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The Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast will lead one of the world’s largest food safety projects across Europe and China. The European Horizon 2020 programme and Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) programme have awarded €10 million towards an EU-China partnership to improve food safety and tackle food fraud.
The EU-China-Safe project will involve key players in the food industry, research organisations and Governments across two of the world’s largest trading areas.
Food fraud manifests itself in many ways, from horse meat labelled and sold as beef, as was the case in Europe in 2013, to illicit oil which saw slaughterhouse waste and sewage used in cooking oil, known as the 2014 ’gutter oil’ scandal in China.
EU-China-Safe will reduce food fraud and improve food safety through focusing on improving food legislation, food inspection and increasing access to information across both continents. State-of-the-art technologies including a virtual laboratory will create a unique space to share and demonstrate best practice.
The use of innovative technologies will result in improved detection of adulteration of food products as well as increased traceability and transparency of global supply chains.
Professor Elliott, Pro-Vice Chancellor at Queen’s and project co-ordinator, felt delighted that The Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University will lead this important project, bringing together key stakeholders in the global food system across two of the world’s largest trading markets.
He also added that this project will tackle these highly connected issues in a way that will serve to better protect several billion people. There is a pressing need to act internationally in response to emerging threats to food safety and fraud.
Working together as a coalition of 33 partners to share knowledge and maximise the technologies will empower the food industry to provide safer, authentic food and will boost consumers’ confidence and ultimately facilitate the expansion of EU-China trade.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is the only university in Hong Kong to participate in this significant food safety initiative. PolyU is glad to bring its cutting-edge food safety innovations and technologies to the international arena, by working together with 32 partners in EU and China, two of the world’s largest economies.
Through its pioneering research, its various technology development and collaborative research platforms established, as well as the University’s long-term engagement with the industry, government, research institutes and non-profit-organisations, PolyU will continue to contribute towards the advancement of global food safety in collaboration with stakeholders.