FOODBIOMES IS NOW A “GOOD PRACTICE”

FOODBIOMES IS NOW A “GOOD PRACTICE”

The FOODBIOMES project was approved for funding on November 2020 under the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014-2020) and was launched in mid of December 2020.

One and a half years later, thanks to the efforts of researchers from the Democritus University of Thrace, the Ionian University, the Aegean University and the University of Ioannina as well as the support of ΚΥΚΛΟΣ ΠΟΙΟΤΗΤΑΣ-QLCon, FOODBIOMES is now listed between the “good practices” of the whole programme.

For more information on the programme post in Greek language follow the link http://kalespraktikes.antagonistikotita.gr/foodbiomes-protoporiaki-erevna-mikroviomatos-se-systimata-trofimon/

See the translated text of the programme post below. 

FOODBIOMES: Innovative research of microbiomes in food systems

The “Infrastructure of Microbiome Applications in Food Systems” with the acronym FOODBIOMES aspires to be a main pillar for the National, European and International research area, offering services and developing new products for users from various communities and levels of economic activity, while being a key link between innovation, education and research.

Recognizing the contribution of microbiomes and their derivatives in a specific environment (e.g. intestine, skin, food, plants), FOODBIOMES develops and utilizes relevant applications in food systems to enhance their functional action and produce new products of superior quality and functional characteristics. In addition, FOODBIOMES focuses on documenting the authenticity of food, on improving traditional production-processing techniques and on gaining new knowledge on the impact of innovative ingredients on human health.

The infrastructure was included in the Action “Regional Excellence in R&D Infrastructures”, funded by the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014-2020) and is co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).

Within the framework of FOODBIOMES, the implementation of research of high innovative level and scientific excellence is foreseen and is guided by the following main objectives:

• the isolation and characterization of potentially beneficial (probiotic) microorganisms from multiple sources,
• the utilization of probiotic strains for the production of novel, clinically documented, functional foods,
• the use of herbs and aromatic plants for the development of new food ingredients with functional properties and positive effects on the food and human microbiome,
• the characterization by innovative methodologies of complex extracts and the quantification of bioactive ingredients in nutritional interventions,
• the study of the effect of the food microbiome and functional components on the intestinal microbiome,
• the study of the utilization of the microbiome and the chemical imprint (profile) for the control of the authenticity of the food,
• the utilization of by-products of the agri-food sector for the development of sustainable food systems,
• the conduct of nutritional interventions-clinical studies to investigate the effect of functional foods on biomarkers related to the microbiome and the outcome of chronic diseases.

FOODBIOMES is implemented by the DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE (Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Department of Medicine and Department of Rural Development), the UNIVERSITY OF IOANNINA (Department of Chemistry), the IONIAN UNIVERSITY (Department of Chemistry) and the UNIVERSITY OF THE AEGEAN (Department of Food Science & Nutrition), and is based on the collaboration of laboratories and researchers with special know-how and infrastructure in the field of Agri-Food, a field that is a key priority for the whole country.

In full harmonization with the national Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3) 2014-2020 of the Regions of the participating institutions, the main objectives of FOODBIOMES are the following:

1. Strengthening and upgrading of the laboratory infrastructure and the organizational capacity of the members of the infrastructure, in order to carry out scientific work and develop services of high innovative level and excellence,
2. Development of technologies, processes, and new and differentiated foods, by utilizing existing and new research results on the positive effect of beneficial microorganisms on the human microbiome,
3. Production of new knowledge on the food microbiome and utilization of new data to enhance innovation, and functionality and to document the authenticity of traditional foods,
4. Networking of the infrastructure, with the aim of efficient and integrated utilization of technologies and the transfer of know-how, the creation of new collaborations with research bodies, local bodies and companies, the attraction of highly skilled researchers, the promotion of infrastructure services and international recognition of the infrastructure, and
5. Strengthening the organizational capacity and operation of the infrastructure and improving accessibility policies in order to provide an attractive working environment for highly skilled researchers and a single sustainable structure for the provision of specialized services to external users.

The FOODBIOMES Research Infrastructure is a Center of Excellence and a model Infrastructure for research, education and innovation, connecting local bodies with scientific centers at an international and European level, and also plays an important role in training and upgrading human resources and local industry strengthening at the same time the economy of the remote and island Regions of Eastern Thrace, Epirus, the North Aegean and the Ionian.