EU project on micronutrient levels calls for food industry feedback
The aim of EURRECA, European micronutrient Recommendations Aligned, is to design a best-practice tool kit for assessing micronutrient requirements, such as folic acid, vitamin D and iron, and for devising nutrient recommendations for the EU-27 bloc.
Today, recommendations for micronutrient levels are disparate with most countries tending to use their own nationally derived values. But, with the tool kit in hand greater harmonisation could be achievable.
Broadening the debate, EURRECA is eager for food producers, such as bakers, to participate in the project, set to run until 2011.
"Part of the mandate is to gain feedback from firms involved in food preparation, production and technology," Marc Catchpole, speaking on behalf of the project, told BakeryandSnacks.com.
"We want to investigate how we can take the knowledge we have accumulated from universities and academics across Europe and apply it to SME's," he continued.
Food producers to access online forum
Last december the project launched an online forum that aims to facilitate feedback from food players, from supplement makers to software producers.
The project co-ordinators hope the forum will not enable food producers to tap into their growing body of knowledge, but also encourage valuable contributions from SME's that could in turn be used to move the project forward.
"The work of EURRECA on micronutrients has real importance for businesses in our sector right across Europe. By opening up that work and developing a dialogue with food companies, EURRECA is doing something unique and extremely worthwhile," said Sara Remon, research and development director at Novapan, a spanish bread and pastry company.
Food producers can access further details regarding the Network of Excellence project, that kicked-off in 2007, and the online forum at www.eurreca.org/everyone/5653.
