WATSON provides a methodological framework combined with a set of tools and systems that can detect and prevent fraudulent activities throughout the whole food chain thus accelerating the deployment of transparency solutions in the EU food systems. The proposed framework will improve sustainability of food chains by increasing food safety and reducing food fraud through systemic innovations that a) increase transparency in food supply chains through improved track-and-trace mechanisms containing accurate, time-relevant and untampered information for the food product throughout its whole journey, b) equip authorities and policy makers with data, knowledge and insights in order to have the complete situational awareness of the food chain and c) raise the consumer awareness on food safety and value, leading to the adoption of healthier lifestyles and the development of sustainable food ecosystems. WATSON implements an intelligence-based risk calculation approach to address the phenomenon of food fraud in a holistic way. The project includes three distinct pillars, namely, a) the identification of data gaps in the food chain, b) the provision of methods, processes and tools to detect and counter food fraud and c) the effective cross border collaboration of public authorities through accurate and trustworthy information sharing. WATSON will rely upon emerging technologies (AI, IoT, DLT, etc.) enabling transparency within supply chains through the development of a rigorous, traceability regime, and novel tools for rapid, non-invasive, on-the-spot analysis of food products. The results will be demonstrated in 6 use cases: a) prevention of counterfeit alcoholic beverages, b) preservation of the authenticity of PGI honey, c) on-site authenticity check and traceability of olive oil, d) the identification of possible manipulations at all stages of the meat chain, e) the improved traceability of high-value products in cereal and dairy chain, f) combat of salmon counterfeiting.

The REENFORCE project, led by the Agricultural University of Athens, aims to create a long-lasting cross-sectoral collaboration, to empower the R&I human capital base, increase the cross-sectoral collaboration and enhance the excellence of research performing organisations in the Widening countries of Greece and Portugal. The project’s thematic area lies in sustainable crop protection, more specifically in the topics of: (i) bio-based solutions and low-risk pesticides, (ii) ecotoxicology assessment of applied substances and (iii) smart spraying applications. REENFORCE addresses Action 4 of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, while it supports Europe's twin green and digital transition, in the context of agriculture and sustainable crop protection. REENFORCE consortium consists of 4 academic organisations, 4 private companies and 1 competence centre from two Widening countries (Greece and Portugal) and one non-Widening country (Belgium), specialising in the fields of bio-based, low-risk and smart application of pesticides. REENFORCE will map relevant needs and knowledge gaps in R&I and cross-sectoral collaborative research in Widening countries, defining the requirements for upskilling human capital and enhancing research organisations' excellence, following business sector demands. It will develop specialised training material, and will conduct multiple training activities (face-to-face & online), cross-border and cross-sectoral secondments of R&I talents (in the context of joint research studies and shared use of infrastructure), providing opportunities for personal career development. REENFORCE will propose best practices, institutional reforms and policy recommendations, to increase the excellence of R&I, and research support, in Widening countries, and will widely promote the economic, environmental and societal benefits of bio-based, low-risk and smart application of pesticides.

FOODGUARD aims to develop and demonstrate co-created solutions that will support innovations & advances based on microbiome, microbial activities & technology hubs to address food, health, economic and environmental challenges.The envisioned approach consists of a framework of toolsets & methodologies to provide sustainable solutions in food processing, packaging & across the food value chain to address food shelf-life increase & waste reduction in a holistic manner.The proposed solutions aim to (a) extend food shelf life with novel packaging/ biopreservation i.e. use of protective cultures/synthetic microbial consortia, recyclable films with natural antimicrobials or protective cultures;(b)monitor food quality/safety/shelf life with microbial indicators/molecular biomarkers used in smart packaging (TTIs, smart printed tags, no-invasive sensors)& (c) accurately predict food shelf life & improve traceability using predictive models, AI/ML, Internet of Things & tools like QR,NFR etc.; FOODGUARD toolbox components will be extensively evaluated in real life settings through four pilot demonstrations in 4 different countries with involvement of all relevant actors while covering diverse requirements and different food products. FOODGUARD outcomes target i) to minimize food loss and waste by shelf life extension and prediction,ii) to help the food industry to implement these preservation solutions as an alternative to chemical preservatives,iii)to deploy responsive policy for implementing these approaches as well as to engage consumers educated via tools/platforms, effectively improving awareness &trust in the food sector to(iv)increase traceability, providing real-time supply transparency that will improve the uptake of data-driven innovations in food systems, optimize resource efficiency (reducing food waste from farm to fork)(v)manage increased complexity in agri-food production & supply chain process, make it easier for consumers to adopt a healthy & safe food diet.

The excellence hub EXCEL4MED is an initiative to strengthen Mediterranean innovation excellence in innovation ecosystems focusing on the production of nutritious food products and the valorization of food industrial side-streams. It is a cross-border collaboration between Greece, Malta and France on a common strategy on strengthening the Mediterranean food added-value chains. EXCEL4MED innovation ecosystems will be interconnected with umbrella company organizations, research institutions, governmental bodies and societal actors that will be mutually reinforcing each other in a Mediterranean context and together will raise the level of innovation excellence in their regional fabric.

Our aim is to revolutionise the combat against food fraud and enhance transparency in our food supply chains. How? By establishing and mobilising The European Food Fraud Community of Practice (EFF-CoP), a sustainable Research and Innovation eco-system of food fraud researchers and end-users based on solid sociological principles. We have gathered a diverse group of stakeholders in our consortium, scientists, regulators, large and small-sized industry, the organic sector, existing networks with >4200 members, and more to lay the groundwork. They are catalysers to reach out rapidly to a large number of prospective EFF-CoP members. That is only the beginning. We will set out to understand the needs of the various stakeholder groups and the network structure to prioritise content and enhance information flows, and we set up the EFF-Hub as our virtual headquarters, an interactive collaborative space. From there, series of activities will be rolled out – sharing existing research and innovation resources and educational materials, developing new ones – Good Practice Recommendations, factsheets, and case study materials, and we will host engaging virtual and live events to facilitate interactive collaboration. These events involve food fraud festivals, gamification-based training courses, living labs, ‘authentic appetites’ podcast series, the EFF-CoP on Tour program, webinars, virtual cafes, a food fraud incident preparedness workshop, and dedicated events for the future generation. Our goal is to cultivate a vibrant community of over 5000 members at the end of the project, all dedicated to combating food fraud and learning from each other. To ensure our EFF-CoP stands the test of time, we are not only implementing the proven concept of ‘CoP design for evolution’ but also a comprehensive exploitation strategy and business plan. Together we will work towards a future with enhanced authenticity, traceability and transparency within our food supply chains.