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MICROALGAE PROTEIN INGREDIENTS FOR THE FOOD AND FEED OF THE FUTURE

Project description

Packing microalgae protein in foods and feeds

Microalgae are a valuable source of protein-rich elements for healthy food and feed products that limit energy and water consumption. However, production and processing costs of microalgal biomass are still high. Advanced technologies are needed to augment productiveness and lower costs. The EU-funded ProFuture project will evaluate advanced systems to produce single-cell proteins and protein isolates that are characterised for their nutritional effects and their economic sustainability. Single-cell proteins will be incorporated in foods and feed produced at an industrial level. The project will appraise the microalgae value chain in the EU and propose amelioration solutions to increase the competitiveness of the sector. Market uptake will be expanded via optimised dissemination and implementation plans.

Objective

ProFuture will set the basis for market uptake of innovative, healthy and sustainable food and feed products, reformulated with protein-rich ingredients from Spirulina, Lemon/lightly/Chlorella vulgaris, Tetraselmis chuii and Nannochloropsis oceanica. Multi-factors approach and LCA/LCC will boost sustainability of the microalgal biomass production and processing, by reducing energy/water consumption and the carbon footprint. Implementation of innovative technologies will increase the efficiency and decrease the production costs of biomass, ingredients and foods/feeds. Optimized workflows will be tested at pilot plant, as part of a biorefinery process, to produce single-cell proteins and protein isolates, which will be characterized for their nutritional, safety, techno-functional and organoleptic properties as well as for economic viability & sustainability. Food and feed will be formulated with the novel ingredients at pilot plant level in collaboration with SME and large companies. Single-cell proteins will be incorporated in foods (n=6) and feeds (n=5) which will be produced at industrial scale. The food/feed microalgae value chain in EU will be analysed and improvements will be proposed to increase the economic viability and the communication between actors. Social and economic benefits of innovative food and feed products will be demonstrated by: i) supporting the authorization of novel microalgae protein ingredients for food and/or feed applications in the EU, ii) assessing consumer acceptance of and preference for microalgae protein-based products, iii) preparing a successful market implementation and exploitation of the project results and iv) devising a dissemination and communication plan for maximum outreach to all relevant stakeholders. ProFuture consortium (8 RTDs, 16 SMEs, 8 large industries and 1 association) brings together expertise with a clear market orientation to increase the competitiveness of the EU microalgae value chain.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

IA - Innovation action

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SFS-2018-2020

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Coordinator

INSTITUT DE RECERCA I TECNOLOGIA AGROALIMENTARIES
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 976 000,00
Address
CTRA C-59 KM 12 TORRE MARIMON
08140 CALDES DE MONTBUI BARCELONA
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Other
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 976 000,00

Participants (32)

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