The SEASONED project, which aims to strengthen universities in widening countries, has been launched with a budget of EUR 1.5 million. The project leader is the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, with its partners Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche from Spain, Syddansk Universitet from Odense, Denmark, and the Basque Culinary Centre from San Sebastian, Spain. REDINN, from Italy, is the fifth partner in the team and will be responsible for communication.
The SEASONED project provides an opportunity to learn from the best and raise competencies in food sensorics. Specialized training courses will be planned, including some in Wrocław, several months-long internships, and summer schools for research and teaching staff, both those beginning their scientific careers and experienced researchers. Some of the activities will be aimed at doctoral students and undergraduates. Training is also planned for administrative staff in European project management and application writing.
The project is focused on creating a centre for sensory analysis of food with a particular focus on novel foods, led by Prof. Agnieszka Kita, chair of the Discipline Council of Food and Nutrition Technology and leader of the ‚Food and Health’ Leading Research Team. The goal is to improve competencies in food sensorics, especially in relation to new foods with designed properties, whether pro-health or prophylactic, on which research has been carried out at the Wrocław centre for several years.
The project will be implemented with the support of an advisory board comprising prominent experts in food sensory analysis. Thanks to this project, the competencies of scientists involved in the sensory analysis of food will be improved, and it is also an opportunity to build a leading centre in this research area for Central and Eastern Europe at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences - the Centre for Consumer Behaviour.
Prof. Agnieszka Kita, chair of the Discipline Council of Food and Nutrition Technology and leader of the „Food and Health” Leading Research Team emphasizes that the project provides an opportunity to learn from the best. The SEASONED project will offer specialized training courses, several months-long internships, and summer schools for research and teaching staff, including those beginning their scientific careers and experienced researchers. Some activities will be aimed at doctoral students and undergraduates. Training is also planned for administrative staff in European project management and application writing to apply for more projects.
The Centre for Innovative Technologies (CIT) at the university will be used to develop a leading centre for sensory analysis of food in Central and Eastern Europe, the Centre for Consumer Behaviour. This will include a section dedicated to food and nutrition technology. Prof. Kita stresses that this environment will benefit the food industry, consumers, and market research companies.
Sensory analysis, an organoleptic evaluation that guarantees the repeatability and reproducibility of results, is a critical project component. This includes research into additives, products, taste, texture, and appearance, not just nutritional value. The project will enable the university and leading research institutions from Spain, Denmark, and Italy to jointly develop a capacity-building programme, exchange and integrate knowledge and skills to access new research opportunities and develop new methods to prepare competitive research proposals within the EU and the global challenges embedded in the UN Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals.
