Introduction of novel foods, such as insects, will strongly contribute to the security and sustainability of our food supply. However, these novels foods need to be safe (EU regulation 2015/2283). Allergenicity assessment is an essential part of the safety assessment of novel foods. Unfortunately, current methods to assess de novo allergenicity lack predictive power and are not validated. Consequently, food producers and risk assessors struggle with allergenicity assessment, slowing down the introduction of novel foods in our food supply. Enabling the safe introduction of novel foods, while protecting humans from unacceptable food allergy risks, calls for a multidisciplinary approach. The ALLPreT consortium is a highly multidisciplinary group of experts from universities, research institutes, hospitals, patient organisations and industry arising from the EU COST Action ImpARAS (Improved Allergenicity Risk Assessment Strategy). This puts them in an ideal position to consolidate their previous collaboration and set up an innovative doctoral training network in this area. The overall goal of ALLPreT is to train the next generation of scientists who can tackle the shortcomings in the current food allergy assessment of novel food products. ALLPreT will train early stage researchers (ESRs) in the core aspects of food allergy risk assessment, immunology, protein chemistry, bioinformatics, in vitro/in vivo/in silico model development and complementary “soft” skills to deliver well educated young scientists, with a unique position within the EU labour market. The ESRs will explore the new field of research on de novo sensitisation by novel foods and develop a toolbox of in vitro/in vivo/in silico allergenicity prediction tools that are scientifically sound, validated and easily usable by industry and food safety authorities. This toolbox will contribute to fast and accurate safety assessment, thereby speeding up safety approval and market uptake of novel foods.

Microplastics (MPs) of various morphologies ranging from 1 µm - 5.0 mm in size have been ubiquitously detected in the environment, food, drinking water, and biota and may pose a threat to food safety, and human health. The highest reported concentration of MPs comes from the processing of foods in plastic packaging. MPs exposure to humans is more prevalent in infants than in any other age group due to the use of polypropylene (PP) based products in formula preparation. The difference in food intake and digestive physiology between infants and adults have been indicated as key contributors to the distinct patterns of proteolysis. In spite of MPs being frequently consumed with food proteins, data on the digestion process of cow’s milk in the presence of MPs are not available. The broad aim of the proposal is to investigate the effect of MPs from plastic packaging material on the digestibility of proteins in adults and infants. The project will focus on specific objectives: comparative digestibility of cow’s milk proteins in the presence of MPs (and aged MPs) in adult and infant digestion models; digestion of infant formulas in the presence of MPs in infant digestion models. The proposed study will use methodology applied in prior research and harmonised protocols for adult and infant digestion. To achieve the proposed aims, the researcher will get training through know-how transfer and research in digestion models, protein analysis, and digestomics from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry and get knowledge on MPs preparation and characterization during the short visit to Maastricht University Polymer Department. The proposed project aims to study an issue that has attracted global attention and therefore, the communication and dissemination measures will be oriented both to the scientific society and the wider public. The project will generate new knowledge on the impact of MPs on human nutrition and provide data that may be adopted by policymakers.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been identified as important signaling mediators in a myriad of physiological and pathological processes. There is an emerging effort to advance the exploitation of EVs in precision healthcare, with special emphasis on drug delivery and liquid biopsy. However, the current technology readiness level in the field and lack of standardized methodology guidelines are limiting the exploitation of EVs, so a significant leap toward the establishment of novel tools has to be made. EXPAND-EV’s main goal is to provide a unique solution for advancing the current diagnostic and therapeutic potential of EVs by developing and implementing versatile, scalable, cost-effective and reproducible purification systems, based on single-domain antibody affinity technology for high-performance scalable EVs capture, in two parallel lines of research: (I) the system will be validated in clinical laboratory settings on breast (BC), liver (HC) and lung cancer (LC) by analyzing differential expression of multi -omics (proteomic, glycomic and transcriptomic) EVs-related features, with the goal to develop a panel of biomarkers that would contribute in timely diagnostics, enable a convenient and non-invasive prognosis assessment and tailored therapy. (II) development of GMP-compliant protocol for producing edible plant EVs as carriers of therapeutic siRNA molecules. Their safety profile and therapeutic potential will be tested on BC, HC and LC cell lines and mouse models. By establishing a consortium composed of excellent research groups and SMEs across Europe, EXPAND-EV will bring forth the needed paradigm shift in EVs research by solving the major bottleneck issue in the field. Creating a simple, robust, cheap, scalable and reproducible EVs purification system will provide much-needed technology for application of EVs in personalized medicine, leading the transition of EVs use from a promising laboratory concept to a feasible and applicable theranostic agent.

Currently there are no portable test or biosensors validated for air, soil or water quality control for pathogens, Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) and Persistent Mobile Chemicals (PMCs), so such devices are much awaited by all stakeholders to ensure successful control and prevention of contamination and infections. Mobiles consortium will develop an interdisciplinary framework of expertise, and tools for monitoring, detection, and consequently mitigation of pollution from pathogens, CECs, PMCs, thus benefiting human and environmental health. Mobiles consortium will work to achieve the following objectives: Develop electronic biosensors for monitoring organic chemicals (pesticides, hormones) and antimicrobial resistance bacteria and pathogens in water, soil and air; Develop organism-based biosensor for detection of organic and inorganic pollution in water and soil; Study environmental performance of developed organisms and devices; Metagenomics analysis of organisms leaving in polluted areas in order to enable searches for diverse functionalities across multiple gene clusters Perform safety tests (e.g., EFSA) to assess the impact of developed organisms on the natural environment. Organism-based biosensor will consist on genetically modified chemiluminescent bacteria able to detect antibiotics, heavy metals, and pesticides in water; genetically modified plants that will change colour when in the soil is present arsenic; and marine diatoms that will be used to detect bioplastic degradation in marine and aquatic environments. Developed devices and organisms will be implemented by using flexible technologies, which can guarantee an easy adaptation to other biotic and abiotic pollutants. Devices and organisms, after proper validation and approval, could be used by consumers, inspection services and industry operators, as well as environmental emergency responders to monitor and detect PMCs, CECs and pathogens in water, air and soil