Phageguard, Nofima, and ZHAW Secure Eurostars project for new bacteriophage innovation
Phageguard secures Eurostars project in collaboration with Nofima and Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) to explore bacteriophage applications in dry powder food products
Although the food industry has access to various food safety processing aids, outbreaks caused by foodborne pathogenic bacteria continue to occur. These incidents impose a significant socio-economic burden due to public health risks and costly product recalls.
Traditionally, bacteriophage products are formulated in liquid form. The Eurostars project seeks to explore the feasibility of converting liquid bacteriophage solutions into a powder format. This innovation would enable the application of bacteriophages in dry powder products to enhance food safety systems. Dry powders, such as food additives and ground herbs or spices, are often contaminated with pathogens like L. monocytogenes or Salmonella. A powdered phage solution could address this challenge, offering a sustainable, effective, and organic bio-agent against foodborne pathogens in these contexts.
The primary goal of the project is to develop a robust technology platform for next-generation bacteriophage product formulations. To achieve this, Phageguard, in collaboration with Nofima and ZHAW, will select specific bacteriophages and develop prototype products validated for efficacy. These prototypes will be tested in applications such as spice mixtures, marinades, and dry-salted cold-smoked salmon.
The Eurostars programme is a funding and support programme, aimed at R&D-performing SMEs that aims to exploit the benefits that come with international collaboration.
Eurostars is a European joint programme, co-funded from the national budgets of 36 EUREKA countries and by the European Union through Horizon 2020. Eurostars has been carefully developed to answer to the specific needs of the R&D-performing SMEs, and targets the development of new products and services, giving easier access to international markets, thanks to the transnational nature of each project consortium.
The Eurostars applications pass through a highly-competitive selection process, being scrutinised by a panel of international research and business experts, to ensure that only the best business ideas and strongest partnerships get the support they need.