Istituto Superiore di SanitĂ Italian National Institute of Health
The (Bio)Sensors’ System in Food Safety [BEST] A new patent on biosensing systems for toxicological HACCP in the food supply From know-how to industrial application
Activities for food safety
The worldwide accepted Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system so far targets mainly biohazards. However, there are new safety requirements from authorities and consumers. Enterprises involved in agro-food production are called to enforce their self-monitoring plans towards long-term, not readily discernable adverse factors for consumers’ health associated to environmental quality, undesirable compounds and animal welfare. The BEST introduces toxicity indexes in the HACCP plan.
Early risk management of anomalous toxicity-related variations in CCPs
Scenario The real-life monitoring of foods during production chains, covering mixtures of undesirable substances and protective factors.
Approach A grid of aspecific and specific markers of exposure is in continuum and simultaneously on-line monitored by sensitive, rapid, flexible, high-throughput, user-friendly Process Analytical Technology (PAT), based on (bio)sensors. Efficacy of corrective actions is verified as well. Absence of variability constitutes a component of quality: reference values, warning and action limits are established in situ by Control Charting during the routine production life.
Partnership is open
to implement the laboratory BEST prototype with engineering (including automation, miniaturization, and use of renewable energy)
edited by Publishing Activities, May 2009
and adaptation (validation) to specific production lines
Contact information: Chiara Frazzoli, Alberto Mantovani Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Istituto Superiore di SanitĂ Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161 Rome, Italy Tel +39 (0)6 4990 2815/2528 Fax +39 (0)6 4990 2658 chiara.frazzoli@iss.it alberto.mantovani@iss.it