The contamination of food and feed with harmful fungal derived mycotoxins is a problem worldwide and worsening. Over 400 different mycotoxins are now known, some of them have been studied in great detail, while the data about toxicity and occurrence for many others are scarce. This information is required to determine the risk in relation to animal and human health and establish maximum permitted levels that do not pose any health concerns. The fast elimination of contaminated food and feed from the supply chain is crucial for the protection of human and animal health as many of these toxins can cause serious diseases both after acute and chronic exposure. The occurrence data cannot be provided without fast and reliable detection methods that allow quantification of these toxic contaminants. This research, therefore, is focused on delivering new fast antibody-based (ELISA) screening methods for the detection of three important mycotoxins: T-2/HT-2, ochratoxin A and sterigmatocystin and on the development of a first multiplex flow-through rapid (FTR) test for the simultaneous detection of mycotoxins in food and feed. These tests could be used by food and feed producers, importers and testing laboratories to assure food and feed safety on the European market. The researcher will work for two years with the food safety company EuroProxima (EP) in the Netherlands that will provide training and support of the development of the commercial analytical assays. The project will be also supported by the partner organisations - Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and RIKILT Wageningen UR (RIKILT) who will be hosting secondment phases in order to facilitate the work packages. This project aims to combine academic excellence with specialist SME know-how to work on a project with significant impact on public health and that offers a substantial commercial opportunity.

The overall aim of the MYCOBEANS project is to strengthen the collaboration and promote the excellence of the academic and non-academic institutions involved with the common goal of exploring the emerging risk due to the occurrence of mycotoxins in legumes intended as alternative plant proteins, and therefore increase the resilience of the beans and legumes sector. Thanks to its top-class partnership, MYCOBEANS will bring innovation in mycotoxins diagnostics, toxicological evaluation, and biotechnological mitigation along the entire plant protein supply chain. The consortium, led by the University of Parma, Italy, involves internationally-leading academic and non-academic partners from the EU, UK and ASEAN countries, and has been designed around the already existing network of the International Joint Research Center on Food Security, Thailand. The strong connectivity already in place among partners will ensure the knowledge and expertise transfer, help build new research alliances, and enrich staff and young researchers' capacities from all members of the consortium. Young researchers will be exposed to a very diverse and multidisciplinary environment, thus ensuring a quick professional growth. The specific objectives will be achieved through an extensive program of interdisciplinary and intersectoral short- and medium-term staff exchanges and expert visits, involving doctoral and postdoctoral researchers as well as senior staff, aimed at cross-pollination among scientific disciplines, from chemistry to toxicology, biotechnology, industrial processing as well as regulatory science. As a complement, a rich program of training workshops, seminars, summer schools and dissemination and outreach activities will ensure a significant impact both at a professional career level as well as for industry and society.