To support the European Commission in the development and implementation of the FOOD 2030 policy framework and its action plan, FIT4FOOD2030 aims to establish a sustainable multi-stakeholder, multi-level platform, mobilizing a wide variety of stakeholders at the level of cities, regions, countries, and Europe. Recognising the evolving nature of FOOD 2030, this Coordination and Support Action and its project structure should be flexible, responsive, inclusive, efficient, innovative, value-adding and supportive to the European Commission DG RTD FOOD 2030 initiative which is led by DG RTD Unit F3 Agri-Food Chain. The project will support the urgently needed transformation of research and innovation (R&I) on food and nutrition security (FNS) by providing a network and instruments for the adoption of a food system and Responsible Research and Innovation approach to R&I. For this purpose, FIT4FOOD2030 builds the 'FOOD2030 Platform' by developing three interlinked structures: 1) ‘EU think tank’ to act as linking pin between EC and Member States & Associated Countries; 2) ‘Policy Labs’ to increase and align public/private R&I policies/programs on FNS, building on and expanding existing national/regional networks; and 3) ‘City Labs’ to develop/pilot action-oriented trainings for students, consumers, researchers and professionals linking Science Centres/Science Shops to networks of Milan Urban Food Policy Pact cities. These structures interact regularly, exchanging information (e.g. on food system trends, R&I policy frameworks, best practices, breakthroughs) and plan and execute actions to support FOOD 2030. A sustainable network is achieved by using a Community of Practice (CoP) approach to network governance. FIT4FOOD2030’s activities comprise four phases: 1) actor identification/mobilization and visioning/system analysis; 2) pathways development; 3) action planning and training; and 4) scaling up and continuity. Cross-cutting components are: methodology development and transformative learning. The activities will result in the following outcomes: 1) mobilizing a diversity of actors & experts; 2) structuring and aligning R&I policies and programs; 3) raising awareness; and 4) building competencies of students, researchers, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and society at large.

The OLEUM project will generate innovative, more effective and harmonized analytical solutions to detect and fight the most common and emerging frauds and to verify the overall quality of olive oils (OOs). By a core group of 20 partners from 15 countries OLEUM will undertake RESEARCH ACTIVITIES based on the development of IMPROVED and NEW ANALYTICAL METHODS by targeted and omics approaches with the aim: i) to detect new markers of the soft deodorization process; ii) to discover illegal blends between OOs and other vegetable oils; iii) to control OO quality (e.g. freshness); iv) to improve the organoleptic assessment with a Quantitative Panel Test, based on current official methods, and supported by tailored reference materials for better calibration of the sensory panels coupled with rapid screening tools to facilitate the work of the panelists. The most promising OLEUM solutions will be subjected to VALIDATION in conformity with internationally agreed standards by peer laboratories. OLEUM will recreate a realistic “deodorization scenario” by producing tailored, soft deodorized OOs by lab-scale and up-scaled pilot plants to apply analytical solutions to known samples. Substantial KNOWLEDGE and TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER activities will be envisaged to aid in implementation of: a) a web-based easily-accessible, scalable and constantly updated OLEUM DATABANK, containing all the information from OLEUM research and other reliable international sources, will be available for download data and spectra and to help achieve satisfactory harmonization of analytical approaches among control laboratories; b) the OLEUM NETWORK of relevant OOs stakeholders to maximize the impact of proposed analytical solutions. Finally, a robust dissemination strategy by the OLEUM project aimed at effectively sharing results with all stakeholders in the OO supply chain has the potential to improve consumer and market confidence, and preserve the image of OOs on a global scale.

The main objective of YPACK is the pre-industrial scale up and validation of two innovative food packaging solutions (thermoformed tray and flow pack bag) based on PHA, with active and passive barrier properties. New packaging will use food industry by-products (cheese whey and almond shells), assure the biodegradability and recyclability, and reduce food waste, in the frame of the EU Circular Economy strategy. YPACK will use a holistic approach and methodology involving different knowledge areas: Development of packaging solutions (Production of PHBV layers, compounding, prototyping, Industrial Validation), Product Validation (Quality / Shelf life), Social approach (Customer profiling, Dissemination, Policies & Regulatory) and Market Assessment (Business study and Risk assessment). YPACK is aligned with the EU Circular Economy strategy, including the use of raw bio-based food industry by-products, LCA studies, recyclability & biodegradability of packaging and trying to reduce Food Waste. The project is constructed in line with the Responsible Research and Innovation guidelines of the European Commission. The project has a total duration of 36 months. Several processes related to the production of multilayered passive and active systems based on raw PHBV will be optimised and scaled up to pre-industrial size to validate the production of the proposed packaging solutions for extend the shelf life of selected food products. They consist in: i) a multilayer tray involving an inner active layer, and ii) a multilayer flow pack with improved barrier properties. A consumer profiling and market study will be performed at the first stage of the project in order to identify consumers´ preferences, market needs and match them with the new EU regulations and packaging materials breakthroughs.