Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Zest (Valorization of Agro-Industrial Waste through Fungi Fermentation supported by Digital Modeling)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-06-01 do 2025-05-31
The global food system faces unprecedented challenges requiring urgent transition to sustainable protein production. Current meat production contributes 15-24% of global greenhouse gas emissions while consuming vast water and land resources and causing GHG emissions. The EU's Farm to Fork Strategy recognizes this crisis, emphasizing development of new sustainable food and feed ingredients.
The ZEST project addresses these challenges by transforming agricultural waste into high-quality fungal proteins and valuable bio-products through innovative biotechnology.
The Challenge
Bio-based protein production remains cost-intensive and resource-demanding, limiting European biorefinery competitiveness. Simultaneously, millions of tons of agricultural side-streams like sugar beet pulp, brewer's spent grain, and fruit waste are underutilized, representing a massive potential in circular economy.
ZEST's Innovation
The project develops a revolutionary zero-waste fermentation system combining:
• Advanced fungal cultivation on low-cost agricultural residues
• AI-powered process optimization and control
• Integrated downstream processing for full resource valorization
• Scalable bioreactor designs for industrial applications
Multi-disciplinary Approach
ZEST integrates social sciences through consumer acceptance studies, stakeholder engagement, and ethical frameworks ensuring social and societal acceptance. The multi-actor approach involves farmers, processors, technology providers, producers, and end-users throughout the innovation process.
Expected Impact
In addition to targeting the rapidly growing €30 billion alternative protein market, ZEST will engage more than 30 European biorefineries and create new income opportunities for agricultural producers by valorising agro-industrial side-streams. Through technology demonstration, digital modelling, and knowledge transfer, the project supports the upgrading of Europe’s fermentation sector for sustainable protein production.
The ZEST project addresses these challenges by transforming agricultural waste into high-quality fungal proteins and valuable bio-products through innovative biotechnology.
The Challenge
Bio-based protein production remains cost-intensive and resource-demanding, limiting European biorefinery competitiveness. Simultaneously, millions of tons of agricultural side-streams like sugar beet pulp, brewer's spent grain, and fruit waste are underutilized, representing a massive potential in circular economy.
ZEST's Innovation
The project develops a revolutionary zero-waste fermentation system combining:
• Advanced fungal cultivation on low-cost agricultural residues
• AI-powered process optimization and control
• Integrated downstream processing for full resource valorization
• Scalable bioreactor designs for industrial applications
Multi-disciplinary Approach
ZEST integrates social sciences through consumer acceptance studies, stakeholder engagement, and ethical frameworks ensuring social and societal acceptance. The multi-actor approach involves farmers, processors, technology providers, producers, and end-users throughout the innovation process.
Expected Impact
In addition to targeting the rapidly growing €30 billion alternative protein market, ZEST will engage more than 30 European biorefineries and create new income opportunities for agricultural producers by valorising agro-industrial side-streams. Through technology demonstration, digital modelling, and knowledge transfer, the project supports the upgrading of Europe’s fermentation sector for sustainable protein production.
ZEST is finding new ways to produce protein by using fungi to turn agricultural by-products into valuable ingredients. During the first stage of the project, the consortium has achieved substantial advances in eco-friendly and innovative approaches to creating sustainable proteins for use in food, pet nutrition, and beyond.
To start, ZEST scientists carefully selected different types of fungi and paired them with various agricultural sidestreams e.g. beet pulp that would otherwise go to waste. By initially running small-scale experiments, the project is identifying which fungi and materials work best together to create protein efficiently and for industrial implementation. This matching not only helps ensure healthy, high-quality protein production, but also supports a more circular food system by reducing waste.
A big part of ZEST’s success comes from its focus on technology. The project is building and exploring new bioreactor designs, especially addressing mass-transfer, asepticity, energy efficiency and process simplicity. These bioreactors are designed to be flexible both in the context of hardware and automation software, so to ensure their compatibility with different kinds of fermentation materials and adapt to the needs of industrial production. Early experiments have already provided valuable knowledge on how to prevent issues like biomass adhesion and ensure higher oxygen mass transfer rates at elevated viscosities.
Digital tools and artificial intelligence also play a key role in ZEST’s approach. The project is creating a digital platform to collect and analyze data from its experiments and processes in real time. This helps scientists and engineers quickly spot opportunities for improvement, react to potential problems, and continuously optimize how proteins are made. With advanced modeling and digital control systems, ZEST can bring together information from the lab and the factory floor, making the whole process smarter and more reliable.
Downstream, the project is exploring new, green ways to extract and refine the protein produced by the fungi, using methods that save energy and water, and maximize the value of every batch. Early work by ZEST teams has shown promise in creating protein-rich ingredients and identifying natural compounds, like chitin, that can be used in foods, pet nutrition, and cosmetics.
