A network that tries to combat the main risks of food origin in the United Kingdom has received additional funding.
The Food Safety Research Network (FSRN) is hosted by the Quadram Institute and led by Dr. Matthew Gilmour and Dr. Maria Traka.
The FSRN was created in 2022 with 1.6 million pounds Sterling ($ 2.1 million) in financing for biotechnology and biological sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The network has now obtained £ 650,000 ($ 863,000) over three years, which will speed up the translation of research into actual food safety solutions, will strengthen connections through the food system and stimulate investments to combat emerging and scalable risks.
Four areas of interest
Each year in the United Kingdom, food origin causes more than 2.4 million cases of food poisoning and costs the economy around 11 billion pounds Sterling ($ 14.6 billion).
The next phase of the plan for the network has four priority areas. The first is to reduce the risk of pathogens such as E. coli in ready -to -eat foods, biofilms and examine the surveillance of pathogens. The second includes new and emerging risks, such as climate change, protein sources based on plants and insects and advice for vertical agriculture.
The third area concerns how to apply food security and technology to traditional practices. This ranges from certified training to the cartography of the supply chain and the means to share microbial data in the industry. The final area is to examine domestic food security and understanding the risks of storage and preparation and consumer beliefs and behaviors. The goal is to find effective ways to improve food security at home.
Dr. Gilmour, CODIRECTER OF THE FSRN and research group manager of the Quadram Institute, said: “The research network on food security has shown what is possible when you bring food and researchers in the same room to solve real problems.
“From the first day, our model was built on listening to understand what companies really need to manage risks and stay ahead of emerging challenges. Based on these ideas, we have forged partnerships that offer practical advantages, while giving government a clearer view of the wider food security landscape. ”
Progress so far
The network includes nearly 500 members of 290 organizations. He organized 11 workshops and supported 42 projects, distributing 1.88 million Sterling pounds ($ 2.5 million) to unite scientific researchers with policy development prospects. He also offered training and aid to researchers at the start of his career and SMEs.
Supported projects include how to reduce the risk of microbial pathogens, understand the risks in new food and process and apply new knowledge to food security, including for home consumers.
In response to E epidemics. Coli producer of toxins Shiga (STEC), FSRN, with the CrIDED Food Association, play a role in coordinating an answer between companies, food testing laboratories and the government, to develop a STEC-formula test and clarify STEC’s regulations and report practices.
Alec Kyriakides, a food security consultant, said: “The FSRN has proven to be one of the most performance value networks for food security professionals where today’s food safety challenges can be explored and developed targeted solutions.”
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Executive President of BBSC, said: “Ensuring a safe, resilient and ready-made food system for the future is a national priority and which depends on a strong collaboration between science, industry and government.
The network implies the Quadram Institute, the University of Newcastle, the University of Southampton, will be Science, the University of Leeds, Medicine and the Regulatory Agency for Health Products, FSA, Alec Kyrikides, Fresh Produce Consortium, Samworth Brothers, Queen’s University Belfast, UK Edible Insects Association, ASDA and Child Food Association.
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