Work Packages

UCPH

sjs@bio.ku.dk

Søren J. Sørensen

WP1 will build on pre-existing knowledge already accrued from the isolation and characterisation of microbiota associated with marine and land-based food production systems, in order to improve the quantity, quality and safety of the food we produce and consume in Europe. WP1 will provide a user-friendly portal for access to standardisation data relevant for stakeholders in European food quality, safety and consumption.   Sub-objectives:

  • Collate all relevant data from the public domain on soil, animal and marine microbiome data and targeted microbiome examples from the SIMBA participants
  • Maintain an open access, public database for end users to access collected microbiome data
  • Provide validated user-friendly analysis and decision-making tools for retrieving useful and predictive information from collected microbiome data

ENEA

annamaria.bevivino@enea.it

Annamaria Bevivino

This WP will exploit the full potential of Planting Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) for sustainable crop production by optimising the efficacy and reproducibility of field applications. Key constraints leading to reduced field efficacy will be identified, tackled and eliminated thanks to the amelioration of formulations. It is expected that results obtained within this WP will provide an innovative tool for resource efficient crop production in the EU. Sub-objectives:

  • Identify and select the most promising PGPMs for each target crop (wheat, maize, potato and tomato)
  • Selection of improved PGPMs formulations through pot experiments and field trials using different delivery methods, under abiotic/biotic stress, and conventional and organic management
  • Identification of a spectrum of metagenomic biomarkers to be used as bioindicators of soil quality and fertility
  • Delivery of a list of the best mixture of PGPMs including the essential plant growth promoting functional groups
  • Enabling tools aiding producers to successfully deliver specific PGPMs to the soil
  • Draft a manual for PGPMs routine characterisation and testing of field efficacy and reproducibility, including directions for practical field application

NWO-I

henk.bolhuis@nioz.nl

Henk Bolhuis

This WP will apply and optimise various marine microbiome, including micro- and macro-algal to facilitate sustainable, climate proof aquaculture and agriculture. Key marine and salt marsh microbiomes will be identified to facilitate the growth of salt resistant crops and contributing to sustainable aquaculture. Sub-objectives:

  • Microbiomes will be applied in facilitating cultivation of micro- and macro-algae as direct or indirect food source
  • Optimising fish feed for sustainable fish farming
  • Using an interdisciplinary approach by applying marine microbiomes to cultivate conventional, salt tolerant crops coastal areas threatened by the predicted rise in sea water level
  • Investigate biofilms from different marine ecosystems, specific sources of beneficial nutrients and bioactive compounds

Luke

minna.kahala@luke.fi

Minna Kahala

To find and apply microbes that are suitable to convert agricultural residues, food side streams and raw materials to high quality food, feed or energy. Another important aim is to study the role of the food matrix and selected starter cultures in the production of beneficial compounds, like vitamin B12 and K, phenolic compounds and peptides to produce enriched food and feed products with improved digestibility and applicability. Sub-objectives:

  • Use microbial processing to agricultural residues for feed and energy
  • Select suitable microbes and raw-materials to increase the nutritional quality of food
  • Evaluate the nutritional and potential health benefits
  • Characterise the raw material, side streams and analyse beneficial and antinutritional compounds in fermented products after digestion

UH

anne-maria.pajari@helsinki.fi

Anne-Maria Pajari

This work package will address how sustainable food, different stages of food production, affects the human gut microbiota, thereby improving intestinal and systemic health and preventing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetics and colorectal cancer. Sub-objectives:

  • Analyse and model the composition and activity of human gut microbiota in relation to markers of the gut and metabolic health by utilising samples and data from an earlier intervention study
  • Assess the usefulness of using microbes to produce health-promoting food products from side-streams by studying the effects of a fermented canola-seaweed product in human subjects suffering from metabolic syndrome
  • Study the effects of polyphenol and bile acids identified in intervention data and bioactives after digestion on selected immune and gut epithelial cells in vitro

Luke

vesa.joutsjoki@luke.fi

Vesa Joutsjoki

WP6 will optimise, scale up and explore the business and market potential of the fermentation process developed in WP4. The possibility to produce soil microbiome consortia (WP2), marine microbiome consortia (WP3) and microbial consortia for feed and food processing (WP4) will be evaluated at an industrially relevant scale for product generation. Sub-objectives:

  • Validate the microbiome production at pilot scale
  • Establish and demonstrate a cryopreservation technique and rapid tests for identification of microbiomes
  • Scale-up and industrial validation of the production of the crops, microalgae and fermented food
  • Development of professional marketing plans

Wageningen University and Research

ine.vanderfels@wur.nl

Ine van der Fels-Klerx

This work package aims to increase the innovation capacity of the food system by stimulating the uptake of the microbial innovations by actors in food production, and by assessing the expected increase in overall sustainability. Sub-objectives:

  • Identify and define case study scenarios for microbial innovations
  • Identify and understand the technological, organisational and behavioural drivers and barriers for the uptake of the novel microbial technologies/products by the actors in the food system
  • Assess the overall increase in sustainability, including environmental, economic and social dimensions, of the microbial innovations in the food system
  • Provide recommendations to various groups of food system stakeholders for increasing the innovation capacity of the food system related to the implementation of the microbial innovative solutions of the project

AquaTT

marieke@aquatt.ie

Marieke Reuver

Work Package 8 will ensure effective external communication, dissemination and optimal knowledge transfer of SIMBA results, leading to effective exploitation of its innovation outputs. Sub-objectives:

  • Implement the SIMBA Dissemination and Exploitation Plan (DEP)
  • Facilitate communication and dissemination amongst stakeholders for a widespread awareness of the SIMBA microbiome applications and their benefit for food systems
  • Ensure that all Knowledge Outputs arising from SIMBA are captured and appropriately transferred and exploited by integrating Knowledge Management (KM) systems
  • Improve the professional skills and competences of those working or being trained to work within the European food industry through training activities
  • Exploitation of project results within IPR agreement

Luke

anne.pihlanto@luke.fi

Anne Pihlanto

This work package will coordinate the overall management of the project. The funding, long term outcomes, and feasibility of objectives will be continually assessed. Sub-objectives

  • Ensure the proper overall management of the project in order to strengthen and support the participant to achieve the objectives, milestones and deliverables
  • Make sure that the consortium’s contractual duties are carried out.
  • Advise and guide participants to comply with the EU regulations and their contractual legal requirements.
  • Abide by the “good practice” of resources management as presented in the Financial Guidelines
  • Set up an effective communication infrastructure and foster the integrative process with the consortium

Luke

anne.pihlanto@luke.fi

Anne Pihlanto

This Work Package will ensure compliance with the “ethics requirements” throughout all actions of the project. Such ethical requirements are to be developed to:

  • Detail information on informed consent procedures for research participants
  • Develop a data protection policy that is in line with GDPR, and consider this when dealing with personal data
  • Adhere and obtain all relevant authorisation for aquaculture experiments
  • Consider activities that take place in non-EU countries
  • Consider any possible harm to the environment