark
Project website:
http://www.biotracer.org/
