Knowledge Based Bio-Economy

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BASELINE

Selection and improving of fit-for-purpose sampling procedures for specific foods and risks (FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY)

Project acronym: BASELINE

Title of project: Selection and improving of fit-for-purpose sampling procedures for specific foods and risks

Research area: Consumers

Contract No: 222738

EU contribution: €5 154 885

Start date: August 2009

Duration: 48 months

Objectives

Food Safety Objectives (FSOs) and Performance Objectives (POs) are new criteria in food safety based on risk assessment and  used to verify  a maximum frequency or concentration of microbiological hazards in foods. To be effective such criteria have to be verified using fit-for-purpose sampling schemes.

The BASELINE project is currently assessing relevance and possible values of POs and FSOs for a selection of food/risk combinations and is improving sampling schemes currently available for food authorities and food producers to verify the achievement of suggested POs and FSOs. The new or adapted sampling schemes include traditional and innovative analytical methods are structured to be cost-effective. The team is also developing predictive mathematical models for biological risks and investigating and modeling sources and pathways of chemical contaminants to improve sampling schemes.

Sampling schemes developed in the project – along with alternative detection methods – will be fully tested during the project, and ll scientific knowledge deriving from the project will be shared with stakeholders.

Expected impacts  

Health benefit

New food safety criteria for the most significant food matrixes will impact the health of European consumers. Indeed, regulatory authorities will check compliance with microbiological limits and reject (or take other appropriate action) non-compliant food lots. Furthermore, food business operators will verify the effectiveness of  HACCP  plans and good practices corresponding to guidelines and specifications.

Economic impact

The large-scale application of sampling schemes developed during BASELINE will increase the probability of detecting chemical and biological risks in foods before their distribution to consumers, decreasing the negative economic impact on both food producers and general society of food recalls and food-borne diseases, respectively.

Scientific impact

BASELINE innovations will lead to state-of-the-art sampling schemes, detection and analytical methods and modelling; knowledge of risk factors in individual countries and models for early warning of specified risk factors. These will be built on knowledge of the relationship between a food risk factor and indicator agents, as well as between food risk factors and traceable external parameters.

The validated and harmonised sampling techniques will be suitable for application along the food chain, for supporting and advancing food safety risk assessment and enhancing fraud detection.

The project will also lead to new knowledge on cost-effective sampling schemes for improving food safety and, as a consequence, consumer confidence.

Expected results

The most important result will be new knowledge on sampling schemes for risk assessment, including a mathematical approach for different groups of food products, such as seafood, eggs and egg products, fresh meat, milk and dairy products and plant products. This will be translated into clear recommendations to the European Commission and end users, and the results will have a significant impact on protecting human and veterinary health.

Website of project: www.baselineeurope.eu/

Coordinator: Gerardo Manfreda, gerardo.manfreda@unibo.it

Organisation: Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna,www.unibo.it/Portale/default.htm

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