Ensure resilience of food supply chain against safety shocks

Food supply systems are under growing pressure. Global trade, climate change, political conflicts, and technological dependence make the availability of safe food more vulnerable than ever. Disruptions can arise unexpectedly, for example through contamination, supply chain failures, extreme weather events, or deliberate actions such as food fraud. To secure long-term supply and protect society, food systems must not only react to crises but be able to anticipate risks and adapt early. The ENRESFOOD project addresses this challenge by developing new ways to strengthen the resilience of food supply systems against both unintentional and intentional shocks. The central idea is to detect potential threats at an early stage and support decision-makers with clear, reliable information before problems escalate. To achieve this, ENRESFOOD brings together researchers, public authorities, and private-sector actors from across the food system. The project identifies key developments and warning signals that may indicate emerging risks to food safety and security. These signals range from environmental and economic changes to social and political trends. Advanced data analysis and artificial intelligence help to structure and evaluate this information in a transparent and efficient way. A core outcome of the project will be the ENRESFOOD Dashboard, an easy-to-use digital tool that helps users monitor risks and make informed decisions. Importantly, this tool is developed together with future users. Through workshops, surveys, and continuous dialogue, stakeholders actively shape the dashboard to ensure it meets real-world needs and can be applied in practice. The project consortium consists of four complementary partners from four European countries - Wageningen Food Safety Research (NL), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AT), the National Research Council of Italy (IT), and the University of the Bundeswehr Munich (DE) -combining expertise in food safety and data science, participatory approaches, AI and multimodal modelling, and socio-economic analysis. The Austrian Institute of Technology plays a leading role in identifying key risk drivers and in organizing the stakeholder engagement process. By combining scientific expertise with participatory approaches, ENRESFOOD aims to build trust, improve preparedness, and support a more resilient and sustainable food supply for society. Contact DI Dr. BEATRIX WEPNER Center for Innovation Systems & Policy AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH Giefinggasse 4 | 1210 Vienna | Austria T +43 50550-4528 | M +43 664 8157892 beatrix.wepner@ait.ac.at