Focus on food safety

Markes International (Llantrisant, UK) has announced the formation of a partnership with Cardiff University (Wales, UK) and twelve partner organisations from across Europe to undertake a research project aimed at the improvement of the safety and quality of pre-packed fruit and vegetables. The initiative is co-funded by the European Commission through the 7^thFramework program.

The aim of the research project is to develop predictive, probabilistic models and decision-making tools to enable quantification and subsequent management of food spoilage by pathogenic microorganisms, therefore minimising risk to consumers. Technology developed by Markes International shall be used to monitor the extensive range of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) released by fruit and vegetables at a range of stages through the supply chain. During the test phase research will be focused on melons, rocket and pre-packed fruit salads.

“During the initial stages of the project, rather than using it to follow specific compounds, we’ll be looking at the bouquet of compounds and identifying important biological shifts” commented Dr Carsten Muller, from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, “At the moment there are no objective criteria for determining the safety and quality of fruit and vegetables. People working in the industry estimate shelf life simply by judging the appearance of the product. Whilst appearance is related to quality it is does not necessarily indicate the presence of pathogenic micro-organisms.”

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