Food Research in the EU

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• Food Research in the EU
• Liam Breslin
• European Commission
• Research Directorate-General
• Directorate E - Life Sciences biotechnology,
  agricultural and food research
• Unit E.2 Health, Food and Environment

A1 EU Collaboration in Food Research
adb
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Key Action 1Food, Nutrition and Health
290 million Euro
1.2 Detection and elimination of infectious and
toxic agents throughout the food chain
1.3 Role of food in promoting and sustaining
health

• 1.1 Safe and flexible manufacturing processes and
  technologies

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Calls within Key Action 1
6/99
11/99
3/00
10/00
3/01
3/02
Food safety Nutrition
Raw materials Processes Safety
Nutrition
All areas (targeted)
Raw materials Processes Safe foods
Nutrition
Sum
No of 181 209 123 223
107 167 1010
proposals Selection 39 22
18 30 15
26 150 Funding 66 m 30 m 33
m 40 m 29 m 42 m 240
m
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Clusters in KA 1
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1.1 Food Technologies, Raw Materials

• 1.1.1 Novel and improved biological raw materials
• Animal foods
• Fatty acids in beef
• CLA-enriched dairy products
• Byproducts of cod, salmon
• Vegetable foods
• Garlic
• Barley fibre
• Lupins
• Seaweed antioxidants

• Microorganisms
• Microbial nutraceuticals
• Pro-, pre- and synbiotics
• Industrial yeast strains
• Lactic acid bacteria
• Red-smear bacteria

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1.1 Food Technologies, Raw Materials

• 1.1.2 Advanced food technologies, packaging,
  process control
• Radio frequency heating Pressure treatment
• Enzyme technology Membrane technology
• Food emulsions Cork treatment
• Reduction of gluten
• Reduction of allerginicity in animal foods
• Oxygen scavenging/indicators in polymer
  packagings
• Fruit packaging
• Sensors, process control for breweries, dairy,
  electronic nose

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1.1 Food Technologies, Raw Materials

• 1.1.3 Quality monitoring, traceability, food
  chain
• DNA fragment traceability, DNA biosensors, DNA
  markers for detection of plant and animal species
• Traceability Concerted Action
• Rapid detection of microbial contamination
• Fish and seafood quality, traceability
• Meat DNA markers for traceability
• Milk microbial quality
• Olive oil authenticity, traceability
• Certified organic food

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1.2 Food Safety

• 1.2.1 Control of contamination conditions
• Emerging pathogens (viruses, Cryptosporidium sp.,
  Bacillus cereus, Listeria sp., campylobacteriaceae
  )
• Antibiotic resistance Mycotoxins
• Prions (TSE, gelatine, removal of spinal column)
• 1.2.2 Rapid detection tests
• Glucocorticoids, nitrofurans, coccidiostatics,
  androgens
• Allergenic proteins GMOs
• Mycotoxins Trichinella
• E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococci,
  campylobacteriaceae

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1.2 Food Safety

• 1.2.3 Safer food production
• Hygienic manufacturing Heating
• Fish processing Dry sausages
• Cheesemaking
• 1.2.4 Risk assessment
• Risk assessment Concerted Action
• Harmonisation of methodologies
• Stochastic modelling Probiotics
• Bacillus sp. GMOs and mycotoxins
• Allergenicity Fungicides
• Organotin in seafood
• Migration from plastics Paper and board

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1.3 Food and Nutrition

• Consumer needs, attitudes and responses
• Foods for the ageing population, food choice
• Eating disorders
• Health claims and labelling
• FLAIR-FLOW dissemination
• Vegetable/fruit consumption of school children
• Consumer trust in food, risk communication
• Consumers, producers and dietary phytoestrogens
• Consumer knowledge on gastrointestinal infections
  and allergies in early life

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1.3 Food and Nutrition

• Impact of foods on physiological functions,
  physical and mental performance
• Foods (olive oil)
• Nutrients (starch, n3-PUFA, folate, vitamins A,
  D, carotenoids, zinc)
• Non-nutrients (anthocyanins, phytoestrogens,
  alcohol)
• Functional foods (pro-, pre-, synbiotics, health
  claims)
• Gut flora (analysis, Inflammable bowel disease,
  ecology)

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1.3 Food and Nutrition

• Needs of defined population groups
• Elderly Women Children
• Migrant populations Babies
• Diet and chronic diseases and disorders
• Cancer (colon, breast, prostate, upper digestive
  tract)
• Cardiovascular diseases Diabetes
• Obesity Hemochromatosis
• Osteoporosis Coeliac disease
• Inflammable bowel disease Neurodegeneration
• Diet and early malnutrition Intrauterine foetal
  growth
• Diet and genetic factors Allergies

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CRAFT

• Processes
• Sorting fruit Heat treatments
  Disinfecting
• Cheese ripening Meat tenderisation
  Slicing
• Microencapsulation Shellfish detoxification
• Analysis
• Rheology of dough Alcoholic fermentation
• Mycotoxins X-Ray detection system
• Moulds on cork
• Ingredients/Products
• Seaweed food colours Lignans Probiotics
• Gluten-free bread Protein hydrolysates
• Functional ingredients from chitosans, chickpeas,
  tomato waste

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Projects Support Policy
Consumers Organic food Risk communication Claims
Health Phytoestrogens Probiotics Coeliac
disease Allergenicity Eating disorders
Competitiveness Industrial penetration 85
Food Hygiene Pathogens Contaminants Risk
analysis BSE
Food Packaging Recycled material Migration
KA1
CAP - Labelling, Traceability Organic foods Meat
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Enhancing the content of beneficial quality of
fatty acids in beef and improving meat quality
for the consumer
QLK1-2000-01423

