As part of the Horizon Europe-funded MYMATCH Project, the Cranfield University – Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM) team has been busy collecting and drying wheat samples in the field for Work Package 5 (WP5) – a crucial step toward understanding and mitigating climate-related food safety risks.

WP5 focuses on:
– Sampling maize, wheat, and tomatoes across Europe
– Identifying and characterizing mycotoxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Alternaria
– Mapping the geographical occurrence of these fungi and their mycotoxins

After collection, the team carefully dries the samples to preserve them for further analysis before shipment. Sample integrity is key.

One of the highlights? A large oven capable of drying all samples simultaneously – efficient and quite impressive!
These steps are essential to:
– Ensure accurate identification of mycotoxigenic fungi
– Support predictive modelling of mycotoxin risks
– Contribute to mapping fungal occurrence across Europe

These efforts will feed into predictive models and support the development of the AI Mycotoxin Management Platform, helping farmers, researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers make informed decisions to safeguard food and feed.