MC ITN network FOODSMARTPHONE (KB-37-002-016, KB-23-002-031)

At present, samples are still taken throughout the food production chain, registered and sent to laboratories where they are tested for residues of pesticides, antibiotics, natural toxins, allergens and other contaminants. Depending on the numbers of samples and the difficulty of testing, it may then take several days before the results are available, even though in most cases no deviations will be found. It is envisaged that in the future some of these tests will done on site by food inspectors using their smartphone. This would not only save time and money, but also means that laboratories can use their more advanced equipment to focus on the much more relevant suspected cases and to obtain evidence of any food safety violations. Besides enabling more efficient monitoring of food quality by professionals, it is quite conceivable that in the future even consumers will be able to use their smartphones for food testing. Then they will be supported by intelligent apps and wireless support to ensure the accuracy and quality of the measurement. That quality aspect is crucial when non-experts generate data and share them. In this project, 1 PhD student is working on and finalizing the development of confirmatory assays following smartphone-based screening for, amongst others, growth promotors.