Institute of Food Chain Science

Department of Digital Food Science

Institute of Food Chain Science
Department of Digital Food Science

Welcome to the website of the Department of Digital Food Science!

The Department started its work as the Digital Food Institute (DFI) on April 1, 2020 at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest, which is one of the most important places for the training of food safety professionals in Hungary. The unit integrates food chain safety data analysis and research along the whole food chain and takes networking in this area to a new level. We aim to be an internationally recognized hub of experts and researchers in the field of food chain safety data analysis.

Activities

Data analysis

Research

Education

Food health technology assessment

Partnership

Emerging risk identification

News

World Food Safety Day 2024

On 7 June, food safety will once again take centre stage. To mark the World Food Day, this year the organisers are raising awareness of the need to prepare for sudden and unexpected events.

07/06/24

CCMAS conference 2024

The 43rd FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Committee of Analytical and Sampling Methods (CCMAS) meeting took place in a hybrid framework this year from 13-18 May 2024.

28/05/24

Report on the 'Modern inspections with new technology' symposium

Dr. Zsuzsa Farkas participated at the symposium 'Modern inspections with new technology' organised by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) in The Hague at the end of February.

11/04/24

Do you know what we call emerging risk?

Why is it important to identify emerging risks?

In addition to the protection of human, animal and plant health, it provides input for strategic planning and analysis, decision-making processes, risk assessment and the adoption of appropriate risk management measures.

Would you like to be informed about emerging risks identified by DFI?

Take a look at the recently identified emerging risks on our website and to stay up to date, subscribe to our newsletter.

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Recently identified risks and signals

Antibiotic treatment of citrus fruits

There is no cure for the disease known as citrus greening, and the main control method so far has been to remove contaminated trees and treat orchards with an insecticide to control the vector. In the USA, the treatment of plantations with certain antibiotics has been authorised.

Human exposure to chlormequat

In a US study published in February 2024, attention was drawn to the high presence of the pesticide chlormequat in urine samples.

Food applications of bioactive extracts

Consumers worldwide are increasingly seeking healthier lifestyles and diets, leading to a growing demand for food products that contain fewer or no synthetic ingredients at all. Herbal extracts serve as a valuable source of biologically active components, however, they can also affect the characteristics of food products in both positive and negative ways.

Potential outbreaks associated with the ban of ethylene oxide

Ethylene oxide is a fungicide and insecticide, also used for surface disinfection (for its antimicrobial effect). Its use as plant protection product is prohibited in the EU, the reason being that the chemical is carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (teratogenic).

Mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP) found in the urine of numerous people

The detection of mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP) in urine samples has raised significant concerns regarding its potential health and environmental implications.

Are you interested in our latest news and upcoming events?