About the project

Globalisation and the pressure to increased industrial agriculture results deterioration of the environment, climate change and a serious threat to human and animal health. Soil contamination effected by the environmental pollution is one of the most pressing issues in the political and expertise debate on food safety within the related EU policies as Common agricultural policy, EU agri-environmental, EU food policy and EU health policy. 
Numerous studies have shown that heavy metals can accumulate in tissues, subsequently affect organ functions, and disrupt the reproductive, nervous or endocrine system. In general, heavy metal compounds are toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic in animals. They enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, or through the skin, and their presence can cause serious toxicity. Therefore, the health status in relation to xenobiotics should be monitored and explored.

The project arises from the need to contribute to food safety, quality control and/or effects of risk factors of food chain on animal and human health status. Therefore, the main aim of the project is to foster an expertise dialogue between the crucial experts (academics, public authorities, professionals from practice) in the field of food/feed management in the EU affecting the achieving the objectives of correlated EU policies and recently adopted European Green Deal.
The project activities will strengthen professional cooperation and research among experts from EU member states that will be invited to participate in the project activities. For this purpose of this project respecting the geographical and socio-political balances, following EU member states will be considered as partners: 

  • “old” EU member states (EU 15) – Netherland, Germany, Italy;
  • “Visegrad” EU member states: Slovakia, Czech republic, Hungary, Poland; 
  • “new” member states – Bulgaria, Croatia.
     

Objectives of the proposed project will be achieved through cross-fertilised approach integrated in all project activities as follows: 

  • multidisciplinarity of discussed aspects of the food/feed production and consumption (political, legal, socio-economic, agri-environmental and health aspects and toxicity);
  • expertise discussion of experts at different competence level (academics: researchers, teachers; public authorities: managing, control and decision-making authorities, professionals from practice: agri-food processors, famers).
     

Outcomes of the proposed project will be:

  • reinforced mutual cooperation among experts within the field;
  • improved state-of-the-art knowledge in the field that will be used in teaching and further research and/or project activities of educational and research institutions in the EU;
  • enhanced governance of food/feed production in the EU member states and subsequently in the EU;
  • enforced EU and national policies and legislation correlated to the field (agriculture, environment, food and health).