Expanding the ComBase database and developing new tools for its modelling toolbox

The ComBase DATABASE hosts tens of thousands of records. One record represents a growth or survival curve of a foodborne pathogen in a given environment. This environment is characterised primarily by temperature, pH, water activity; but also by other secondary factors like atmosphere, additives, etc. The data were from either the scientific literature or donated by food microbiology laboratories. Using mathematical modelling and programming techniques, software tools have been written at IFR and implemented in the MODELLING Toolbox of the ComBase web site. Help and TRAINING systems were developed to provide the necessary guidance on how to use these tools and interpret their outputs. In this proposal, we would add more datasets to ComBase. The nature of these new data will also be more complex: they will include data obtained when environmental factors change during the observation time. This dynamic environmental factor can be either the temperature (e.g. during thermal treatment), water activity (e.g. during drying after manufacturing) or pH (e.g during fermentation). Many such datasets are already available in large quantities (ca 5000 records) via our collaborators, but their re-formatting for the ComBase format, verification, processing and modelling needs computational and mathematical expertise.

The basis of the ComBase system is a DATABASE hosting tens of thousands of records on the kinetic behaviour of foodborne pathogens. Their growth/ survival was measured in various food microbiology laboratories and donated to the common pool, ComBase. Having collecting datasets in sufficient quantity and quality, models can be built for the growth and survival of the microorganisms. Such predictive models are implemented in the MODELLING Toolbox. These tools are based on mathematical modelling techniques. Their use and the interpretation of the outputs require relevant guidance, which is why various help and TRAINING systems are part of the ComBase system. The idea of ComBase was conceived during BBSRC meetings organised with researchers from IFR, USDA-ARS and the Food Standards Agency. In May 2003, the three parties signed a Concordat to affirm their commitment to support the development, coordination and exploitation of ComBase. In 2007, the Australian Food Safety Centre also joined the initiative. Each of the four parties has separate tasks, each of them requiring funds from their own initiatives. The tasks of IFR are: - maintaining the database and populating it with newly submitted data; - developing the Modelling Toolbox. - upgrading help systems on the efficient use of ComBase; organising workshops; - maintaining a helpdesk; - publishing papers on ComBase. ComBase has become a successful project, attracting data and interest, resulting in invited workshops, industrial consultancies all over the world. Now that a critical mass in terms of the quantity of data has been reached, the main issue is how to use those data efficiently. Mathematical modelling and computational techniques play the main role in this, which is the area of expertise of IFR. The proficient use of the developed predictive software tools on the quality of guides, demos, workshops and webinars, which we will hold specifically for the British community of food microbiologists.