©John Lambeth
A new partnership between five companies and research institutions has received funding from EIT Food, to develop rapid Covid-19 detection capabilities for food processing sites.
EIT Food is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an independent EU body established in 2008 ‘to strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate’.
Through initiatives such as creating and scaling-up agrifood start-ups, launching new innovative ingredients, and engaging the public, EIT Food aims to make the food system healthier and more sustainable.
A joint project between SwissDeCode (CH), Microbion (IT), IATA CSIC (ES), University of Helsinki (FI) and Eurofins (FR) has received €790k from the organisation, as part of the EIT Food ‘Covid-19 rapid response call for innovation projects’.
The funding will support the development of a platform to help companies quickly detect the presence of coronavirus on food processing surfaces.
The automated testing device will be able to provide results in less than an hour, without the need for complex instrumentation or specialised personnel.
The development and validation of the platform will continue over the next few months, and the device is expected to be market-ready by the end of the year.
The technology under development is said to be flexible, allowing for the incorporation of different tests, including for other emerging viruses.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024