A new three-year EU project, led by Ireland, will see academics, regulators and the food industry unite to combat food fraud and enhance transparency in food supply chains.
A consortium of 20 organisations will establish and mobilise the ‘European Food Fraud Community of Practice: From Outset to Operation (EFF-CoP)’ project, with €2 million funding under Horizon Europe.
The project will bring together a community of scientists, regulators, small and large-sized businesses, laboratories and other stakeholders to create a research and innovation ecosystem to enhance food authenticity and traceability.
The EFF-CoP project is led by Professor of Food Supply Chain Integrity at University College Dublin (UCD) School of Agriculture and Food Science, Prof. Saskia van Ruth, who said anyone interested in joining the community is welcome.
The project will include food fraud festivals, gamification-based training courses, living labs, an ‘Authentic Appetites’ podcast series, webinars, virtual cafes, a food fraud incident preparedness workshop, and dedicated events for the future generation.
Project to combat food fraud
Over 5,000 scientists, regulators, small and large-sized businesses in food supply chains and laboratories will drive research and innovation to create a future of greater traceability and confidence in our foods, she said.
Commenting on the new EFF-CoP project, Prof. van Ruth said “food fraud reaches every dining table in the world and undermines the trust in our foods,” and added:
“EFF-CoP will revolutionise how we combat food fraud, promoting fair competition across food businesses and enhancing consumer faith across Europe.”
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be part of a knowledge-sharing network where they can learn from each other’s experience and expertise, benefitting from collaboration and innovation across borders.
“SMEs are not only the backbone but also the most dynamic force in Europe’s food sector,” the secretary general of the International Network for Small and Medium Enterprises (INSME), which is a consortium partner, Giovanni Zazzerini said.
“However, they often face significant challenges regarding ensuring full transparency and authenticity in their supply chains, especially with limited resources compared to large corporations.
“Recognising the weaknesses of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the EFF-CoP project directly addresses these challenges, empowering SMEs to take a lead in combating food fraud,” Zazzerini said.
Global non-profit membership organisation, SSAFE, which works through public-private partnerships to strengthen the global food supply and has been working on food fraud issues for over a decade, is also a consortium partner.
“This initiative provides a strong way forward to bring together stakeholders from across the EU and other parts of the world to collaboratively combat food fraud,” executive director of SSAFE, Quincy Lissaur said.