On June 7^th-10^th, 2023 the participants of the „FOOD Quality in Digital Age” project visited the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Budapest (MATE)! 20 PhD students and researchers from Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia took part in laboratory trainings, project meetings and field trips to regional companies.

The meeting provided a great opportunity to network with local, regional and international stakeholders within the food production sector and disseminate the first project results.

During this event the University of Life Sciences in Lublin was represented by:

• Bartosz Sołowiej – Project Coordinator,
• dr Maciej Nastaj,
• dr Jagoda Szafranska,
• mgr inż. Anna Krajewska (PhD student),
• mgr Marlena Wosiak (International Projects Office),
• mgr inż. Robert Waraczewski (PhD student).

The laboratory training provided by MATE focused primarily on non-destructive analytical methods for food quality evaluation. The classes were carried out with the use of innovative educational tools based on the design thinking approach and real-life cases. The training was preceded by an on-line preparatory session which introduced the participants to the idea of co-creation and design thinking. Results of the laboratory work have been successfully presented by the PhD students during the special networking session following the BIOSYSFOODENG 2023 conference.

During their stay in Budapest, the participants took part in two on-site visits to regional food processing companies (egg production and processing, and meat processing), where they could watch the digital solutions applied to the food production process and discuss their possible improvements.

The visit provided a great opportunity to network with the local, regional and international stakeholders within the food production sector and beyond. Project Consortium met MATE’s network of international collaborators gathered i. a. within the E³UDRES² initiative and took part in a networking event that accompanied BIOSYSFOODENG 2023 conference, during which Prof. Bartosz Sołowiej (the Coordinator of the Project) gave an open lecture about the Visegrad Fund, the project and its first endeavors.

The second study visit within the project “FOOD Quality in Digital Age” left the participants excited about the upcoming events! In September – October 2023, they will take part in the 3rd meeting that will be organized in Belgrade and Kopaonik, Serbia by the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Belgrade on the topic of Computer Vision System (CVS).

We are pleased to announce that the “FOOD Quality in Digital Age” project has launched its website, where you will find more information about this initiative: www.digitalfoodquality.com.

Text: International Projects Office
Photos: FQiDA project participants

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.