WP3: CHEMICAL HAZARD DETECTION AND DISCOVERY

WP3 will focus on the development of novel methods based on analytical chemistry and bioassays for the detection, monitoring and discovery of chemical hazards. It will include i) high-throughput and cost effective targeted detection of the key contaminants in the four case studies for improving surveillance by FSA while promoting self-monitoring by IFC and ii) non targeted approaches for the discovery of unsuspected and unknown contaminants combining high throughput quantitative bioassays of infant food toxicity, directed HRMS profiling and bio-and chemo-informatics. WP3 outcomes (databases, procedures, tools) will be translated into a DSS module dedicated to Hazard Detection (HD) which will be upgraded based on concatenation, benchmarking and harmonization of the databases, tools and procedures with the SAFFl Chinese mirror project.

Objectives

The aim of WP3 is to develop novel innovative approaches by combining the latest innovations in molecular biology and analytical chemistry for the detection, monitoring and discovery of chemical hazards and to establish all elements of a DSS module for chemical hazard detection. Specific objectives include: i) the development of high throughput, cost-effective and robust targeted approaches for the detection and monitoring of known priority contaminants to promote self-monitoring by the infant food companies and to improve the coverage of the safety surveillance by the European and Chinese food safety authorities; ii) the development and integration of non targeted analytical chemistry- and bioassay-based approaches for discovery of unknown or unsuspected contaminants and hazard characterization; iii) the integration of database, procedures and tools in the DSS module dedicated to hazard detection to be included in the WP5 DSS.