UPWr leads project under Horizon-Widera programme

• The Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences has been successfully conducting research into novel foods for several years
• The international project, lead by the UPWR, is part of the development of a Consumer Behaviour Centre
• Poland used to be a global pioneer in the field of sensory analysis, i.e. food evaluation

The SEASONED project in the Horizon-Widera area is estimated at EUR 1.5 million. The project leader is the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, with its partners Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche from Spain, Syddansk Universitet from Odense, Denmark, and the Basque Culinary Center from San Sebastian, Spain. The last partner in the team is Redinn, from Italy, who will be responsible for communication. In addition, the project will be implemented with the support of an advisory board comprising of prominent experts in food sensory analysis.

The SEASONED project will raise competences

– The aim of the project is to improve competences in the area of food sensorics, especially in relation to new foods with designed properties, whether pro-health or prophylactic, on which research has been carried out at the Wrocław centre for several years. The project, together with funding granted by the European Commission, provides us with the opportunity to learn from the best. We are planning specialised training courses, including some in Wrocław, several months-long internships and summer schools for our research and teaching staff, both those beginning their scientific careers and experienced researchers. Some of the activities will be aimed at doctoral students as well as undergraduates. Training is also planned for administrative staff in European project management and application writing, because based on the experience we have gained thanks to SEASONED, we want to go further and apply for more projects – emphasises Prof. Agnieszka Kita.

Centre for Europe

Thanks to this project, which is being carried out with the aim of strengthening universities and centres in countries of the so-called 'new EU', not only will the competences of scientists involved in the sensory analysis of food be improved. As Prof. Kita admits, it is also an opportunity to build a leading centre in this research area for Central and Eastern Europe at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences – the Centre for Consumer Behaviour.

– We want to use the CIT, or Centre for Innovative Technologies, which is under construction at our university, for this purpose – with a section dedicated to food and nutrition technology. Of course it is the people and their competence that are most important, but these people also need the right tools for the job, i.e. space and equipment. As a whole it offers the possibility of a much broader perspective of influence and cooperation with many entities from a similar environment – explains Prof. Agnieszka Kita, adding that this environment is business, especially representatives of the food industry, but also consumers and companies researching the market.

No progress without evaluation

Sensory analysis is an organoleptic evaluation carried out in a way that guarantees the repeatability and reproducibility of results. This is achieved through strict adherence to procedures, detailed in relevant standards or departmental guidelines. In the case of food, including novel food, this is research into additives, products, both in terms of taste, texture and appearance, not just nutritional value. In Poland, work on the standardisation of analysis methodology was pioneering and globally unique, having started in 1960. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) did not begin similar work until 1969, formulating the first version of the document 'Sensory Analysis. Terminology'. The PN-ISO standard: 'Sensory analysis. Terminology' was created in 1997.

The project led by Prof. Kita will enable the UPWr and leading research institutions from Spain, Denmark and Italy to jointly develop a capacity-building programme to exchange and integrate knowledge and skills in order to access new research opportunities and develop new methods to prepare competitive research proposals within the EU and the global challenges embedded in the UN Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals.