Digital twins for the optimization of agrifood value chain processes and the supply of quality biomass for bio-processing

Project Information

BBTWINS

Grant agreement ID: 101023334

DOI

10.3030/101023334

Project closed

EC signature date 30 April 2021

Start date 1 June 2021

End date 31 May 2025

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 5 258 380,50

EU contribution

€ 4 053 706,00

Coordinated by

CENTRO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGIA Y SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - BBTWINS (Digital twins for the optimization of agrifood value chain processes and the supply of quality biomass for bio-processing)

Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BBTWINS aimed to transform the EU agri-food sector by making food production more sustainable, efficient, and resilient. It tackled the challenge of meeting global food demand while reducing environmental impact and optimizing resource use. The project developed a digital twin platform using AI, blockchain, big data, IoT, and modelling, applied in meat (Spain) and fruit (Greece) value chains to simulate and improve processes from feed to biomass valorisation.

BBTWINS tackled key societal challenges:
-Food security via predictive planning and yield forecasting
-Sustainability through biomass valorisation, waste reduction, and CO2 cuts
-Efficiency by optimizing logistics, storage, and processing
-Transparency with blockchain-based traceability aligned with EU farm-to-fork

Main objectives:
-Build a digital twin platform with predictive, logistics, and decision-support tools
-Improve logistics and processing in meat and fruit chains
-Ensure traceability via blockchain
-Valorise residual biomass with innovative techniques
-Prove scalability and replicability across agri-food contexts

Final Conclusions of the Action:
-Validated the digital twin in real settings with high accuracy
-Achieved measurable gains in logistics, resource use, and sustainability (e.g. 24% less transport impact)
- Fully integrated AI, blockchain, and biomass valorisation
- Delivered new value chains and business models with strong market potential
- Quantified environmental and economic benefits (LCA/LCCA), showing net positive impact and CO2 reduction
- Widely shared results with stakeholders via science, industry, and policy channels

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

RP1: BBTWINS defined all steps in the pork (PORTESA) and fruit (DIMITRA) value chains, identified data needs, and began sensor installation. Biomass inputs/outputs for valorisation were mapped. WP3 developed models for ham curing and logistics. Blockchain requirements were set. WP7 began LCA/LCCA data collection.

RP2: Sensorization was completed. Predictive models and a central data lake were built. Biomass valorisation advanced with technologies like microwaves and ultrasounds. Blockchain was implemented. A digital twin simulation tool was developed. Real-world testing began. LCA/LCCA assessments progressed. Communication efforts expanded.

RP3: All developments were validated. The digital twin integrated AI, simulation, and blockchain for decision support. REV drying enabled peach snack production; other valorisation routes (biomethane, keratin, polyphenols) were piloted. Real-world use showed logistics gains (e.g. 28% mileage cut), better planning, and resource use. LCA/LCCA confirmed viability. Dissemination peaked with a final event. Replicability was tested in olive oil and poultry chains.

Final WP Highlights
-WP1: Final AI models for pig and peach forecasting integrated into the twin; iOS apps tested.
-WP2: All valorisation routes evaluated; REV and other processes showed strong viability.
-WP3: Models for ham drying, fruit storage, and feeding strategies validated and embedded.
-WP4: Blockchain traceability system deployed and aligned with EU standards.
-WP5: All tools integrated into a user-friendly digital twin with KPI tracking.
-WP6: Real-world validation confirmed efficiency, quality, and planning improvements.
-WP7: LCA/LCCA confirmed environmental and economic benefits.
-WP8: Final dissemination included a Brussels conference and broad outreach.
-WP9: Final reporting, risk mitigation, and consortium coordination completed.

BBTWINS delivered a fully operational digital twin platform for pork and peach chains, integrating AI, blockchain, and modelling. Innovations like peach snacks, biomethane, and high-value compound extraction were validated. Exploitation focused on business models for fertilisers, feed, cosmetics, and digital services.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

BBTWINS has gone beyond the state of the art by integrating AI-based forecasting, physics-informed simulation, and real-time blockchain traceability into a holistic digital twin platform tailored for agri-food value chains. Unlike existing isolated tools, BBTWINS provides interoperable, modular solutions that span from primary production to by-product valorisation, enabling predictive, data-driven decisions across sectors. The project also introduced novel applications of Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) technology to valorise peach waste into additive-free snacks and demonstrated economically viable recovery of biomethane, keratin, hydroxyapatite, and polyphenols—unlocking circular pathways previously underexploited at industrial scale.

By the end of the project, BBTWINS validated its tools in real-world settings, released open-access components, and produced comprehensive LCA/LCCA data to guide future implementation. It will also deliver business models and replicability roadmaps for new sectors such as olive oil and poultry, ensuring cross-sector impact.

The project generated significant socio-economic benefits: reduced food and resource losses, enhanced competitiveness of SMEs through digitalisation, new revenue streams from waste, and improved sustainability of agri-food operations. Societal implications include increased transparency, traceability, and consumer trust through blockchain integration, as well as contributions to zero-waste, climate-neutral food systems in line with Green Deal objectives.

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