Providing Risk-benefit Insights of Shifting to Meat Alternatives

ended

The ongoing shift towards plant-based diets and the higher intake of plant-based food might have caused a substantial change in the exposure of consumers to contaminants. Taking into consideration the climate change scenario, this could be particularly relevant for natural contaminants such as mycotoxins. The increased intake of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) might have altered the current dietary exposure used in risk assessments which stay at the basis of current regulatory frameworks. This project is designed as a proof of concept to assess the real PBMA contribution to the overall mycotoxin exposure in alternative diets, with the ultimate ambition to provide support to regulators and policymakers in improving the regulatory framework of meat substitutes. This MSCA will consist of spending 24 months at Parma University, under the supervision of Prof. Dall'Asta who is among the most renowned scientists in the field of natural toxins and has a well-known expertise in advanced mass spectrometry. During the fellowship, the candidate will undergo training for 4 months in human biomonitoring at ONIRIS-LABERCA. Consumer surveys, the development of new analytical methods for mycotoxins detection in PBMA, consumers' exposure to mycotoxins, and risk-benefit assessments will be carried out. Additional workshops, lectures, and a short visit will provide excellent training for the researcher in the field of food chemistry and risk assessment. To maximise the impact of the research outcomes, the candidate is planning to organize public engagement activities and publish papers in highly-ranked peer-reviewed journals which will benefit the lay public, the scientific community, and policymakers. This proposal will be a tremendous opportunity for Dr. Mihalache's career and will contribute to his long-term career perspective of following a tenure-track position in academia or an EU public institution.