THE PROJECT
FOODGUARD aims to develop and demonstrate co-created solutions that will support innovations & advances based on microbiome, microbial activities & technology hubs to address food, health, economic and environmental challenges. The envisioned approach consists of a framework of toolsets and methodologies to provide sustainable solutions in food processing, packaging, and across the food value chain to address food shelf-life increase and waste reduction in a holistic manner.
The proposed solutions aim to:
FOODGUARD toolbox components will be extensively evaluated in real life settings through four pilot demonstrations in four different countries with the involvement of all relevant actors while covering diverse requirements and different food products.
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FOODGUARD outcomes target:
to minimize food loss and waste by shelf life extension and prediction
to help the food industry implement these preservation solutions as an alternative to chemical preservatives
to deploy responsive policy for implementing these approaches as well as to engage consumers educated via tools/platforms, effectively improving awareness and trust in the food sector
to increase traceability, providing real-time supply transparency that will improve the uptake of data-driven innovations in food systems, optimize resource efficiency (reducing food waste from farm to fork)
to manage increased complexity in agri-food production and supply chain process, make it easier for consumers to adopt a healthy and safe food diet
OBJECTIVES
The FOODGUARD project has the following specific objectives:
Develop and validate novel preservation solutions to extend shelf-life of perishable foods
Develop microbial indicators/fingerprints & deployment as food quality /safety indices
Implement developed tools for predicting food spoilage and foodborne illness risks based on microbiome data
Implement Data Science, Information and Cloud Technologies for continuous on-line quality and safety control to minimize food waste/loss
Scale up of the proposed solutions and test of their sustainability and safety in accordance with EU regulations
Disseminate & communicate the developed tools for FOODGUARD high impact creation – Contribution to policy for new technologies adoption
Provide tailored information, education, and training on Food Packaging and Safety Culture for target audiences
IMPACT
Improved food packaging and shelf-life prediction, will promote sustainable and healthy food systems, minimising food loss & waste thus assuring climate change mitigation & environmental sustainability
Expected reduction of food loss and waste 6.84mT in 2030 and 17mT in 2050 with 10% and 30% reduction of GHG emissions respectively
Improve responsible business and marketing practices, by increasing the levels of trust, security and transparency across value chain
Reduction of food loss and waste will promote fair economic retribution for food business operators and retailers, contributing to economic growth and equal employment opportunities
It will empower the communities within the project’s pilot demonstrations and beyond