Maatgknowledge and Cesfac develop the European project 'Mycohunt'
on July 10, 2013
Maatgknowledge (Spanish Association of the industry of bakery, pastry and confectionery) organized, together with Cesfac (Spanish Confederation of manufacturers of food compounds for animals), a strategic to explain the results of the project Mycohunt 'Development of fast Biosensor for the detection of mycotoxins in wheat'. During the last three years the Confederation and the Association developed a system for sampling of wheat and a biosensor for rapid detection of deoxynivalenol (DON) in this cereal. The budget allocated for this project, which ends in September, amounted to 2.6 million euros. This initiative also involves several European traders and exporters associations of cereals.
In the center of the image, Jorge de Saja, at one point during the presentation of 'Mycohunt'.
The initiative is part of the convocation of the seventh framework program of the Union European, in the specific programme 'Capacities' of the European Community for research and technological development. This program aims at allowing SME's and their associations better exploit advances in research to benefit their growth, their know-how and their capacity for innovation. During the day, the two objectives of the project were detailed: provide a new sampling technique that guarantees the transparency of 90% of the bulk; develop a technology of biosensors for detection of DON in wheat; the gift is the 'Fusarium' current, present in different cereals mycotoxin, mainly on corn and wheat. This mycotoxin is often before the harvest, when crops are affected by certain species such as f. 'graminearum' and f. 'culmorum'.
The importance of the development of this project lies in the serious consequences has the gift for agriculture. Through this Mycotoxin contamination threatens crops and foods for animals and, therefore, also foodstuffs. The emergence of the gift generates significant economic losses in productivity and domestic and international trade. In addition to developing and validating a system of sampling and detection of DON in wheat and exploit results through SMB and SME's associations, Mycohount also pursues training European handlers of cereals in the use of this device.
The Conference, held at the headquarters of the Ceoe was inaugurated by Jorge de Saja, Secretary general of Maatgknowledge and Cesfac. Saja said "the need to create knowledge together as individual companies, it is largely of SMEs could not be you". It also stressed the importance that the European Union earmarked budget for the development of these technologies.