Creating a Sustainable Functional Food Chain: A Pathway to EU Climate Neutrality and Improved Health

PATHFOOD aims to revolutionise the field of selenium-enriched functional food, aligning with the European Union's strategic
objectives for sustainable development, public health improvement, and socioeconomic growth, thereby strengthening the
University of Warsaw's (UW) standing as a leading institution in this research domain. It is a conduit for knowledge transfer and
capacity building with internationally leading partners.
The project integrates multiple facets, from selenium sourcing with robust traceability systems to innovative crop cultivation
methods that enhance selenium content while minimising environmental impact. Additionally, the project focuses on optimising
food processing techniques to preserve selenium content and develop consumer-tailored functional food products. Advanced
analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography
(HPTLC) will be utilised to scrutinise selenium content and its speciation. Regulatory compliance forms a cornerstone, ensuring
consumer health and instilling confidence in selenium-enriched food products.
Adding to these dimensions, PATHFOOD is committed to achieving gender and diversity balance within the consortium throughout
the project's activities. All participating partners established policies (GEP) designed to foster gender equality, diversity, and inclusion
amongst employees, enriching the project's social impact.
Furthermore, the project espouses an Open Science approach, aiming to make the research process more transparent and
collaborative. This will facilitate the sharing of methods, data, and findings with the broader scientific community, thereby
accelerating the pace of discovery and ensuring that the research benefits are distributed more widely. The collective goal is to
advance the frontiers of functional food development and foster global cooperation and innovation in the pursuit of healthier and
more sustainable dietary choices.