Serbian research lab gets an upgrade
The aim of the EU-funded CEFSER project was to reinforce the research capacities of the Laboratory for Chemical Contaminants (LabChemCont) at Serbia's Faculty of Technology (FT) University of Novi Sad. LabChemCont was already an internationally recognised research lab focused on detecting chemical contaminants in food. However, its existing equipment was not adequate for increasingly stringent regulatory standards. On completion of the project, CEFSER's main result was the capital investments made in the human and material resources of the laboratory, which broadened its research agenda and activities. The project enabled knowledge exchange between partners, while also hiring researchers to strengthen the capacity of LabChemCont. Applied analytical methods in the Laboratory have been accredited and have been included in the Faculty's Laboratory for Food Products, thereby providing sustainability for CEFSER's reinforced LabChemCont. CEFSER opened up new possibilities for networking and multinational cooperation. This has bridged the gap between regions and hence contributed to a stronger research potential within the EU community.