About the project

PROJECT SUMMARY

Revolutionizing selenium-enriched functional food

PATHFOOD is an EU funded, Horizon Europe Twinning project that aims to revolutionise the field of selenium-enriched functional food, aligning with the European Union’s strategic objectives for sustainable development, public health improvement, and socioeconomic growth, thereby strengthening the University of Warsaw’s (UW) standing as a leading institution in this research domain. It is a conduit for knowledge transfer and capacity building with internationally leading partners.

Our approach

The PATHFOOD project integrates multiple facets, ensuring
a comprehensive approach to selenium-enriched
functional food production:

Selenium
sourcing

Robust traceability
systems to ensure quality
and sustainability.

Innovative crop cultivation

Methods that enhance
selenium content while
minimising environmental
impact.

Optimised food processing

Techniques to preserve
selenium content and
develop consumer-
tailored functional food
products.

Advanced analytical methods

Utilizing high-performance
liquid chromatography
(HPLC) and high-
performance thin-layer
chromatography (HPTLC) to
scrutinise selenium content
and its speciation.

Regulatory compliance

Ensuring consumer health
and instilling confidence in
selenium-enriched food
products.

Commitment to gender equality and diversity

Adding to these dimensions, PATHFOOD is dedicated to achieving gender and diversity balance within the consortium throughout the project’s activities. All participating partners have established Gender Equality Plans (GEP) to foster inclusivity and diversity, enriching the project’s social impact and creating a more supportive research environment.

Open Science
for a better future

PATHFOOD champions an Open Science approach, making the research process more transparent and collaborative. By sharing methods, data, and findings with the broader scientific community, the project aims to accelerate the pace of discovery and ensure that research benefits are distributed widely. Our goal is to advance the frontiers of functional food development and foster global cooperation and innovation in pursuing healthier and more sustainable dietary choices.

Project objectives

Raise the research profile

To train new cohorts of Early-Stage Researchers capable of finding a leading role in the Functional Food discipline and strengthening UW’s position as a leading institution in selenium-enriched functional food research.

Engaging with the wider research community

To encourage increased mobility of qualified scientists and young researchers, including doctoral candidates, between participating institutions, thereby promoting the sharing of knowledge and ideas. Also, to actively engage with the wider community through outreach activities, highlighting the importance and impact of Functional Food principles in research.

Developing the Research Excellence

To explore new research avenues and create long-term joint Leading Research Groups with leading European institutions while building the capacity of the Polish staff.

Support research and innovation on a European level

To strengthen the research management capacities and administrative skills of the staff within UW. This will be achieved by tapping into experiences and best practices of our international partners.

Networking and Collaboration

To reduce networking gaps between science and business. To intensify the dialogue between researchers and entrepreneurs. To influence current policies on regional, national and European levels. To foster robust networking and collaboration with leading European institutions.

Build the project awareness

To get the attention of multiple identified audiences. To promote interaction between research and practice, making research more responsive to citizen’s needs and contexts.

Work Packages

To achieve its goals, PATHFOOD is structured into several interconnected work packages:

WP1

Upscaling the capacity of Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) and Experienced Researchers (ERs) – Technical Skills

WP2

Upscaling the capacity of ESRs and ERs – Soft Skills

WP3

Joint research and innovation capacity building

WP4

Upscaling the capacity of research management & administration units

WP5

Sustainability actions to continuously grow UW’s excellence

WP6 & WP7

Communication, dissemination, and exploitation

WP8 & WP9

Coordination and project management

Our Partners

PATHFOOD is a collaborative effort that brings togethera diverse consortium of partners, each contributing their expertise to the project’s success:

Uniwersytet Warszawski (Coordinator)

Leading research and coordination efforts, UW is pivotal to the success of PATHFOOD.

Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona

Specialising in innovative agricultural practices and food science.

Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

Providing expertise in biological systems and functional food research.

REDINN SRL

Overseeing project communication and dissemination of innovationspursuing.

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