The PHOTONFOOD consortium aims to provide an accurate, yet portable solution for flexible farm-to-fork sensing of microbial and chemical contamination in food products and along the food production chain. Existing detection methods are often costly and require specialised personnel to carry them out.

Scientists from eight European countries are collaborating in this EU-funded project to overcome these obstacles by developing an integrated solution that combines innovations in mid-infrared (MIR) sensing with smart paper-based sample treatment and advanced data analysis. Two new devices will be created, one of them handheld, allowing daily monitoring from the farm to the fork. The other device will be portable and developed for reference analysis at every step from the farm to the supermarket. Being validated and demonstrated in real scenarios throughout the food industry, the PHOTONFOOD devices will ensure that food is free from fungi, mycotoxins, pesticides and antibiotics.

Both food safety scanners allow fast and frequent testing at a reduced cost, preventing food waste by identifying critical contaminations early on and ensuring a healthy, reliable food supply.