CeSoH – Establishment and operationalization of a Competence Center for Soil Health and Food Safety – is a complex research, development and innovation project funded through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR-C9-I5) and linked to the Horizon Europe mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”. The investment is coordinated by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation (MCID); the funding contract is no. 760005/30.12.2022. The project ran for 40 months, from 01.01.2023 to 30.04.2026, with five specific research projects. Its closing conference was held at FoodYouTrust 2026 on 24 April 2026.
Objectives
- developing research and innovation solutions linked to the EU soil mission;
- public–private partnerships and knowledge transfer;
- increasing Romania’s participation in Horizon Europe missions;
- mapping research infrastructure;
- awareness campaigns on soil health.
ICA R&D’s contribution
According to the funding application, ICA R&D takes part in two of the specific projects:
- soil health and food safety through soil remediation – monitoring the transfer of pollutants from soil to plants and final products, and organising the regional and national debate;
- PRoEco – soil conservation and resilience through biodiversity and the functional safety of organic food products, centred on organic raspberry growing – chemical, contaminant and microbiological testing of soil; contaminants (pesticides, mycotoxins), microbiological quality and nutritional and bioactive profile of the fruit; pilot production and testing of organic functional ingredients and foods, with their technological and sensory characterisation; dissemination.
Consortium
- National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest – coordinator (project director: Dr. Eng. Irina Aura Istrate)
- University of Petroșani
- INMA – National Institute of Research and Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry
- “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați
- ICSI Râmnicu Vâlcea – National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies
- CEPROCIM S.A.
- Cromatec Plus SRL
- Artecom SRL
- EnviroEcoSmart SRL
- ICA Research & Development SRL – partner
- IRUM S.A.