Although some tasks have experienced minor delays, mainly due to the time needed to optimize early fermentation steps, the project is making steady progress. Initial product development is already underway using lab-scale batches, and further safety, quality, and sustainability assessments are being prepared as bigger quantities become available.
By combining sustainable biotechnology, advanced engineering, and digital innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence, ZEST is demonstrating how fungi biomass, produced through novel fermentation technologies, can become a promising new source of protein from agricultural residues. These advancements open up more climate-friendly and efficient alternatives for protein production, supporting healthier diets, greener industries, and a sustainable future for all.
To start, ZEST scientists carefully selected different types of fungi and paired them with various agricultural sidestreams e.g. beet pulp that would otherwise go to waste. By initially running small-scale experiments, the project is identifying which fungi and materials work best together to create protein efficiently and for industrial implementation. This matching not only helps ensure healthy, high-quality protein production, but also supports a more circular food system by reducing waste.
A big part of ZEST’s success comes from its focus on technology. The project is building and exploring new bioreactor designs, especially addressing mass-transfer, asepticity, energy efficiency and process simplicity. These bioreactors are designed to be flexible both in the context of hardware and automation software, so to ensure their compatibility with different kinds of fermentation materials and adapt to the needs of industrial production. Early experiments have already provided valuable knowledge on how to prevent issues like biomass adhesion and ensure higher oxygen mass transfer rates at elevated viscosities.
Digital tools and artificial intelligence also play a key role in ZEST’s approach. The project is creating a digital platform to collect and analyze data from its experiments and processes in real time. This helps scientists and engineers quickly spot opportunities for improvement, react to potential problems, and continuously optimize how proteins are made. With advanced modeling and digital control systems, ZEST can bring together information from the lab and the factory floor, making the whole process smarter and more reliable.
Downstream, the project is exploring new, green ways to extract and refine the protein produced by the fungi, using methods that save energy and water, and maximize the value of every batch. Early work by ZEST teams has shown promise in creating protein-rich ingredients and identifying natural compounds, like chitin, that can be used in foods, pet nutrition, and cosmetics.
Although some tasks have experienced minor delays, mainly due to the time needed to optimize early fermentation steps, the project is making steady progress. Initial product development is already underway using lab-scale batches, and further safety, quality, and sustainability assessments are being prepared as bigger quantities become available.
By combining sustainable biotechnology, advanced engineering, and digital innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence, ZEST is demonstrating how fungi biomass, produced through novel fermentation technologies, can become a promising new source of protein from agricultural residues. These advancements open up more climate-friendly and efficient alternatives for protein production, supporting healthier diets, greener industries, and a sustainable future for all.
ZEST is expecting to generate the following results with potential impacts:
Technological Breakthroughs
ZEST will deliver advanced integration of biotechnology and digitalization:
• First application of AI-controlled fungal fermentation at industrial scale
• Novel multipurpose bioreactor designs improving process efficiency
• Semi-continuous fermentation enabling multiple harvest cycles
• Real-time metabolite detection for quality control and online controlling
Commercial Potential
The project plans to establish clear pathways to market:
• Business models demonstrating economic viability across the whole value chains
• IPR strategy protecting key innovations while enabling collaboration
• Demonstration of cost-competitive mycoprotein production
• Validated applications in food, pet food, and cosmetics sectors
Scaling Requirements
Further development is expected to include:
• Industrial-scale demonstration at 1000L+ capacity
• Supply chain integration for feedstock logistics
Knowledge Transfer
ZEST creates lasting impact through:
• Open-source digital platform and databases
• Workshops to explore possible industry adoption
• Technical guidelines for bioreactor optimization
• Best practice frameworks for sustainable production
Technological Breakthroughs
ZEST will deliver advanced integration of biotechnology and digitalization:
• First application of AI-controlled fungal fermentation at industrial scale
• Novel multipurpose bioreactor designs improving process efficiency
• Semi-continuous fermentation enabling multiple harvest cycles
• Real-time metabolite detection for quality control and online controlling
Commercial Potential
The project plans to establish clear pathways to market:
• Business models demonstrating economic viability across the whole value chains
• IPR strategy protecting key innovations while enabling collaboration
• Demonstration of cost-competitive mycoprotein production
• Validated applications in food, pet food, and cosmetics sectors
Scaling Requirements
Further development is expected to include:
• Industrial-scale demonstration at 1000L+ capacity
• Supply chain integration for feedstock logistics
Knowledge Transfer
ZEST creates lasting impact through:
• Open-source digital platform and databases
• Workshops to explore possible industry adoption
• Technical guidelines for bioreactor optimization
• Best practice frameworks for sustainable production