Consortium overview

MYCOBEANS is implemented by a multidisciplinary and intersectoral consortium composed of academic and non-academic organisations from Europe, the United Kingdom and ASEAN countries. The consortium integrates complementary expertise in analytical chemistry, toxicology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, food chemistry, food processing and regulatory science, ensuring full coverage of the project objectives and strong integration between research and application.
The consortium includes six academic institutions, one public non-academic research organisation and four industrial partners. The partnership is based in the EU, the UK and the ASEAN region.


Coordinating Institution

University of Parma (UNIPR – Italy)

UNIPR coordinates the project and ensures scientific coherence, governance and dissemination activities. The institution contributes expertise in food safety, mycotoxin analysis and risk assessment, acting as a central hub for interdisciplinary integration across the consortium.

Principal Investigator: Chiara Dall’Asta

Academic partners

Europe & UK

University of Vienna (UNIVIE – Austria)

UNIVIE provides expertise in toxicology and exposure assessment, contributing to the evaluation of health risks associated with mycotoxin occurrence and combined exposure scenarios.

Principal Investigator: Doris Marko

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB – United Kingdom)

QUB provides long-lasting expertise in advanced analytical chemistry. Moreover it supports knowledge transfer and training activities, dissemination activities and public engagement.

Principal Investigator: Nicholas Birse
Thailand

Thammasat University (TU – Thailand)

TU contributes expertise in analytical chemistry and interlaboratory method development, supporting the detection and monitoring of mycotoxins in beans and legumes.

Principal Investigator: Awanwee Petchkongkaew

Mahidol University (MU – Thailand)

MU contributes expertise in molecular biology and bioinformatics, supporting the application of genomics-driven approaches to the study of fungal contamination and mycotoxin-related risks.

Principal Investigator: Thidathip Wongsurawat

Prince of Songkla University (PSU – Thailand)

PSU provides expertise in food science and food processing, contributing to the assessment of mycotoxin occurrence and mitigation strategies along the food production chain.

Principal Investigator: Chongdee Thammakhet-Buranachai

Non-academic partner

NSTDA-BIOTEC (Thailand)

NSTDA-BIOTEC contributes expertise in biotechnology and fermentation processes, supporting the development and evaluation of bio-based strategies and multi-omics integration for mycotoxin risk mitigation.

Principal Investigator: Nitsara Karoonuthaisiri

Industrial partners

Barilla (Italy)

Barilla contributes an industrial perspective on legume-based food products, supporting the alignment of research activities with real-world production and quality requirements.

Industry contact: Michele Suman

HiFood (Italy)

HiFood provides expertise in food ingredients and processing, contributing to the evaluation of practical mitigation strategies and their applicability in industrial contexts.

Industry contact: Daniele Mori

Biopharm (Italy)

Biopharm contributes experience in applied biotechnology, supporting the exploration of innovative bio-based solutions relevant to food and feed safety.

Industry contact: Michalina Oplatowska

Finnebrogue (United Kingdom)

Finnebrogue provides an industrial perspective on food processing and safety, contributing to the assessment of feasibility and scalability of mitigation approaches.

Industry contact: [Name]

International and intersectoral framework

The consortium builds on the existing network of the International Joint Research Center on Food Security (Thailand), providing a platform for long-term collaboration, staff mobility and capacity building across regions. Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration is embedded through staff exchanges, expert visits and joint activities involving early-career and senior researchers, ensuring effective knowledge transfer within a highly multidisciplinary environment.