Utmaning

Göteborg står inför flera vattenrelaterade utmaningar. Stora mängder dricksvatten går förlorade genom läckage, både i det allmänna och privata ledningsnät. Hushållens förbrukning per person minskar, men det totala behovet ökar med befolkningstillväxten. Verksamheter använder dricksvatten i processer där alternativ hade varit möjliga men att använda en annan vattenkälla än dricksvatten är krångligt och stödjande lagstiftning saknas. Samtidigt behöver både tekniska system, beteenden och avtalsformer förändras. 

Syfte och mål

Projektets övergripande syfte är att minska Göteborgs dricksvattenbehov genom att i samverkan utveckla och testa lösningar för att minska dricksvattenläckage i ledningsnätet samt reducera dricksvattenanvändning i flerbostadshus och verksamheter och möjliggöra användning av andra vattenkällor än dricksvatten. Målet är att få fram tillräckligt med vatten av rätt kvalitet för stadens olika behov med ett minimum av miljö- och klimatpåverkan. 

Förväntade effekter och resultat

Projektet innebär ett betydande steg mot hållbart vatten för alla 2050 genom att:

• Adressera teknik, styrning och beteendeförändring som leder till minskade vattenuttag.
• Utveckla och implementera lösningar för att minska både vattenförluster och överanvändning.
• Synliggöra förbrukning och skapa drivkrafter till åtgärder för att effektivisera vattenanvändning.
• Identifiera och adressera hinder som idag begränsar återanvändning. Projektet ökar kunskap och förståelse för behovsanpassad vattenkvalitet, vilket möjliggör bredare användning av återvunnet vatten.
• Förenkla diversifiering av vattenkällor och kvaliteter, minska läckage och förbättra styrning av VA-anläggningen, för ett robustare försörjningssystem.

Planerat upplägg och genomförande

Omställningslabbet etableras stegvis med Göteborg som testbädd och kan därefter byggas ut till en nationell nod för innovation och rådgivning.

Need for more flexible climate data

The link between climate impact and food production is well established in research, and RISE’s climate database for food has been developed to make it easier for actors in the food chain, policymakers and consumers to make decisions that lead to reduced climate impact.
As new requirements and directives for climate reporting are placed on the industry, the demands on the underlying data are also changing. To meet these requirements, an entirely new climate database is needed, where data can be modelled and climate footprints calculated automatically.

A bottom‑up modelled database

The FOODWISE project aims to develop a bottom‑up database model that provides generic climate footprints for food products to Sweden’s food sector. The database will create transparency and flexibility while generating comparable and consistent climate footprints.
A modelled climate database also offers advantages when input data or calculation methods need updating.

FOODWISE will also make it possible to break down climate impact into different activities in the production chain and into emissions of different types of greenhouse gases. The climate database will also, like today’s version, provide a total climate footprint for users who need it.

Relevant data enables better decisions and measures for reducing climate impact

The new database will follow both national and international guidelines and provide more flexible breakdowns of climate indicators, which is crucial for driving development toward more sustainable food production and consumption.
In the short term, the database will make it easier for companies in the food chain to access relevant climate data in their work. This has major implications for climate reporting and follow‑up of climate targets and is useful for decision‑making throughout the food chain.

Food companies and meal‑service organisations can use the climate database to steer menus and product assortments toward lower climate impact. Retailers can use the climate footprint of food products to guide customers toward climate‑friendlier choices.
In the long term, the goal is to reduce climate impact from production and consumption throughout the food chain and thereby accelerate the necessary transition toward lower climate impact.

Collaboration with actors across the food chain and retail sector

The work is carried out in collaboration with actors throughout the food chain, including the food industry and retail sector, to ensure usability.
The project is funded by FORMAS and will run during 2025 and 2026.

Strengthened food production through innovation, resilience and competitiveness

SPIRA is a capacity‑building project designed to strengthen the conditions for small‑scale food processors in rural areas. By making relevant knowledge more accessible, the project aims to enhance the resilience of these businesses and improve their opportunities for growth. Knowledge sharing and communication activities form the core of the project’s structure.

Förkovra er gärna

Under projektet erbjuds webbinarier, presentationer, filmer och poddar inom följande områden:

The Challenge

Listeria remains a recurring and growing concern within the food industry, particularly in seafood and other chilled, ready‑to‑eat products. The bacterium can grow at low temperatures, form biofilms, and persist in hard‑to-clean environments.

Current analysis methods often require several days to generate results. This delay increases the risk that contaminated products reach consumers before the problem is detected, leading to illness, product recalls, production shutdowns, and loss of consumer trust.

The Solution – a Graphene‑Based Biosensor

SafeBite is developing a GFET-based biosensor (graphene field‑effect transistor) that can rapidly and accurately identify Listeria monocytogenes without the need for laboratory equipment.

Advantages of the sensor platform:

• Results within 30 minutes
• Usable directly on site in production and retail
• Label-free analysis with minimal sample preparation
• Low-cost and user-friendly
• Suitable for routine checks by personnel without microbiological expertise

The technology is based on graphene, an extremely thin and sensitive material that enables detection at very low levels, even in complex food environments.

Project Implementation

The project is carried out in close collaboration with seafood producers and retail chains. The sensors are evaluated in real‑world environments, focusing on high‑risk products and consumer‑proximate areas, such as items close to their expiry date or sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

Project activities include:

• Optimization of sensor performance through laboratory and pilot studies
• Field testing in production and retail environments over a 12‑month period
• Comparison with established methods such as ISO 11290‑1 and qPCR
• Development of user manuals, workflows, and training materials
• Continuous feedback from industry partners to ensure practical usability

Customer and Societal Benefits

SafeBite supports food producers, retailers, and quality managers who need:

• Faster and more reliable Listeria detection
• Easier on‑site sampling without laboratory support
• The ability to act preventively rather than reactively
• Compliance with EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2895

On a societal level, SafeBite contributes to:

• Fewer Listeria cases
• Reduced product recalls and lower food waste
• Higher hygiene standards across the food chain
• Increased consumer confidence in chilled foods

Future Potential

The technology platform can be expanded to detect additional bacteria and risk organisms, enabling broad use across multiple sectors of the food industry—from production to retail and food service.

SafeBite is a step toward a more robust and proactive food safety system that protects public health, supports industry resilience, and strengthens consumer trust.