The LTRI

‘You eat what you are given!’ – a well-known parenting phrase – with unexpected implications: only what reaches our tables can be eaten. Food and transport are therefore closely linked.

The ‘Food and Transport Law Institute (LTRI)’ at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences is a central scientific institution that brings together the previously separate but thematically linked research and teaching areas of ‘Food Science’ and Food Technology, as well as ‘Transport and Logistics’ and LEM.

For logisticians

The interconnection between food and logistics is not always obvious, which means that it is not always easy for economic actors to comply with the relevant regulations. For example, the professional storage of feed makes the warehouse keeper a feed business operator within the meaning of Art. 3 No. 5 of the General Food Law Regulation. Added to this are the increased requirements for transparency in the food supply chain and proof of compliance – both with regard to hygiene regulations and CSR as well as the upcoming EU Deforestation Directive (EUDR).

For food business operators

How can I ensure that the cocoa I purchase as Fair Trade actually meets this ethical and ecological standard? The fight against ‘food fraud’, i.e. food-related deception to achieve economic advantages, e.g. through adulteration, misdeclaration or document falsification, is becoming increasingly relevant. However, analytical methods are only of limited use for verifying quality characteristics such as ‘organic’, ‘fair trade’ or ‘protected geographical indication’. A vulnerability analysis for raw materials and suppliers is essential here, but food transport can also influence the risk of food fraud.

Goals and transfer

The LTRI aims to address issues of sustainability, the digitalisation of supply chains and food safety during transport, storage and handling by pooling interdisciplinary expertise. In addition to interdisciplinary research at the interface of food science, transport and logistics, the focus is on practical application through cooperation with companies, authorities and other research institutions.