Project description
Addressing the challenges of cultured meat and seafood
The current food system falls short, generating 17 % of global greenhouse gas emissions from animal farming, while supplying only 18 % of global calories and 37 % of global proteins. This imbalance is unsustainable, accentuated by the burgeoning demand for protein. Cultured meat (CM) and seafood (CSF) offer a promising solution, yet their impact remains uncertain, lacking in-depth assessment and consideration of social implications. In this context, the EU-funded FEASTS project aims to redefine food systems. Specifically, it gathers stakeholders to assess CM/CSF sustainability. It also integrates diverse perspectives, exploring production methods, supply chains, and business models. FEASTS employs a Food Systems Thinking approach and multidimensional impact assessment, informing policy and decision-making with transparency and open science.
Objective
The current food system is insufficient and unsustainable, generating 17% of the total GHG emissions for animal farming while only supplying 18% of the global calories and 37% of the global proteins. The cultured meat (CM) and cultured seafood (CSF) industry is emerging to meet the growing demand of protein with promises of lower environmental footprint. However, the current knowledge on the impact of this sector is limited, based on developments that have not happened yet and lacking important considerations such as its social impact or its adaptability to current and future demand. Current race-to-market pressures, fueled by recent market approvals overseas, highlight the need to define a roadmap that can develop the sector in an ethical, sustainable and cost-competitive way. This is a unique opportunity for an effective reorganisation of the food system to establish resilient value chains in the EU. Gathering a large set of independent food system actors, FEASTS will provide an unprecedented, unbiased and robust knowledge base for the assessment of the sustainability aspects of the CM/CSF sector by actively promoting multistakeholder engagement and co-creation activities grounded on transparent dialogue and open science practices. It will explore different production methods, product types, supply and value chains as well as business models to provide balanced solutions that are not only sustainable by design and cost-efficient, but also ethically responsible, safe and nutritious, fair and inclusive. FEASTS, designed as a think-tank, adopts a Food Systems Thinking approach and a multidimensional impact assessment including not only LCA, TEA and SLCA of CM/CSF products and their comparison to conventional counterparts but also systems dynamic modelling and integrated scenario analysis that will provide a decision support tool for informed policy- and decision-making in the EU.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
1000-043 Lisboa
Portugal
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Participants (32)
1052HD AMSTERDAM
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4715-330 Braga
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38122 TRENTO
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
80686 Munchen
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6708 PB Wageningen
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8026 Bodo
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8700-194 OLHAO
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80333 Muenchen
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2000 Maribor
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8010 Graz
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
49450 Sevremoine
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10623 BERLIN
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
91000 Evry-Courcouronnes
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
73479 Ellwangen Jagst
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
40123 Bologna
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2596 XW DEN HAAG
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8000 Aarhus C
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42107 Wuppertal
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40126 Bologna
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22100 Lund
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48940 Leioa
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1000 Bruxelles / Brussel
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38122 Trento
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152 34 ATHENS
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2744 016 OEIRAS
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10119 BERLIN
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75009 PARIS
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00 534 WARSZAWA
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75008 Paris
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
26160 ZWISCHENAHN
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31570 San Adrián
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Partners (3)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
8050 ZUERICH
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
M4M 3G3 Toronto
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
104-0061 Tokyo
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