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.

Photonics is a key enabling technology in the realization of modern medical devices with applications ranging from diagnostics to personalised monitoring and therapeutics. Characteristic nature of both photonics and medical applications is high diversity. Therefore, the more widespread use of photonics technologies in scattered ecosystems presents major challenges for the technological values chains comprising end-user companies and manufacturers. In conjunction with highly regulated validation and production processes, the timespan from the proof-of-concept to product launch takes years causing high costs. Relying on existing pilot line concept, PhotonMed aims at accelerated uptake of the latest photonics technologies in medical device applications. PhotonMed project is applied to continuously renew the technology offering of photonics pilot line and to invite new members and countries to join the ecosystem. Within research-oriented PhotonMed project RTOs and industrial parties can develop their technology offering while the end-user companies get matured demonstrators based on the latest research results.