The World Health Organization has estimated that almost 1 in 10 people (600 million total globally) suffer every year from contaminated foods and products with dangerous bacteria. Even though most healthy individuals will recover within a short period, this is not always the case, especially for vulnerable groups such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. Sometimes foodborne illnesses may lead to chronic or even life-threatening health issues.
What is Icy Trace?
Icy trace is a research effort for the implementation of a service over the monitoring and detection of authentic materials, allergens and pathogens into high quality food products via new metagenomic analysis methods.
Goal of the Icy Trace Project
The Icy Trace Project is an innovative integrated solution which is based on an initial sampling where the product is produced. The results of the offered analysis are stored on a blockchain technology solution to ensure the analysis data integrity. Main key factors of the project are the following:
- An integrated solution (hardware/ software) which provides identification data for the ingredients of the handmade product.
- Food safety for customers is of high priority.
- Possible fraud against retail consumers must be avoided
- Integrity of analysis data comes first.
The Ice Cream is a perfect case study for the following application to other food products of high quality. The Icy Trace Project is based on the combination of innovative international and domestic scientific research projects on informatics, metagenomic analysis and food biotechnology.
Dissemination materials
- Short video designed to explain the entire process of obtaining and delivering IcyTrace results.
- Project’s scientific poster.
- A concise brochure created for IcyTrace, targeting professionals in the food industry, as well as representatives from testing and quality assurance agencies.
Contributors of the Icy Trace Project
The project will be contacted by the SME companies, DNAsequence SRL Hellas, KLEOS and the MARIBOO Company. DNAsequence SRL Hellas as a biotechnology company, offers high expertise and specialized services under its respective sub-fields, including: bioinformatics and metagenomic technologies. KLEOS Company has experience in innovation management for the food sector whereas the MARIBOO is responsible for making handmade ice cream.
The results of this project will offer significant advantages to the mentioned companies, promoting their products for the near future. The project is expected to initiate the entrance into new global markets, provide knowhow and publication opportunities on international conferences and journals.
