Pilot and Demonstration Chains (module A)
Status quo: 30 October, 2008
Co-ordinated by Brigitte Petersen, GIQS e.V. (Transborder Integrated Quality Assurance), Germany
Objectives
Pilot and demonstration activities are used for testing and implementation of innovative concepts along European pork production chains or network in practice.
Main results obtained so far included
| Pilot chain topic | Description | Partners | |
| 1. | Use of management tools based on quality management principles | The already existing combined animal health service system that provides preventive veterinary services should be improved fundamentally. This will be done by more efficient quality relevant data interchange developed in close collaboration with two software providers and the University of Bonn. The scientific input is important fort he conceptual development of supportive software based management tools. | EGO, Chainfood, Qualitype, University of Bonn, GIQS e.V. |
| 2. | Improvement of the exchange and use of quality relevant information | This pilot chain is mainly focused on the organisational optimisation of B2B (business to business) activities to improve pork chain management. The challenge is to implement a centralised information system in the holding Group Glon to improve the exchange and use of quality, animal health and business relevant information in the pork production chain. The information network is called Sanibase. | Group Glon, Chainfood, University of Bonn, Wageningen University, GIQS e.V. |
| 3. | Use of rapid methods for animal health, animal welfare and food safety | Acute phase proteins (APPs) are plasma proteins that increase in concentration following infection, inflammation, or trauma. The circulating concentrations of these proteins in pigs and cattle can provide an objective measure of the health status of an animal and are increasingly being used as markers of animal health and welfare. The pilot chain aims at the development of a stable rapid test based an APP and at the implementation of a rapid test in the industry for on-farm usage. | PigChamp Pro, University of Bonn, GIQS e.V. |
| 4. | Development of logistic concepts | This pilot chain develops a practical way of predicting water-holding capacity (WHC) of meat, which can be used on-line and is non-invasive under commercial production conditions. Using the quality parameter WHC techno-managerial logistical solutions will be developed to deal with variability across the pork chain. | VION Food Group, Wageningen University, GIQS e.V. |
Improving scientific knowledge
Pilot and demonstration chains validate results of core research activities of Module I-VI in specific European pork chains or networks. This way they act as "real-world laboratories" and will bring research from the academic environment to the business environment. The testing and implementation phase is important in order to find out if scientific concepts function in the business environment.
Possible impact for the pork chains
Pilots convert innovative ideas into real innovations by testing concepts. The experiences of the pilots will be made available through dissemination activities. So that results can be adopted by other actors outside the project.
Activities planned for future
Q-POrkChains aims at setting up additional pilot and demonstration activities. New industry partners will be integrated via two competitive calls at the beginning of 2009 and 2010 to test the most promising innovations deriving from the project.
Further information about the competitive calls will be available at the beginning of 2009 at www.q-porkchains-industry.org.