The specific relevance of the RTD and NTC Pillars

RTD 1 Discovery and development

This task addresses pathogen-matrix interactions including biofilms defined as cells immobilised on a contact surface and often embedded in a matrix. For the first time measurements will be carried out using real time in-situ studies to investigate the factors that enable a pathogen to remain viable and establish itself in food and on feed matrices and food, feed and water contact surfaces. Advanced methods such as microscopy and the Optical tweezers will be used for the studies.

By use of peptide conversion evolution and Phage display, microbial surface molecules responsible for microbial adhesion to matrices and surfaces will be determined and subsequently used as target for prevention of adhesion. This will be done for pathogens as well as probiotic and protective cultures.

 PCR techniques and microarrays will be developed for determination and prediction of microbial expression of virulence, expression of stress and for expression of genes responsible adhesion. Microarrays for gene expressions will be adapted for the animal host i.e. pork, poultry and ruminants and enable host pathogen interactions to be studied at the molecular level.

Infectivity of viruses will be studied as a measurement of the effects of their matrix interactions and survival in the food chain.

 

RTD II Detection and Virulence traits

PathogenCombat will be visionary in the design of reliable and cost-effective sampling schemes and methods for detecting new and emerging pathogens. This is of significance as presently used analytical methods are inefficient as they lack both sensitivity and specificity. It is also important in relation to developments in the food industry in which raw materials and ingredients originate from many different countries and different production systems. Such external sources of new and emerging pathogens are also a likely source of pathogens with unknown patterns of resistance towards control methods and with unknown virulence traits. Stress adaptation and new virulence traits may develop within the particular food chain and in both situations call for appropriate control and detection methods to be applicable throughout the chain.

 Based upon the functional genomics studies, culture independent techniques to detect new and emerging pathogens will be developed. DNA-arrays for detection of pathogens and their virulence expression will be developed to predict the occurrence of pathogens as well as their virulence at a given time in the food chain and at the time of consumption. It is recognised that expression of virulence is independent of cell growth and hence numbers. Therefore, the numbers of pathogens, their viability and virulence expressions should be examined separately. Arrays for simultaneous detection of selected pathogens as well as selected virulence traits will be developed. To ensure the success of the new molecular based methods optimal conditions of resuscitation and enrichment of pathogens will be determined. The methods will be validated according to internationally accepted guidelines.

 

RTD III Control and Prevention

Attachment and establishment of viable and virulent pathogens in or on solid matrices is considered the most important route of transmission along the food chain. Detachment e.g. by cleaning or exposure to various food processing stresses leading to inactivation as well as loss of virulence will break this transmission.

Conditions leading to attachment of viable cells and methods for their detachment will be determined by the advanced microscopic techniques for relevant matrix interactions mimicking the food chain. Studies to determine the optimal hygienic design, materials to be used for food contact surfaces and cleaning procedures will be carried out. Protective and probiotic bacteria, which can prevent attachment by competitive exclusion in the food chain including the intestinal tract of pigs, chicken and ruminants as estimated by use of the functional cell model, will be identified. Cultures and novel processing technologies being capable of inhibiting or killing the pathogens in the food chain will also be identified.

 

RTD IV Application and Management

The food processing SME Partners and the food chain they belong to will be the targets and collaborators in application of the results obtained in RTD I, II and III and for the development of the generic and specific Food Safety Management Systems. It will be the transition of research and development into practical application in the food industry fully integrated with networking of SMEs and the training activities described in NTC I and NTC II respectively. The SMEs involved will be dealing with milk and dairy products, poultry, pigs, beef and lamb and their meat products. The transfer into practical application will include the validated culture independent techniques, microarrays and resuscitation and enrichment methods, hygienic design and processing, novel processing methods and protective and probiotic cultures.

Modelling of microbial food safety risk estimation will play a major role in the development of the Food Safety Management System by identification of CCPs of the HACCP based system developed. The modelling will also estimate the number of pathogens and their virulence at time of consumption, and incorporated in the Food Safety Management System.

 

 

NTC I SME Network

The integration of all SMEs and industrial Partners in PathogenCombat from the very beginning and the continuous exchange of knowledge and experiences gained are essential for the success of an Integrated Projects.

Through contacts to SMEs having experience from participating in EU projects in depth information will be obtained on the optimal method to integrate SMEs in PathogenCombat. The network will be made operational by establishing a net-based system of communication and the main purpose i.e. to ensure the transition from research to practical application will be given attention from the beginning of the Project. The function of the network will be supported by the training activities and the dissemination of Project results is described in NTC II.

To expand the network more SMEs and regulatory agencies will be identified by assistance from all PathogenCombat Partners via their personal and professional contacts, from national SME organisations and from the internet. Attention will be given to SMEs from the new Member States, Accession and INCO countries.

 

NTC II Training

It is the main objective of training to ensure the transition from research to practical application. Transition from research to practical application will be carried out to allow a European wide production of food with no or acceptably low level of pathogens. Such training will be organised in three levels. Level one will address the food producing SME Partners of PathogenCombat and ensure application and implementation of Project deliverables as described in WP13 ‘Application in the Food Chain’. At Level two SMEs outside PathogenCombat will be included in several regional workshops to teach the participants how to apply the deliverables of PathogenCombat including the Food Safety management System developed. Level three will be pan-European and based upon the SME network created in NTC III including national and European SME organisations as well as regulatory agencies and the transfer will be based upon the generic Food Safety Management System developed in WP15.

 

NTC III Consumer Awareness

This horizontal activity will involve the participation of consumers and consumer groups and organisations. It will establish methods for effectively communicating accurate information regarding food safety issues to European consumers. It will seek to strengthen our understanding of the role of food safety in consumer behaviour and thereby develop best practice in communicating with consumers to enhance their awareness of food safety issues. A study of the relevant literature to assess the state of the art in consumer behaviour studies relevant to PathogenCombat will also be undertaken. With the purpose to enhance industry awareness and communication, the need for systematic exchange of information between organisations throughout the entire food chain will be addressed. It will also be an objective of this horizontal activity to raise awareness of food safety issues throughout Europe and to strengthen the activities in NTC Pillars I and II. For example, with reference to the objective of PathogenCombat to enhance the use of protective and probiotic cultures, consumer preferences for new functional foods will be investigated to generate insights into the effective marketing and promotion of this type of product.