Towards the harmonisation of analytical methods for monitoring food quality and safety in the food supply chain
Co-ordinator: International Association for Cereal Science and Technology, Austria
Client: European Commission, DG Research
Duration: 2007 – 2012
Website: www.moniqa.org
Objectives
The MoniQA Network of Excellence (NoE) aims at harmonisation of analytical methods for monitoring and controlling quality and safety in the food supply chain.
A globalised economy has rapidly increased international trade of a large variety of foods and food products. Consumer satisfaction and health are of utmost importance. Ensuring high quality and safety of food requires powerful and reliable tools and methods for food analysis and control. The MONIQA NoE integrates key organisations across the food supply chain around the world to find acceptable solutions for all stakeholders including the consumer, food manufacturers, food research institutes and regulatory bodies.
The network members will investigate mechanisms to coordinate and merge research activities, personnel and infrastructure to achieve synergetic affects. The resulting harmonised analytical strategies and methods, databases and training modules will extend beyond the network to associated partners and involved stakeholders. Food production industries and SMEs will benefit through harmonised analytical methods and technologies, as will the end consumers.
MoniQA will play an important role in European and worldwide food quality and safety research by creating a virtual laboratory for joint research, training, dissemination and mobility programmes. It will allow sharing of data and knowledge for harmonising the standards and performance quality of analytical methods for monitoring food quality and safety.
Integrating activities will facilitate shared access to world’s best research facilities, technological platforms, databases, analytical tools and knowledge. Joint research is directed towards the most pressing issues to fulfil food quality and safety policies, as well as citizens’ concerns. The network will develop common strategies for harmonising and validating detection methods and technologies to set new standards in quality and safety – within food production and extending throughout the whole food supply chain.
Partners
- University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Austria
- Ain Shams University, Egypt
- Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association, UK
- CER Groupe – Centre d’Economie Rurale, Belgium
- Eurofins, Germany
- Gaiker, Spain
- Central Science Laboratory, UK
- International Quality and Environment Services S.A., Greece
- TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, Turkey
- University of Food Technologies, Bulgaria
- Vocal Tag Ltd
- Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
- University of Naples Federico II Department of Food Science, Italy
- MATFORSK – Norwegian Food Research Institute, Norway
- National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece
- National Insitute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), The Netherlands
- Sichuan University, China
- National Institute for Research on Food and Nutrition (INRAN), Italy
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), New Zealand
- National Food and Nutrition Institute, Poland
- Hacettepe University, Turkey
- Chinese Cereals and Oils Association, China
- Institut Pertanian Bogor, India
- Hanoi University of Technology, Vietnam
- Institute of Food Research (IFR), UK
- Italian National Research Council, Institue of Science of Food Productions (ISPA), Italy
- RTD Services, Austria
- Joint Research Centre, Belgium
- University of Bonn, Germany
- The Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences (ICCR), Austria
- University of Bologna, Department of Statistics, Italy