Food safety is essential for healthy eating and sustainable food systems. However, most current safety measures react to known dangers instead of preventing new ones. The World Health Organization reports that foodborne illnesses cause about 23 million cases of sickness and 4,700 deaths each year in Europe, despite strict food safety rules. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed adds that there are over 3,000 reports of contamination each year.
As climate change and geopolitical shifts happen, food systems become more vulnerable. Hazards are less predictable, meaning we need to rethink our safety measures to keep food secure and safe.
The HOLiFOOD project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Program, is working on improving food safety risk analysis. The goal is to catch food risks early and strengthen the entire food system.
- Creating a data-sharing network for identifying and managing food safety issues.
- Implementing early warning systems to detect emerging risks.
- Developing comprehensive risk assessment tools for changing global conditions.
- Involving citizens and stakeholders in knowledge sharing.
- Establishing methods to detect both existing and new threats.
The project focuses on three main areas: poultry, maize, and lentils. One of its key tasks is to set up a European Data and Knowledge Exchange Infrastructure. This new network will connect existing software tools used by various actors in the supply chain, providing a more integrated approach to risk management.
HOLiFOOD combines existing platforms, like FOODAKAI for risk forecasting and CREME Global for secure data hosting, to create a system that shares data and tools seamlessly. This helps in monitoring risks for the specific commodities the project targets.
Traditional food safety systems tend to overlook emerging threats. To change this, HOLiFOOD uses artificial intelligence and large-scale data analysis to identify risks more effectively. The project collects data from public sources and harnesses AI to focus on both existing and new threats to food safety.
One significant output is a Comprehensive European Food Safety database. This resource gathers and cleans vast amounts of data. For example, advanced AI models can now predict the presence of harmful substances like mycotoxins in cereals. The findings are presented on the HOLiFOOD platform for easy access.
Beyond prediction, the project looks at the bigger picture by evaluating food safety risks against health, environmental, and economic factors. Case studies are being performed on poultry, maize, and lentils, investigating how climate change influences these assessments.
The project also emphasizes collaboration. Living labs that involve experts, stakeholders, and end-users help ensure that developed tools and methods are practical and widely accepted.
In addition to data-sharing, the project focuses on refining detection methods for various hazards. This includes creating tools to identify both known contaminants, such as glyphosate in maize, and new chemicals using advanced techniques like high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Overall, HOLiFOOD shows promise in bridging gaps in food safety by creating a data-driven, proactive approach. This not only enhances Europe’s response to food safety risks but also opens the door for innovative technologies in risk assessment.
For more details on the HOLiFOOD project, check out HOLiFOOD’s official site or learn about its findings on CORDIS.
