Institute of Food safety, Animal healths and Environment “BIOR” on March 1.,  this year begins to implement the ERDF and state budget co-financed project Nr.1.1.1.1/16/A/258 “Development and the application of innovative instrumental analytical methods for the combined determination of a wide range of chemical and biological contaminants in support of the bio-economy in the priority sectors of economy”. The agreement about the project implementation was concluded with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency on January 31,, this year.

The main objectives of the project involve development and know-how transfer activities of new knowledge and innovative experimental developments of practical significance developed for the research in the analytical chemistry and microbiology fields in the priority fields of the economy (agriculture, fisheries, food production, etc.) sectors.
Knowledge-based bio-economy, incorporated in the Latvian smart specialization strategy of 2013 highlights an importance of innovative technological solutions for the control of environmental and food safety promoting also the development of economic sector. The submitted project focuses on the multidisciplinary involvement of chemistry and microbiology experts, including young scientists on the work on research and experimental development of the methods for the assessment of chemical and biological contamination in food and environmental samples. That includes elaboration of rapid, sensitive and selective innovative multicomponent methods for the analysis of a wide range chemical and biological contaminants in food and environmental samples. The developed methods will be approbated at the Latvian Republic level, describing food safety regarded to chemical and biological contaminants levels in the products of Latvian origin. The project will provide the acquired know-how transfer between direct target groups (merchants, including food producers), young researchers and experts in the field of environmental and food safety management.
Project includes several industrial research and experimental developments created in food safety assessment, providing a multidisciplinary collaboration between the chemistry and microbiology field experts. The studies will include encouraging young scientists involved in the project activities corresponding to the project forwarded tasks, promoting research and innovation capacity of scientific institutions, promoting Latvian scientific institutions membership within the  intelligent scientific strategy setting the promotion, which is directly attributable to bio-economy strategy in  the priority sectors of the economy and the safety assessment for the development of innovative technologies for the control of food contaminants.
     The approved project meets several multidisciplinary scientific fields identified according to the OECD classification of sciences: chemistry (1.4), biology (1.6) and agriculture, forestry, fisheries (4.1).
The approved project is not related to economic activity. Dissemination of project results is planned in a form of technology and know-how transfer.
The main expected outcomes of the project include:
– Involvement of 4 young scientists;
– Development  and approval of  a number of innovative methods for the detection of chemical and biological contamination;
– Ensured knowledge transfer by publications (9), conferences (5) and knowledge transfer, as well as by producing  two local intellectual property licenses contracts and patenting two elaborated methods.
Experimental design maturity level of the project will result in: TRL 6 – Demonstration of technology in a simulated environment: the system model or prototype has been tested in a simulated environment. 
The total project costs: EUR 449, 617.00 (the planned ERDF aid (85%): EUR 382, 174, 44 and state budget aid (7, 5%): EUR33721, 28);
Implementation of the project is scheduled at the duration of thirty months (period: 01.03.2017. – 30.08. 2019).

Information prepared on 30.03.2017.