BIOCOP - New Technologies to Screen Multiple Chemical Contaminants in Foods
Abstract
Chemical contaminant monitoring in foodstuffs is a highly important and complex issue. A huge investment in time and effort is placed on these activities by regulatory and industrial laboratories. As fresh demands from consumers and regulators grow to improve the quality and safety of food, the need for improved technologies has never been greater. The BioCop proposal has been constructed to supply regulators, consumers and industry with long-term solutions to the complex problems associated with chemical contaminant monitoring. A range of new technologies such as transcriptomics, proteomics and biosensors will be utilised within the project. These new approaches are based on measuring effect rather than on measuring single target compound concentrations. The "biomarker and fingerprinting" concept is key to this strategy. Substantial advances in sample preparation will be achieved using novel procedures such as aptamers, microwave assisted extraction and pressurised liquid extraction. Renowned experts from all classes of chemical contaminants will oversee the project to ensure fit-for-purpose texts are developed and validated to the required standards. BioCop has included all classes of compounds referred to in the call text (pesticides, environmental contaminants including heavy metals, natural toxins, therapeutic drugs and endocrine disrupters). The small to medium enterprise (SME) cluster in the project will ensure full exploitation of all developed technologies. This will be greatly assisted by the substantial phase of demonstration and training to all stakeholders included within the project. Dissemination activities to all stakeholders (regulators, food industries, laboratory networks and consumers) will be well organised by communication experts. Consumer groups will be informed about the aims and prograss of bioCop from the start of the project to the very end and will have mechanisms to feed back any views and concerns they have with regard to the highly important and emotive issue of food safety. The successful management of such an ambitious project will be a key to its success. A Biocop matrix management system has been developed to ensure high level organisation and communication exists.
Publikationen
Rapid Screening Electrochemical Methods for Aflatoxin B1 and Type-A Trichothecenes: A Preliminary Study
Autoren: S. Piermarini; G. Volpe; F. Ricci; L. Micheli; D. Moscone; G. Palleschi; M. Führer; R. Krska; S. Baumgartner Jahr: 2007
Journal articles
Project staff
Sabine Baumgartner
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Sabine Baumgartner
sabine.baumgartner@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-97314
Project Leader
01.01.2005 - 30.06.2007
Manuela Führer
Manuela Führer
manuela.fuehrer@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-97313
Project Staff
01.01.2005 - 30.06.2007
Patricia Schubert-Ullrich
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Patricia Schubert-Ullrich
Project Staff
01.01.2005 - 30.06.2007