• Partnership
• Shared Cost Project (Area 1.1.1)
• Total Cost 3.059.204 EUR
• EC Contribution 1.920.272 EUR
• Partners 7
• 2 universities (B, GB)
• 4 research centres (D, F, IRL, GB)
• 1 company (GB)
• Coordinator Nigel Scollan, Institute of
  Grassland and Environmental Research (GB)

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Enhancing the content of beneficial quality of
fatty acids in beef and improving meat quality
for the consumer
QLK1-2000-01423

• Objectives
• To examine novel strategies (nutritional and
  genotypic) to produce beef with a more nutritious
  fatty acid composition (PS?, n-3-PUFA ?, CLA ?)
• To understand the impact of lipolysis and
  biohydrogenation in the rumen as well as of
  post-absorption on the fatty acid composition of
  the beef
• To assess the impact of these strategies on beef
  flavour

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ProEUHealth-Cluster
QLK1-2000-42/67/108/146/563 QLK1-2001-/135/1179/12
73

• Partnership Cluster of 8 Shared-Cost Projects
• Total Cost 16.992.298 EUR
• EC Contribution 12.404.334 EUR
• Partners 64
• 25 universities (AUS, 2B, 3B, D, E, EE, F,
  2FIN, 2I, IRL,
• GR, 2NL, NO, S, UK, 4UK)
• 13 research centres (D, D, DK, E, 2F, 3F, FIN,
  GR, IRL, S)
• 12 companies (2B, D, 2F, FIN, IRL, 2NL, NO, RO,
  S)

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ProEUHealth-Cluster
Developing research tools
Investigating health effects
Pre- and probiotic technology
Understanding mechanisms
PROTECH Stable and functionally enhanced pre- and
probiotics
DEPROHEALTH Probiotics for immuno-modulation and
vaccine delivery
MICROBE DIAGNOSTICS Molecular methods to study
gut microbiota
PROGID Clinical trials of efficacy in IBD
remission maintenance
PROPATH Pre- and probiotics in the inhibition of
pathogenic microorganisms
CROWNALIFE Functional food, gut microflora and
healthy ageing
EU MICROFUNCTION Functional assessment of
interactions between the human gut microbiota and
the host
Improved health and quality of life of EU
consumers
PROSAFE Biosafety evaluation of probiotics
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ProEUHealth-Cluster
Scientific Audience
Science Platform
Commercial Audience
Industry Platform
Consumer Audience
Consumer Platform
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Community Research Programmes

• Objectives (Article 163 Amsterdam Treaty)
• to strengthen the European research potential
• to promote the competitiveness of European
  industry
• to support Community policies
• From FP V (1998-2002) to ERA and FP VI
  (2002-2006)

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Priority Thematic Areas of Research

• 1. Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology
  for health 2.255
• Advanced genomics
• and its applications for health 1100
• Combating major diseases 1155
• 2. Information society technologies 3.625
• 3. Nanotechnologies and nanosciences,
• knowledge-based multifunctional materials,
• new production processes and devices 1.300
• 4. Aeronautics and space 1.075
• Subtotal (in EUR million) 8.255

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Priority Thematic Areas of Research

• Subtotal 8.255
• 5. Food quality and safety 685
• 6. Sustainable development,
• global change and ecosystems 2.120
• Sustainable energy systems 810
• Sustainable surface transport 610
• Global change and ecosystems 700
• 7. Citizens and governance
• in a knowledge-based society 225
• Total (in EUR million) 11.285

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1. Epidemiologyof Food-Related Diseases and
Allergies
Development of databases
Identification of key risk factors
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2. Impact of Food on Health
Development of new health-promoting foods
Scientific basis for improving health through diet
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3. Traceability Processes
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4. Methods of Analysis,Detection and Control
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5. Safer and Environmentally Friendly Production
Methods and Healthier Foodstuffs
Safe and healthier food and feed
Innovative technologies
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6. Impact of Animal Feedon Human Health
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7. Environmental Health Risks
Determination of how to prevent or minimise
these effects and risks
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Priority 8

• Supporting policies and anticipating scientific
  and technological needs
• Policy-oriented research
• Common Agricultural and Fisheries policies
• Sustainable development (environment, energy,
  transport)
• Other Community policy objectives
• Public Health Consumer Protection
• Development aid ...
• Research to explore new and emerging scientific
  and technological problems and opportunities
• Implementation

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Integrated projects Objectives
predefined S/T results and clear deliverables
To integrate the critical mass of activities and
resources needed for
addressing major societal needs increasing EU
competitiveness
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Integrated projects Main Features
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Networks of Excellence Objectives
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Networks of Excellence Main Features
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Article 169

• Potentially a most powerful instrument
• IPs and NoEs integrate individual performers of
  research
• Article 169-s integrate national programmes
• But may be difficult to use in large numbers
• each requires a co-initiative by national
  programmes and the Commission to generate a
  proposal
• long and complex decision-making, as long as
  co-decisions of Council and Parliament taken
  case-by-case
• so far untried
• the Commission is currently preparing pilot
  proposals

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Rules of Participation and Financing

• Same rights and obligations for participants from
  Member States and from Associated candidate
  countries
• Organisations from third countries entitled to
  participate
• Organisations from third countries entitled to
  receive funding if eligible to take part in
  specific international cooperation actions
• Russia - Mediterranean countries
• CIS - Developing countries

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Rules of Participation and Financing

• Entitled to participate
• European scientific cooperation organizations
  (CERN, ESA, ESO, EMBL)
• European Economic Interest Groupings (EEIGs)
• International organizations
• Financial contribution in new forms
• 'grants for integration' for the networks of
  excellence
• grants to the budget for integrated projects
• ? more flexibility
• ? controls less cumbersome and more effective,
  essentially ex post
• Consortia may change the partnership