Fruitprint
January 2025 - December 2028
https://fruit-print-project.inp-toulouse.fr/en/index.html
Fruitprint is a MSCA-SE financed by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme under the call proposal HORIZON-MSCA-2023-SE-01-01. It has been proposed by a consortium of twelve organizations including the Department of Horticultural Genetics & Biotechnology of MAICH. The project aims to identify novel bioactive molecules to improve storage and limit post-harvest losses while reducing energy consumption.
A main challenge for human societies is to feed the ever-increasing world population while limiting the carbon footprint inherent in food production activities. These seemingly opposing challenges must be reconciled. Securing sufficient amount of food requires to master the post-harvest storage of fruit and vegetables, the main source of nutrients for human, especially if we aim to reduce meat consumption due to its high carbon footprint.
The project consists of 3 main steps:
- identification of novel bioactive molecules inhibiting ripening and senescence by in silico and in vitro screens of large libraries of chemical compounds,
- evaluation of the effectiveness of the selected bioactive molecules in post-harvest storage
- uncovering the molecular underpinnings of their beneficial effects on fruit and vegetables physiology.
FRUITPRINT project rely on multidisciplinary approaches and complementary expertise from partners on virtual screening, oxygen sensing, fruit physiology and post-harvest storage. It will build on original and innovative material such as high-throughput screening platform, bioluminescent plants and protein biosensors allowing in vivo screening, and facilities for post-harvest storage.