Research project
24 | monthsMATRIX-RM

New matrix-reference materials for food safety

Related toSpoke 03
Principal investigators
Claudia Zoani
Other partecipantsPaola Sangiorgio, Emilia Pucci

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Project partners

Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile (ENEA)

Coordinator

Work packages involved

WP 3.3

Advanced methods for food safety

WP leader

Università degli studi di Parma

Task involved

Task 3.3.1.

The task includes evaluation of safety parameters in traditional and novel foods through the development of: a) chemical sensors and immunosensors for the selective detection of algal and plant toxins, and trace allergens; b) portable devices based on laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) and other spectroscopy techniques; c) Ambient Desorption Ionisation methods with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (DESI-HRMS); e) use of rt-PCR and digital droplet-PCR to evaluate new and (re)-emerging foodborne pathogenic species; f) metabolomics and proteomics strategies coupled to pathway analysis to evaluate the effects of emerging and re-emerging contaminants; d) analytical techniques, i.e., spectroscopic and MS-based, to determine biogenic amines, pesticides, veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins and processing toxicants; and g) new Matrix-Reference Materials to be characterised for food safety parameters will be developed, including preparation of test-lots, their characterization and homogeneity and stability studies.

Project deliverables

D3.3.1.6.

Report on feasibility studies to produce new food Matrix-RMs (M36)

State of the art

Reference materials (RMs) represent one of the main metrological tools in support to the achievement of reliable measurements, to be used in calibration, validation of measurement methods and quality control, guaranteeing metrological traceability, method validation and quality control. Therefore, it is extremely important to have available and use suitable RMs in support to all measurements and controls performed in relation to food safety, comprising identification and quantification of contaminants all along the supply chain. Despite an increase in the production of new RMs for the agrifood sector, there is still a lack of fit-for-purpose RMs. The need to develop new RMs is related to different factors, including the innovation in analytical techniques and method development, and the need to support laboratory accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025.

Operation plan

  1. Definition of the food matrixes and parameters (according to the outcomes of other tasks of WP3).
  2. Set-up of the procedure to prepare the Matrix-RMs.
  3. Preparation of test-lots.
  4. Characterisation of the test lots.
  5. Homogeneity studies (inter-, intra-bottle).
  6. Stability studies under thermal and luminous stress.
  7. Statistical analysis. 

Points 4,5,6 in collaboration with the partners performing the analyses in the other relevant tasks of WP3.

Expected results

Test-lots of new Matrix-Reference Materials of food matrices characterized for food safety parameters (n°2 new Matrix-RMs).