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12/10/2005
NI researchers lead major safe food project
A multi-million pound research project on the topic of chemical food safety will be launched today by the European Commission in London and headed by Queen's University.
The project, which will be in close association with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), aims to help ease consumers' minds about the safety of food on their plate.
The BioCop initiative, led by Professor Chris Elliott from the Veterinary Sciences Division at Stormont, has received EU funding of £6.7 million to screen a variety of foodstuffs for multiple chemical contaminants, including pesticides, toxins and drugs. It is believed this is the largest food safety project of its kind in the world.
Professor Elliott, said: "We'll be looking for both manmade and natural contaminants, such as pesticides, endocrine disruptors and natural toxins, which can also affect the quality and safety of food. We will also be focusing on chemical contaminants in their totality, rather than looking for individual contaminants.
"An abnormal finger print will point to the presence of something in the food that shouldn't be there. Once this initial screening is carried out second line testing will identify and quantify the compound," he said.
The research team from Northern Ireland will be joined in the five-year project by 32 partners from 15 European countries as well as Canada in an effort to develop new technologies which will help ensure that any hidden dangers in many foods are detected long before being consumed by the public.
(MB/SP)
The project, which will be in close association with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), aims to help ease consumers' minds about the safety of food on their plate.
The BioCop initiative, led by Professor Chris Elliott from the Veterinary Sciences Division at Stormont, has received EU funding of £6.7 million to screen a variety of foodstuffs for multiple chemical contaminants, including pesticides, toxins and drugs. It is believed this is the largest food safety project of its kind in the world.
Professor Elliott, said: "We'll be looking for both manmade and natural contaminants, such as pesticides, endocrine disruptors and natural toxins, which can also affect the quality and safety of food. We will also be focusing on chemical contaminants in their totality, rather than looking for individual contaminants.
"An abnormal finger print will point to the presence of something in the food that shouldn't be there. Once this initial screening is carried out second line testing will identify and quantify the compound," he said.
The research team from Northern Ireland will be joined in the five-year project by 32 partners from 15 European countries as well as Canada in an effort to develop new technologies which will help ensure that any hidden dangers in many foods are detected long before being consumed by the public.
(MB/SP)
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A £150,000 support package for several projects promoting the quality of local food - such as the successful Taste of Ulster scheme - has been announced by the Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill. The Minister made the announcement today as she met with one of the beneficiaries of the funding support, Food NI.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Gale, coastal severe gale, northwest winds ease from late afternoon. Scattered showers will fall as snow over the hills at first, becoming isolated from mid-afternoon. Maximum temperature 7 °C.Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
