Periodic Reporting for period 3 - NextGenProteins (BIOCONVERSION OF UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCES INTO NEXT GENERATION PROTEINS FOR FOOD AND FEED)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
Access to high quality, sustainably produced proteins is becoming increasingly restricted due to a growing world population, increased pressure on natural resources and climate change, while at the same time the global protein demand has never been higher. To meet the increasing demand, current protein production will have to double by 2050. The EU is not self-sufficient when it comes to protein production. A large proportion of the current protein demand is met with imported proteins and the protein deficit has been fluctuating between 70% and 80% in the past forty years, with severe concerns regarding food security and the general competitiveness of the EU.
NextGenProteins aims to optimise the production of three alternative proteins and verify their suitability in various feed and food applications, in order to meet customers’ needs and ensure consumer acceptance. The project contributes to strengthening of food security, sustainability and self-sufficiency of EU protein production by demonstrating the suitability and economic viability of next-generation proteins as part of food and feed value chains; with less strain on natural resources and reduced environmental impacts.
The overall objective of NextGenProteins is: "To optimise and validate, in an industrially relevant environment, the production of proteins from microalgae, single cells and insects and demonstrate their suitability as alternative sustainable sources in food and feed value chains."
Through combined contributions of the SMEs producing the alternative protein, the food and feed producers, the participating retailer and the RTDs working in the field of applied feed and food technology and life cycle assessment, NextGenProtein increased potential clients’ awareness and acceptance of the new proteins and thus facilitated the market introduction of alternative proteins. The companies that participated in NextGenProteins will utilise the dissemination activities set up in the project to pave the way for a successful exploitation route of the proteins and align their production with the values, needs and expectations of society.
NextGenProteins aims to optimise the production of three alternative proteins and verify their suitability in various feed and food applications, in order to meet customers’ needs and ensure consumer acceptance. The project contributes to strengthening of food security, sustainability and self-sufficiency of EU protein production by demonstrating the suitability and economic viability of next-generation proteins as part of food and feed value chains; with less strain on natural resources and reduced environmental impacts.
The overall objective of NextGenProteins is: "To optimise and validate, in an industrially relevant environment, the production of proteins from microalgae, single cells and insects and demonstrate their suitability as alternative sustainable sources in food and feed value chains."
Through combined contributions of the SMEs producing the alternative protein, the food and feed producers, the participating retailer and the RTDs working in the field of applied feed and food technology and life cycle assessment, NextGenProtein increased potential clients’ awareness and acceptance of the new proteins and thus facilitated the market introduction of alternative proteins. The companies that participated in NextGenProteins will utilise the dissemination activities set up in the project to pave the way for a successful exploitation route of the proteins and align their production with the values, needs and expectations of society.
The project was organised into different parts that addressed the major shortcomings and research areas in order to develop and market the three different alternative proteins. The European regulatory framework for alternative proteins, food and feed was specifically evaluated to identify barriers for innovations and how they may be addressed. The work included interviewing the industrial participants to gather their view and experiences on the regulatory and safety framework, as well as on other regulations governing the production, safety, and application of alternative proteins for food and feed. On the basis of the work, knowledge gaps and regulatory safety barriers have been highlighted with a focus on the three NextGenProteins. Among the main outtakes from the interviews was the high importance placed on consumer health and therefore scientific information of the new proteins is needed. Traceability and labeling of the products is important and education of consumers/farmers/other stakeholders about new protein sources is needed.
One of the most important output of the project was the development and production of microalgae, insect and SC proteins and their production optimisation and upscaling. A database with proximate, amino acid, minerals and fatty acid composition and results on the digestibility of the proteins, as well as on the potential existence of toxins and allergens was set up. The database also contains information on the functional properties of the alternative proteins. The sensory properties were tested and improved as much as the production processes allow, for eventual application as new ingredients in food and feed products.
The application potential of the proteins for food and feed was demonstrated. Many food prototypes were developed by the food industry partners. The proteins have been showcased in ready-meals, bread, snacks, emulsion products and drinks. The results from poultry feeding and seabream/salmon feeding trials were assessed and evaluted. All dose and field trials have now been completed.
