ARGUS PART 2: DigitAl control of microbes for Resilient fmcG sUpply chainS – Digital Systems Integration and Demonstration

Many manufacturing industries are seeking to make biodegradable products and/or use natural, bio-sourced, ingredients, while minimising the use of chemical preservatives. However, protecting these products from problematic microbes (such as bacteria, yeasts and mould) is a major challenge.

ARGUS (Digit**a**l Cont**r**ol of Microbes for Resilient FMC**G** S**u**pply Chain**s**), aims to create a digital solution to improve the management of microbial contamination across UK manufacturing supply chains.

Microbial contamination can be introduced at many stages across the supply chain; including raw materials supply, during manufacturing processes, in storage, and during transport between manufacturing sites. If left unchecked, microbes can build up in process fluids and on pipework and containers, creating manufacturing problems, corrosion, spoiling materials and potentially leading to expensive product withdrawals and recalls. At worst, this can lead to adverse health impacts for the manufacturing workforce and consumers.

Today, microbial management is expensive and time-consuming and depends on using chemical preservatives/biocides, regular cleaning and taking samples at multiple points for lab testing. Often materials are held awaiting microbial test results, reducing productivity and efficiency.

The ARGUS Phase 2 (Industrial Research) project will develop and demonstrate a new digital solution that is able to measure and share levels of microbial contamination **directly in place** across an end-to-end manufacturing supply chain. This innovation will reduce manufacturing and shipping delays, provide early-warning of problems, and help supply chain partners to develop new, safe and sustainable, bio-product formulations with reduced levels of preservatives.

The project outputs will be evaluated within an existing UK Home & Personal Care (HPC) product supply chain. New direct inline microbial digital sensor prototypes will be developed and evaluated within multiple manufacturing and bulk transport locations, including within tanker trucks. Relevant data will be collected, shared and analysed in a First-of-a-Kind digital platform for microbial health monitoring, management and assurance.

The project will lay the groundwork for the future commercial investment, development and deployment of ARGUS in Home and Personal Care product manufacturing supply chains. Importantly, the innovation will have potential application across many other UK supply chains, including food and drinks, paints and coatings, pharma, and biofuel, where microbial health management is also a growing cost and concern.