MyToolBox
"Safe Food and Feed through an Integrated ToolBox for Mycotoxin Management"
MyToolBox goes beyond the field-to-fork approach with the goal to reduce molds and mycotoxins in the food and feed chains. The project has been funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
The Mission of MyToolBox
Mycotoxins frequently occur in agricultural commodities and can pose a health hazard to both humans and animals even at low concentrations. The mission of the project is to produce novel findings, utilize current knowledge and integrate both into easy-to-use tool by industry stakeholders throughout the feed and food production chain.
Key Objectives of MyToolBox
- Novel pre-harvest reduction strategies:
- To implement alternatives to conventional fungicides
- To integrate cultural control protocols targeting the Fusarium inoculum
- To reduce aflatoxin occurrence in EU corn by using resistant plant cultivars and the use of atoxigenic Aspergillus strains (biocontrol)
- Novel post-harvest reduction strategies:
- To develop real-time post-harvest environmental monitoring systems for storage
- To develop non-invasive real time sorting of dried fruit
- To develop pre-milling processes in order to reduce mycotoxin contamination in wheat-based commodities.
- To develop novel baking processes at industrial scale in order to elucidate factors responsible for reduction and transformation of mycotoxins.
- To apply novel mycotoxin degrading enzymes to allow sustainable use of contaminated grains in biofuel production.
- Integrated MyToolBox e-platform for mycotoxin management:
- To develop forecasting models to predict potential fungal contamination of small grain cereals at an early growth stage
- Build a validated dynamic platform alerting for risk and offer take-action plan. Build protocols for prevention and control.
- Create cost-effective mycotoxin risk management strategies
The MyToolBox e-Platform
The MyToolBox e-platform is an internet-based tool that integrates all relevant information, and provides high quality mycotoxin risk management of small grains, maize, peanuts and dried figs, under EU and Chinese agricultural practices. It is available for farmers and stakeholders in the food and feed supply chain and provides information, tools and take-action guidance to facilitate the reduction of fungi and mycotoxins in the feed and food chain.