DTU’s National Food Institute in Mørkhøj is heading a major EU research project entitled Biotracer. The project is developing new methods for tracing pathogenic microorganisms in food and feed products.
Tracker dogs
The roast pork is from Russia, the cheese matures in the Ukraine, and the steak grew up in Argentina. As more food production moves to low-wage countries, and more goods cross national borders, the challenge to trace the source of outbreaks of illness, occasionally caused by food, increases.
“Tracing the source of an infection is becoming more important so that we can stop salmonella epidemics, for example. We must be able to find the one pig infected with salmonella to prevent an entire production being contaminated and consumers falling ill. We must be tracker dogs, operating all over the planet,” says Professor Jeffrey Hoorfar from DTU’s National Food Institute in Mørkhøj.
Professor Hoorfar is in charge of Biotracer, the large EU research project headed by DTU’s National Food Institute. Twenty-four countries all over the world are taking part in the project – from South Africa to Russia and Brazil to Indonesia. Within Denmark’s borders, KU Life, Statens Serum Institut, the Danish Meat Research Institute, as well as three Danish companies are also involved in the project.
Biotracer is a four-year research program that has a total budget in the region of DKK 100m. The purpose is to develop new methods for improving how we trace pathogenic microorganisms in food and feed products. Biotracer has four focus areas: Meat production, dairy production, food production and bioterror.
The air can disclose salmonella
Biotracer has joined forces with a Danish company called ilochip A/S in the fight against pathogenic microorganisms in meat production. Together, they have developed the prototype for a nanochip that can trace salmonella in barns.
The idea is for an air intake to pass air over the chip, which is located on the barn wall. If the chip detects salmonella in e.g. a flock of poultry, it sends a warning via satellite direct to the abattoir, for example.
DNA salmonella register
As part of the Biotracer project, researchers are currently establishing a compressed air laboratory in Mørkhøj where advanced technology is to help the research group to compile a kind of DNA register for e.g. salmonella.
“Today, we don’t differentiate very much when determining the type of salmonella. However, if we type salmonella bacteria by DNA, every time we find bacteria in food production, it’ll be easier to trace the source of an outbreak that may occur in the population. We’ll be able to consult our register and trace the precise source of infection – right down to the saucepan it came from.” Those are the professor’s visions.
Bioterror and feed production
While focusing on obvious bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, Biotracer also covers bioterror and feed production.
“Feed production is often overlooked but has a major influence on how infections can spread,” explains Jeffrey Hoorfar.
Within bioterror, researchers are studying bottled spring water. The EU Commission proposed the project and Biotracer has considered a number of scenarios for infected bottled water – whether intentional or coincidental.
Mathematicians talking to microbiologists
The Biotracer project focuses on encouraging researchers to work together across professional boundaries instead of working on subprojects in isolation.
About 10 researchers from DTU’s National Food Institute are attached to Biotracer, with an equivalent number at KU Life. About 30 PhD students are also working for Biotracer.
“Many people see food as a “soft” area of engineering. But our project is incredibly technical. Biotracer is not like many other food projects. We’re working with both software and mathematical disciplines and seeking engineering solutions,” explains Jeffrey Hoorfar.