NextGenProteins has explored market and business opportunities for the alternative proteins and suggested means on how to boost consumer acceptance. Focus group discussions carried out in seven European countries indicated strongly that consumers are aware of the need for these kinds of new food production methods and products and value their sustainability benefits. An interview study on stakeholder attitudes towards the NextGen proteins also indicated that the overall attitude of the interviewed stakeholders towards the NextGen proteins is positive.
The environmental and economic impact that the alternative proteins have on sustainability aspects has been evaluated as well as the value chain risks. The production aims of the NextGenProteins producers are relatively modest in terms of quantity as well as their requirement for full time employees. The production is likely to have a minor impact on the market for proteins and employment in general. However, the importance of the production could be quite large at a local or even regional level.
The partners developed and applied an innovative Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework to effectively disseminate project results and to ensure their exploitation. The established RRI framework links the objectives and expected impacts of the project with the concept of RRI and the global grand challenges related to alternative proteins. The partners have been active in dissemination through social media, at conferences, in newsletters and via the NextGenProtein website. Twining activities such as workshops and meetings were carried out in collaboration with the three other projects funded under the same call to allow wider dissemination and communication.
One of the most important output of the project was the development and production of microalgae, insect and SC proteins and their production optimisation and upscaling. A database with proximate, amino acid, minerals and fatty acid composition and results on the digestibility of the proteins, as well as on the potential existence of toxins and allergens was set up. The database also contains information on the functional properties of the alternative proteins. The sensory properties were tested and improved as much as the production processes allow, for eventual application as new ingredients in food and feed products.
The application potential of the proteins for food and feed was demonstrated. Many food prototypes were developed by the food industry partners. The proteins have been showcased in ready-meals, bread, snacks, emulsion products and drinks. The results from poultry feeding and seabream/salmon feeding trials were assessed and evaluted. All dose and field trials have now been completed.
NextGenProteins has explored market and business opportunities for the alternative proteins and suggested means on how to boost consumer acceptance. Focus group discussions carried out in seven European countries indicated strongly that consumers are aware of the need for these kinds of new food production methods and products and value their sustainability benefits. An interview study on stakeholder attitudes towards the NextGen proteins also indicated that the overall attitude of the interviewed stakeholders towards the NextGen proteins is positive.
The environmental and economic impact that the alternative proteins have on sustainability aspects has been evaluated as well as the value chain risks. The production aims of the NextGenProteins producers are relatively modest in terms of quantity as well as their requirement for full time employees. The production is likely to have a minor impact on the market for proteins and employment in general. However, the importance of the production could be quite large at a local or even regional level.
The partners developed and applied an innovative Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework to effectively disseminate project results and to ensure their exploitation. The established RRI framework links the objectives and expected impacts of the project with the concept of RRI and the global grand challenges related to alternative proteins. The partners have been active in dissemination through social media, at conferences, in newsletters and via the NextGenProtein website. Twining activities such as workshops and meetings were carried out in collaboration with the three other projects funded under the same call to allow wider dissemination and communication.
At the completion of the project (48 months), NextGenProteins has reached all the specific objectives. NextGenProteins achieved its objectives by implementing efficient production and processing methods for the three highly promising alternative protein sources and evaluate their potentials for commercial utilisation in both food and feed. The novelty of the project was on creation of value from waste by applying three bio-conversion processes, each utilising an existing industrial and/or commercial waste stream to create safe, sustainable, high-quality proteins in line with EU regulatory frameworks. NextGenProteins has identified potential production bottlenecks for the three protein sources and thus paved the way for industrial up-scaling through practical-, research- and/or concept application in feed and food products. Application potentials were explored in close collaboration between the multi-disciplinary RTD partners and the small, medium and large food and feed production/marketing companies within the consortium. NextGenProteins utilised the combined strength and expertise of the RTD, business and market partners, as well as those of stakeholders and consumers, to develop resilient and sustainable alternative protein value chains in line with the values, needs and expectations of both producers and the consumers.