Project description
Setting the stage for a sustainable future in the biobased products sector
There is a global increase in demand for alternative protein sources and phenolic products. This reflects a shift towards more sustainable and healthier choices, driven by consumer preferences, and environmental concerns. In this context, the EU-funded Pro-Enrich project will address this growing demand by focusing on traditional agricultural residues like rapeseed meal, olives, tomatoes, and citrus fruits. Previously considered waste, these will now be transformed into valuable resources for food ingredients, pet food, cosmetics, and adhesives. This collaborative initiative brings together 16 partners from 7 countries, covering the entire biorefinery value chain. Overall, Pro-Enrich aims to isolate and purify proteins, polyphenols, dietary fibres, and pigments.
Objective
Pro-Enrich will develop a flexible biorefinery approach capable of processing a range of agricultural residues (rapeseed meal, olives, tomatoes and citrus fruits) in response to the increasing global demand for alternative sources of protein and phenolic product streams, tailored to the cross sectoral requirements of industry.
Pro-Enrich will optimise existing biomass fractionation technologies and validate novel extraction approaches beyond the current state of the art (from TRL2 through to TRL 4/5) to isolate and purify proteins, polyphenols, dietary fibres and pigments. The products being targeted are food ingredients, pet food, cosmetics and adhesives. These will be developed through an iterative process of feedstock mapping, laboratory process development, functionality/performance testing of samples by industry and pilot upscaling.
Pro-Enrich gathers the expertise of 16 partners from 7 countries, covering the entire biorefinery value chain and consisting of 8 SMEs, 5 large enterprises, 2 RTOs and 1 university.
The project facilitates supply chain building across different sectors, including biomass production and logistics; materials handling and processing, through to end-users. The project will engage and collaborate with key industry stakeholders from farming and biomass supply, processors and brand name owners.
Pro-Enrich produces detailed life-cycle, socio-economic and safety assessments to facilitate policy and decision-making by industry and the EU, inform and guide consumer acceptance and assist with regulatory compliance.
The outcome of Pro-Enrich will have a huge economical impact on the involved partners especially the industries and generate a large number of new job positions. However, the impact goes beyond the consortium by contributing to the BBI’s strategy for zero-waste processing in the biobased products sector, by addressing technical, commercial and environmental impact across the whole supply chain.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringfibers
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growing
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
Programme(s)
Coordinator
2630 Taastrup
Denmark
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Participants (17)
LL57 2DG Bangor
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6310 Izola
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
6000 Koper
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59302 Oelde
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46010 Valencia
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2730 HERLEV
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8830 Tjele
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
5450 OTTERUP
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participation ended
06000 Nice
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6274 SMARJE PRI KOPRU
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
570 01 Thermi Thessaloniki
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28041 Madrid
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
23330 Villanueva Del Arzobispo
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
27283 Verden
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10700 HERVAS
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
WC2B 6AT LONDON
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
08225 Terrassa
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