
FSOLab 3 concept
On September 2021, the Food Safety Operational Lab 3 (FSOLab 3) kicked off with 22 participants from 14 nations across different business sectors (e.g., research, industry, academia, European Initiatives, Food Safety Authorities etc.).
FSOLab 3 aims to develop Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) in Food Safety addressing the fragmentation of the Food Safety Stakeholders, policy priorities and emerging technologies.
The relevant stakeholders which will be involved in FSOLab 3 are:
a) Authorities/Ministries: a leading role in promoting policies on the basis of the scientific evidence (EFSA, Food Safety Authorities);
b) Research/Academia: a secondary or supportive role in producing scientific evidence (Universities/research institutes);
c) Food Safety services, including laboratories: a secondary or supportive role in producing scientific evidence;
d) Food industry associations: influenced by food safety new knowledge and legislation (food industry associations);
e) Farmer associations-influenced by food safety new knowledge and legislation.
Why FSOLab 3 topic is important?
The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) will contribute to reinforcing the role of Europe as a global leader in food safety standards and to create broader impacts on society. Guaranteeing enough safe food for present and future generations mean strong innovation in methods for food production, processing, storage, preservation, transport, and distribution as well as in approaches to assess and monitor food quality and safety.
Pilot Actions
Two Pilot Actions were suggested for the core theme of the novel hazard and risks

Pilot Action No. 1: Alliance on Food systems: emerging risks and hazards
Goals:
– To bring together all the food safety actors for building a common strategy to address emerging risks and hazards
– To have an overall picture of the actors and repository of research/actions/initiatives
– European Food Safety Partnership as a tool for collaboration
– Pilot approach for building a part of the EFS Forum
Pilot Action No. 2: Fast-response RIA for emerging hazards
Goal:
– Strategy for a Research Innovation Agenda
Target groups (involved in drafting the SRIA through consultation and STEEPV analysis): national authorities (e.g. FSA), policy makers and risk managers (e.g DG Sante, EFSA), research, industry, consumers, society, professional associations, ad hoc young people structured group) to guarantee a systemic approach and cross-sectorial approach
FSOLab 3 Team

Denisa Duta
Lab Manager
National Research and Development Institute for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest

Biancamaria Ciasca
Lab Manager
CNR-ISPA
FSOLab 3 Next Steps & Updates
The drafted pilot ideas will be further analyzed and discussed in the 2nd FSOlab 3 workshop (Autumn 2021) to establish a priority list of topics for future research to address global challenges (SDGs, RRI).
You can know more about the results of the 1st Meeting of this FSOLab by reading the article here.