MREFS - A Multimedia Repository on European Food Science: Production, Quality and Safety

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, according to the EC, is seriously slowing down biotech R&D in the EU, particularly in the private sector, 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.

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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. It will address European biotechnology research in the area of Food Quality and Safety. <P>
The chosen stakeholders will be reached by using effective communication platforms: television, video, multimedia, internet and a publisher. The main deliverables of the project are sixteen high quality short films from six teen different EC sponsored projects. There will be three levels of disseminating the film contents and raw footage: i) through broadcasting media; ii) using an on-line internet based multimedia library and iii) by direct distribution of VHS, CD-ROM and DVD to target groups through our four associated networks and members of our extensive advisory board. Internet based Rapid Response Science Network will complement the project activities.