PROPOSAL:	QLK1-1999-00996	ACRONYM	CMF
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:	1,476,290
STARTING DATE:	01/02/00	DURATION:	42 months

Coordinator: Prof.dr. N. Magan, Cranfield University, Cranfield Biotechnology Centre, Cranfield, UK -MK43 0AL, Bedford, United Kingdom, Email: n.magan@cranfield.ac.uk

Project Description:
In Europe wheat, barley and maize are significant components/ingredients in food and feed processing. All these materials for processing are known to be commonly colonised by Fusarium mould species, which are able to produce a range of mycotoxins, which can be dangerous and create a risk to humans and animals. Cereals are economically very important in the EU food production system, and in imported raw materials, particularly maize. Key entry points into processed foods includes via bread and bakery products, breakfast cereals, snacks, and beer, and via compounded animal feeds. The major Fusarium mycotoxins which can enter the food chain in temperate cereals: wheat, barley and oats are the trichothecenes (especially T-2 toxin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol (DON)), and zearalenone, and in maize: fumonisins, DON and zearalenone produced by Fusarium section Liseola species and F.graminearum. The overall objectives of this project are to examine systems of pre-harvest crop treatment, and post-harvest control to remove contaminants and prevent fungal development in food. It will provide biological and chemical means of detoxifying mycotoxins. This should also help identify the feasibility and the critical points where corrective measures can have a controlling effect for prevention of the entry of these mycotoxins into the food chain. The best combinations of treatments in the chain will be identified by the HACCP approach. The six key objectives to control and prevent contamination of food with Fusarium species and their mycotoxins are: Workpackage 1: Development of critical control systems: Use of ecological and control data for developing a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for identification, reduction and prevention of the risk of Fusarium mycotoxins entering the food chain. Workpackage 2: Preharvest Biocontrol: Development of biocompetitive strains for preharvest control and competitive exclusion of toxigenic fusaria, in cereal (wheat/barley/oats/maize) production. Workpackage 3: Post-harvest control: Novel natural control food-grade systems will be used for control of mycotoxigenic species and the reduction of chemical inputs into food. Workpackage 4: Decontamination using microbial inoculants for prevention of entry into animal production systems: Bacteria and yeasts will be used for the breakdown of mycotoxins in stored cereals Workpackage 5. Decontamination using physical means. Adsorbent materials and biomarkers will be used to assess the exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins (i.e. sphinganine/sphingasine ratio for fumonisins) to quantify the effectiveness of treatments. EXPECTED RESULTS Identification of critical points for remedial measures as part of HACCP systems for provision of food free from contamination by toxigenic Fusarium moulds and mycotoxins. Development and use of realistic biocontrol systems for significant reduction and control of Fusarium contamination and mycotoxins from the field into food Production of effective post-harvest food-grade chemical systems for control of Fusarium growth in stored cereals Successful development of microbial decontamination systems using microbial inoculants for the degradation of the mycotoxins in solid state fermentation systems and its use for animal feed Assessment of the best group of adsorbents for effective uptake and immobilisation of the Fusarium mycotoxins Testing of the best adsorbents in commercial scale for effective use on animal feeds. Provision of information on the clear critical control points to significantly reduce the risks from Fusarium mycotoxins entering food matrices APPLICATIONS Identification of potential biocontrol systems for commercial prevention of Fusarium contamination and infection of cereals and mycotoxin contamination pre-harvest. Large scale takeup of the best natural systems for post-harvest control in grain and flour in collaboration with SMEs Use of microbial systems for decontamination of mycotoxin in situ for animal feed Provision of economically viable adsorbent systems for prevention of Fusarium mycotoxins entering the animal food chain Provision of Hazard Analysis Systems for generic use in evaluating effectiveness of control systems for prevention of toxins entering the food chain from cereals Wide dissemination of information to EU end users and stake holders via Advisory Committee and End user platforms Please note: Projects QLK CT 1999 00433, 00996 and 01380 are linked together in a Cluster. The Cluster Co-ordinator is Prof. N. Magan, Cranfield University, UK.

Project URL: not known

Consortium:
Co-ordinator: Department: INSTITUTE OF BIOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Organisation: Cranfield University Wharley End MK43 0AL CRANFIELD, BEDFORD UNITED KINGDOM Participants Organisation: Istituto Sperimentale per la Patologia Vegetale Via C.G. Bertero 22 00156 ROMA ITALY Department: Ufficio Entrate Organisation: National Research Council of Italy 7 Piazzale Aldo Moro 7 00185 ROMA ITALY Department: DEPARTMENT OF PLANT BIOLOGY - FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES Organisation: University of Rome "La Sapienza" 2 Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 00185 ROMA ITALY Organisation: Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association -- Station Road GL55 6LD CHIPPING CAMPDEN, GLOUSTE UNITED KINGDOM Department: Departamento de Calidad y Desarrollo Organisation: Hero Espana S.A. Avenida de Murcia, 1, Apto. 8 30820 Alcantarilla SPAIN Organisation: COOPAS SCRL 'PRODUTTORI AGRICOLI SALENTINI' Strada Statale SS 459 Maglie-Gallipoli Km 3, 600 73024 MAGLIE ITALY Department: RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR PLANT PROTECTION Organisation: Agricultural Research Department 5 Binnenhaven 5 6709 PD WAGENINGEN NETHERLANDS Department: FOOD TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT Organisation: Universidad de Lleida 177 Avda Rovira Roure 177 25198 Lleida SPAIN Organisation: National Veterinary and Food Research Institute Hameentie 57 PO Box 368 00231 Helsinki FINLAND Department: DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY Organisation: IACR - Rothamsted Experimental Station West Common AL5 2JQ HARPENDEN UNITED KINGDOM

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