FARNHub
Food Authenticity Research Network Hub
The aim of WP2 is to build a comprehensive Knowledge Base (KB) linking each food product and its potential fraud or integrity issues, to appropriate analytical strategies that can be used for food fraud detection or authenticity testing.
Up to now more than 300 methods have been put in the KB by experts of WP2 in relation to various food fraud issues. A data quality check is ongoing for assuring harmonisation and relevance of data.
Furthermore, a beta-test involving more than 20 stakeholders, from control laboratories, food companies, professional associations and policy making bodies has been organised for getting feedback. A set of interesting comments have been collected and improvements of the IT tools are under development.
The question of the sustainability of the KB beyond the project has also been addressed. A transfer project of the KB to the JRC, expected early 2018, is under discussion. Freely accessible, the KB will be a knowledge reference in the field of food fraud. It will be used by food companies, in the case where they are facing an adulteration, for identifying analytical solutions for testing samples. It can also be used for preparing a control plan tailored to its needs and relevant for the food matrices or even for standardisation bodies to evaluate the status of validation of analytical methods efficient for a specific food fraud issue and select candidate method(s) for standardisation.
Including comprehensive and standardised metadata for the description of the method, the KB will act as a European focal point about analytical methods in the field of food fraud.
Screenshot of the homepage of the Food Integrity Knowledge Base dedicated to analytical methods.