COVID19 BEAMitup (Diagnostic test SARS-CoV-2 and surrogate biological standard for sanitization validation)

Innovation: Project BEAMitup aims at providing a tool to evaluate hygiene in food-related environments, by validating if a rapid test used for bacteria can be adapted to the detection of viruses on surfaces. For this a platform will be developed to help food companies to quickly detect the presence of Coronavirus on food processing surfaces. Expected Results: A Consortium consisting of research, academia and the industry from five European countries, plans to develop a platform in the form of an automated testing device which will be installed directly at food processing facilities, providing results in less than one hour with no need for complex instrumentation or specialized personnel. The flexibility of this technology allows the incorporation of a varied group of tests within the food industry, including other emerging viruses. This simple, fast and inexpensive test kit could well be used in the industry as well as at e.g. artisanal level.