Seven clusters, two universities and almost 900 SMEs will work together to speed up innovation in the next three years to develop new foodstuffs, products and services for an ageing European population. This is the focus of the INCluSilver project of the European Union. In Sweden, Livsmedelsakademin (Skåne Food Innovation Network) is coordinating the project, and Magnus Friberg at Gulliksson has been appointed to the project’s ethics review board.
The INCluSilver project is financed by the EU Horizon 2020 programme, with a total budget of SEK 40 million. Innovation vouchers will be distributed to contractors throughout Europe that apply for research and development funding. Expert panels will review the applications.
“This is part of the EU’s investment in nutrition and health to meet the challenges of a population that is growing, and growing older”, says Gulliksson Partner Magnus Friberg, who has worked for many years on regulatory issues in the life sciences field, including foodstuffs.
INCluSilver comprises seven scientific areas: functional food and nutrition, e-health, the relationship between diet and physical activity, the relationship between diet and food production, information and social networking, logistics and packaging, and policy and healthcare systems. All of this will focus on the needs of the ageing population.
“There are always a number of legal aspects to consider in innovation. An ethics review is critical to make sure project budget estimates and research are handled ethically, thus ensuring that funding is distributed correctly. Studies and research must also be carried out in a manner that respects the individual and protects individual privacy. Food production technology demands ethical consideration as well, because of cloning, agricultural methods and production processes”, says Magnus Friberg, who looks forward to contributing his knowledge and insights to the ethical analyses and specific regulations and laws.
The Gulliksson law firm has years of experience of legal advice in research and development, especially in the food industry.
“A chain of production has many phases, especially in innovation. Taking into account legislation, more active authorities and competitors demands both reflection and foresight. Innovation in food and health for older people is a very exciting area that has great significance for everyone. I look forward to participating in this project and contributing to social progress.”
More about Skåne Food Innovation Network
Magnus Lagnevik is project coordinator of the INCluSilver project, and Lotta Törner is CEO of Skåne Food Innovation Network.
Skåne Food Innovation Network is the go-to hub in one of Europe’s most interesting food industry clusters. Foodstuff, production and processing businesses, retail and wholesale, universities and other institutes of higher education, regulatory authorities and agricultural organizations all work side by side through Skåne Food Innovation Network to develop the food industry. Skåne Food Innovation Network helps create meeting places, networks and projects that facilitate dialogue and renewal, and raise innovation and competitiveness to new levels throughout the entire nutrition and foodservice industry. Food Innovation Network builds the nutrition and food-production businesses of the future. Read more at www.livsmedelsakademin.se, mostly in Swedish.
