Project 3S_4H - Safe, Smart, Sustainable Food for Health

Intervention carried out using POR funding - Objective "Increase in business innovation activity" Part FESR European regional development fund 2014-2020, Axis 1: RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION, Action 1.1.4: Support for collaborative R&D activities for the development of new sustainable technologies, new products and services.

The 3S4H project “Safe, Smart, Sustainable food 4 Health” addresses the issues of food production from the point of view of safety, productivity, traceability, quality and sustainability, and the promotion of good health through a correct and careful diet. To ensure food quality and the sustainability of agri-food chains, it is necessary to control the production and origin of raw materials and the subsequent processing of a product, to ensure its nutritional validity while protecting intermediate and final safety. These aspects are accompanied by the concept of sustainability: food production systems must become extremely efficient, supply chains capable of producing safe and nutritious food, while at the same time decisively reducing the environmental impact. During the project, which will last three years, existing food chains will be studied and improved, thanks to the collaboration of the participating companies.

Innovative solutions will be tested on systems such as the supply chains of cereal, dairy, vegetable and medicinal plants. The project, in which 14 companies and five research organizations are involved, is divided into four research lines (WP), a line for management (WP0) and one for the communication of the most significant results to the public and sector experts (WP5). In the area of food safety (WP1 Safe Food), rapid methods for the determination of some pathogens, mycotoxins and contaminants on various food matrices will be developed. WP2 will deal with the topic of Smart Food and the possibility of enhancing and improving the nutritional capacity of foods also through the addition of components such as biomolecules and innovative phytocomplexes. WP3 (Sustainable Food) will be dedicated to the sustainability of processes, the enhancement and recovery of by-products, the application of alternative methodologies in the treatment of raw materials, preferably at low cost. WP4 (Health) will address the effects of smart nutrition on maintaining health and a good quality of life.

TARGETS:
1. characterize the raw materials and products of the traditional agri-food chains (cereals, dairy, vegetables, medicinal plants) in terms of safety and traceability;
2. valorize the traditional agri-food products produced by the territory;
3. identify new nutritional components (biomolecules, trace elements, phyto-derivatives) and develop unconventional methods to improve the value of foods and food supplements;
4. improve production in the food sector through more sustainable methods, enhancement of by-products, reduced energy consumption for safe, excellent supply chains integrated into the territorial system;
5. study the effects of a smart diet compared to a traditional one on some physiological processes;
6. improve the competitiveness of partner companies through professional qualification and innovation;
7. increase the productive and commercial value of the activities connected to the sectors of interest;
8. develop proactive and ongoing partnerships between companies and knowledge subjects or sector experts.

EXPECTED RESULTS:

Development of suitable methodologies for the rapid and widespread detection of mycotoxins and the traceability of raw materials and products of interest to partner companies; study of suitable methodologies for the identification and valorization of new nutritional principles in raw materials and products of interest to partner companies; study of suitable methodologies for the characterization and enhancement of by-products deriving from production and transformation processes from raw materials of interest to partner companies; study of non-traditional and sustainable methodologies for the treatment of raw materials and products of interest to partner companies; study of sustainable methodologies and processes to improve production in the food sector; development of a prototype to study the nutraceutical potential of foods in experimental models for the improvement of certain physiological processes (sleep / wake cycle, muscle tone); improve the competitiveness of companies through professional qualification and innovation; consolidate and continue the partnership between companies and knowledge subjects; provide useful information on the composition and quality of the products studied in order to promote them not only in Italy but also internationally.

PARTICIPATING COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS: A.I.A. AGRICOLA ITALIANA ALIMENTARE S.p.A., AGRIPHARMA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA AGRICOLA, CEREAL DOCKS S.p.A., CHELAB SRL, CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (CNR), ECAMRICERT SRL, EXPERTEAM SRL, FAVERO ANTONIO SRL, ILSA S.p.A., INDUSTRIA CASEARIA SILVIO BELLADELLI SRL, LATTERIA DI SOLIGO SOCIETA' AGRICOLA COOPERATIVA, MICROMED S.p.A. MOLINO QUAGLIA S.p.A., PHOENIX RICERCA E TECNOLOGIE OTTICHE SRL, SALIX SRL, UNIVERSITY CA’ FOSCARI VENICE, UNIVERSITY OF PADUA, UNIVERSITY OF VERONA, +WATT SRL.

TOTAL PLANNED EXPENDITURE: € 5.188.650,00

TOTAL EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION: € 2.797.600,00