Welcome
Multimedia Repository on EU Food Science
The MREFS project is funded through the Sixth European Framework Programme (FP6-2002-Food, Specific Support Actions, FOOD-9: 2002-T0) MREFS organises focus meetings and produces informative films that will be made available for viewing from this website. The internet facilities of the Multimedia Repository on European Food Science project have been integrated into the EUSEM initiative, which can be reached from the site map on the left.
Information on EUSEM can be found here. Further sources on science issues are in the resource section or among the continuously updated news items. The network section provides a possibility to consult experts for your science related quesions. For all other questions please contact the EUSEUM management team.
Project summary
Better and safer food production hold promise to improve the quality of life in our society. However, because of the complexity of the issues and the considerable background knowledge required, the balance between benefits and risks are not easily explained or evident.
The lack of support for agricultural and food applications of biotechnology in Europe is seriously slowing down biotech R&D in the EU and may put at risk Europe's competitiveness in a promising sector of new technologies. Broad public support is essential to attract human, financial and industrial resources to develop the technologies to meet societal needs and increase European competitiveness.
Constructive dialogue with the key stakeholders is needed to minimise unfounded concerns and maximise public empowerment on these complex issues, while at the same time, allowing a positive feedback to assure that science is moving forward in cohort with social needs and expectations.
The Multimedia Repository on European Food Science (MREFS) aims to narrow the gap between science and scientists on the one hand and key stakeholders: the general public, educators and media on the other. The project addresses European biotechnology research in the area of Food Quality and Safety. The chosen stakeholders are reached by the use of effective communication platforms that offer high impact value: television, video, multimedia, internet and a publisher. The main deliverables of the project are high quality short films from different EC sponsored projects. There are three levels of disseminating the films: i) through broadcasting media, ii) using an on-line internet based multimedia library and iii) by direct distribution of VHS, CD-ROM or DVD. An internet based Rapid Response Science Network and three Focus Meetings (including a book on the proceedings to be published by Springer) complement and strengthen the project activities.
