Thermo Fisher Scientific Named as Member of Food Integrity Research Project
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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has been selected as a partner of INTELLItrace Work Package (WP) 18, part of the European Food Integrity Project aimed at developing a validation of untargeted methods to assure the quality, authenticity and safety of the food chain. Food fraud costs the global food industry $10-15 billion annually and as food supply chains become more globalized the problem is likely to increase.
Using the Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer, an LC-MS/MS system that combines quadruple precursor ion selection with high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) Orbitrap detection, Thermo Fisher will provide the data needed for accurate food tracking and authenticity. The data will enable other project partners, such as Mérieux Nutrisciences, to apply their analytical and statistical expertise to the identification of known and unknown adulterants in food. This will contribute to the development of enhanced early warning capabilities, as well as established methods and systems to ensure the integrity of the global food chain and meet the evolving regulatory demands of the industry.
The European Food Integrity Project is a European-based consortium that brings together organizations working across a range of industries, including producers, distributors, regulators, researchers and consumers, to assure the integrity of the food chain and enhance consumer confidence in the foods they purchase. The INTELLItrace WP 18 will focus on improving the detection of adulterated products, such as honey, wine, meat, fish, olive oil and coffee. The expected outcome of WP 18 will be the delivery of guidelines dedicated to the validation of non-targeted approaches applied to food authenticity and traceability.
“This collaboration is just one example of the steps we are taking to strengthen our partnerships with customers, researchers and regulatory agencies,” said Dr. Khalil Divan, senior director, global food and beverage market, Thermo Fisher. “It is through participation in collaborative projects like the European Food Integrity Project that we have the opportunity to address industry challenges and further develop our analytical tools and methods used to ensure consumers have access to safe food and beverages.”
“We are delighted to be a part of the Food Integrity Project, and look forward to working with Thermo Fisher and other partners to study, develop and validate innovative analytical approaches to tackle and prevent fraud in the food industry,” said Emiliano De Dominicis, R&D manager, Mérieux Nutrisciences and member of WP 18 (INTELLItrace). “Only by working together to enhance our analytical approaches and data sharing platforms can we tackle food fraud, improve consumer safety and secure brand integrity.”
WP 18 (INTELLItrace) is one activity backed by the Food Integrity Project (Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration, under grant agreement number 613688 - Coordinator: FERA, UK).
