PROPOSAL:	QLK1-1999-00433	ACRONYM	OTA PREV
AREA:	FP5 - QoL, 5/ 1:Food, Nutrition and Health 1 - Development of safe and flexible and new and/or improved manufacturing processes and technologies	Call number / date:	1a
PROJECT TYPE:	Shared Cost	EU CONTRIBUTION:	1,690,000
STARTING DATE:	2000-02-01	DURATION:	42 months

Coordinator: Dr. M. Olsen, National Food Administration, Biology Division, PO Box 622, SE -751 26, Uppsala, Sweden, Email: mool@slv.se

Project Description:
The over-all objective for this project is the protection of the consumer's health by decreasing the amount of ochratoxin A (OTA) in food produced in Europe. The project is aimed at establishing methods to prevent ochratoxin A in cereal products by applying a HACCP approach. The project includes the whole food chain from field to the final processed product. The objectives and expected achievements are divided into 4 different tasks, all important steps in a HACCP managing programme for ochratoxin A in cereals: 1.) identification of the critical control points (CCP); 2.) establishment of critical limits for the CCP's; 3.) developing rapid monitoring methods; and 4.) establishment of corrective action in the event of deviation of a critical limit. The outcome from all tasks will serve as a pool of knowledge for HACCP-based ochratoxin management programmes, which will increase food safety and in addition the marketability for the producer. Description of the work The workplan of the project is divided into 4 major tasks of which each corresponds to one of the objectives above. In task 1 the fungi that produce ochratoxin A (OTA), Penicillium verrucosum and certain Aspergillus species, will be identified in cereal samples from different parts of Europe and characterised in order to identify the contamination sources. Both traditional and molecular methods will be developed for detection and characterisation of the fungi. Mapping of OTA producing fungi and associated species in Europe, including a mapping of major clones of each species, will be done in a biogeographic study. A database on different farming methods used across the Community will be set up and potential critical control points will be assessed. Task 2 will provide new knowledge concerning the microbial ecology of the OTA producing fungi by studying the complex ecological interactions between water availability, temperature and gas composition on the dominance of OTA producers such as P.verrucosum in cereals. In addition, a mathematical model will be developed, for predictive microbiology, which describes the effect of water activity and temperature on the growth of P. verrucosum and OTA formation in cereal grain. New different biocides/or preservatives and natural control measures for inhibition of both fungal growth of toxigenic fungi and OTA production will be tested during different conditions and different steps of cereal processing. Rapid monitoring methods will be developed and validated in task 3. Systems using a biosensor assay technique based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) for the detection of OTA, and ELISA for the detection of OTA and OTA producing fungi will be developed. Moreover, PCR based detection of OTA producing fungi will also be developed, using both RT-PCR and NASBA based techniques to monitor OTA biosynthesis in the producing fungus when cultured under a variety of different physiological conditions. Finally, in task 4, corrective action during processing of cereals will be established.

Project URL: http://www.mycotoxin-prevention.com/Project1.htm

Consortium:
Co-ordinator: 1. Dr Monica Olsen (Co-ordinator), National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden. e-mail: mool@slv.se 2. MSc Nils Jonsson, Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 7033, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden 3. Prof Naresh Magan, Cranfield Biotechnology Centre, Cranfield University, Barton road, Silsoe, Beds. MK454DT, United Kingdom 4. Dr John Banks, Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom 5. Prof Corrado Fanelli, Laboratorio di Micologia, Universitā di Roma "La Sapienza" Largo Cristina di Svezia 24 , IT-00165 Rome, Italy 6. Dr Aldo Rizzo, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 368, National Veterinary and Food Research Institute, FIN-00231 Helsinki, Finland 7. Dr Auli Haikara, VTT Biotechnology and Food Research, P.O. Box 1500, FIN-02044 Espoo, Finland 8. Dr Alan Dobson, Microbiology Department, University College Cork, National University of Ireland Cork, Cork, Ireland 9. Dr Jens C. Frisvad, Biocentrum DTU, Technical University of Denmark, Building 221, Søltofts Plads, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark 10. Dr Stephen J Holmes, ADGEN Ltd, Nellies Gate, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW, United Kingdom 11. Managing Director, Esko Pajunen, Oy Panimolaboratorio-Bryggerilaboratorium AB, P.O. Box 16, FIN-02150 Espoo, Finland 12. M.Sc Sven-Johan Persson, AKRON-maskiner, SE-531 04 Järpås, Sweden 13. Dr Anders Jonsson, Svenska lantmännen ek. för., Östra Hamnen, SE-53187 Lidköping, Sweden

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