Making food systems more resilient to food safety risks through the deployment of technological solutions

Projects will: align with European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy and the Food 2030 pathways; translate the EU’s strong knowledge base into marketable solutions addressing the “innovation paradox”; increase resilience of food systems to safety risks; enhance food chain and system competitiveness through close-to-market impactful applications; boost uptake and complementarity of results from past and existing EU Framework Programme, ERC and EIC projects; and contribute to EU climate action by deploying clean technologies in the food industry to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.

Proposals must: leverage existing EU Framework Programme knowledge and technologies to reach TRL 8; clearly define each technology’s starting TRL and roadmap to TRL 8; conduct an initial analysis of food chain needs and technology gaps in food safety hazards (including climate-related) and/or food fraud; develop and implement high-TRL digital or technological solutions close to market; favour innovative clean technologies in equal scenarios to reduce GHG emissions; include an exploitation plan with feasibility study, business plan, and identified funding sources; identify relevant regulations and recommend sandbox use for commercialisation; seek complementarities with specific past/ongoing topics (e.g. HORIZON-CL 6-2023-FARM2FORK, HORIZON-CL 6-2024-FARM2FORK); allocate tasks and resources for collaboration and technology transfer agreements; involve governmental/regulatory authorities (e.g. EFSA) alongside startups, SMEs, investors under a multi-actor approach; consider services of research infrastructures such as METROFOOD-RI; integrate citizen and societal engagement; and promote international cooperation.