Traditional United Europe Food

The proposed Integrated Project (IP) aims to improve quality and safety and introduce innovation into Traditional European Food production systems through research, demonstration, dissemination and training activities. It focuses on increasing value to both consumers and producers and on supporting the development of realistic business plans for all components of the food chain, using a fork to farm approach. The proposed project has 5 main objectives: (i) Identify and quantify consumer perceptions, expectations and attitudes with respect to (a) safety and quality characteristics of traditional foods and (b) innovations that could be introduced into the traditional food industry. (5 % of project effort) (ii) Identify, evaluate and transfer into the industry innovations which guarantee food safety, especially with respect to microbiological and chemical hazards (20% of effort). (iii) Identify, evaluate and transfer into the industry innovations which improve the nutritional quality, while at the same time maintaining or improving other quality characteristics (e.g. sensory, environmental, ethical) and recognised by traditional food consumers (35% of effort) (iv) Support the marketing and supply chain development of traditional food products (10% of effort) (v) Facilitate effective technology transfer of innovations (those developed within the TRUEFOOD projects and in other EU, national and industry funded R&D projects) into traditional food industry (30% of effort)...