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The overall aim of the Training Network is to train highly-skilled researchers on a range of predictive modelling tools to evaluate the effects of climate change on food safety (i.e. injurious to health due to mycotoxins/pathogenic bacteria or unfit for human consumption due to spoilage bacteria).
The programme will ensure enhanced collaboration between public and private sector partners through inter sectorial secondment and with active and full involvement of the non-academic sector in the training programme. It is therefore expected to develop European Innovation Capacity in the area and signal their ongoing commitment to produce and process safe food for all EU citizens while maintaining confidence in Europe’s largest manufacturing sector. Finally, through the activities of PROTECT technical and training expertise to train 8 highly skilled ESRs will be shared in the innovative areas of advanced modelling tools focused on investigating the impact of climate change on food safety, considering food as unsafe if it is injurious to health (due to pathogenic bacteria or mycotoxins) or unfit for human consumption (due to spoilage bacteria).
The industry led training of PROTECT will overcome fragmentation of training at the European level as the Training Network offers a unique combination of training for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in food science, risk assessment, statisticians, microbiology and engineering that would not be available at any one institute. ESRs will benefit from the symbiotic training provided by renowned internationally recognised scientists and industrial experts. This Training Network brings together some of the leading researchers in Europe, industry (Nestle, Danone, Arla, NIZO, Feiraco, Creme) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in a common goal to develop a world-class system to combat food chain vulnerability to climate change.

Partners:

The project is coordinated by Prof Enda Cummins kicked-off at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland. It compreises 6 academic partner (University of Malta, University of Nottingham, KU Leuven, ONIRIS, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Santiago de Compostela), 6 entreprises (Feiraco, CREME, Danone, Nizo Food Research, Nestlé, Arla Foods) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).