QUALITYLOWINPUTFOOD - Improving Quality and Safety and Reduction of Cost in the European Organic and 'Low Input' Supply Chains

The proposed integrated project (ip) aims to improve quality, ensure safety and reduce costa long the organic and "low input" food supply chains through research, dissemination and training activities. It focuses on increasing value to both consumers and producers and on supporting the development formalistic business plans for all components of the food chain, using a fork to farm approach. The proposed project has 4 main objectives:
<OL> <LI> To identify consumer expectations, perceptions and actual buying behaviours towards organic and "low input" foods to enable such farming systems to be developed "in tune" with consumer expectations, using a range of consumer surveys/test marketing methodologies (7% of project effort).
<LI> To quantify the impact of current organic and "low input" management practices on the nutritional, sensory, microbiological and toxicological quality/safety of foods, using multi-factorial field trials and food analytical & nutritional experiments/surveys (30% of effort).
<LI> To develop novel strategies/technologies which improve the quality, ensure safety and reduce production cost throughout the organic and "low input" food supply chains. This will be achieved by a combination of laboratory and field research, including "farmer participatory" approaches and will be facilitated through involvement of 10 industry partner (6 sees) representing primary production, processing, marketing, services and quality assurance businesses (55% of effort).
<LI> To identify socio-economic, environmental and sustainability impacts of project innovations and efficiently disseminate project results and provide training opportunities to user and stakeholder groups and junior scientists (8% of effort).