To understand the risk of alternative proteins and new plant based foods we aim to:
- investigate microbes and shelf life in new foods
- determine risk in new production systems
- share findings with industry and consumers
Examples of problems the network can address in this area
- Investigate the perceived microbial risk or shelf life of new food products by detecting and characterising pathogens and spoilage organisms (with alignment to data sharing and accessibility, in line with the priority of reducing microbial risks of known pathogens)
- Validate the use of diagnostic technologies (culture, molecular, genomic) and risk assessment applications for these new food categories
- With a wide view of the food chain, model where microbial risk may be introduced into the production of new food categories or due to new methods of production, packaging or distribution
- Evaluate the potential risks in new technology farming (e.g. vertical farming) if a pathogen were introduced into controlled agricultural systems used for growing plants
- Support transfer or training of good manufacturing practices and other best practices that have been established for other food categories
- Promote knowledge exchange with consumers on the safe storage and preparation of these new food categories
