VALPRO Path’s Post

On November 28, 2024, Wageningen Campus brought together a diverse group of experts and enthusiasts to explore the future of sustainable food production. The event, titled Cellular Agriculture and Precision Fermentation offered an in-depth look at groundbreaking technologies and advancements in animal-free food production, including sustainable alternatives to meat, seafood, and dairy. Kianti Figler, Upstream Foods shared her vision on sustainable food production, a graduate stepwise approach toward cultivating cells instead of harvesting animals. Ralf Becks (RESPECTfarms) highlighted the crucial value created at the intersection of cellular biology and agriculture. Etske Bijl (AFSG, WUR) inspired with insights on precision fermentation for recombinant caseins and the development of animal-free cheeses. Maarten Dirk Verhoeven (WFBR, WUR) shared practical steps for scaling protein production from lab to industrial levels. Prof Dr Jeroen Hugenholtz contributed to the interactive discussion by shedding light on the challenges faced by NoPalm Ingredients in scaling up their innovative solutions. He explained what is required to achieve successful scalability. With moderator Simone Ritzer (WUR) leading the discussions, the session explored challenges such as scaling up these innovations and navigating regulatory frameworks. Opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing were key themes. A key takeaway was the recognition that scaling up these technologies requires a European strategy, as it cannot be tackled by The Netherlands alone. Initiatives like the National Growth Fund’s Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland plays a pivotal role in supporting innovation and commercialization. The National Growth Fund Biotech Booster initiative also provides opportunities for funding innovative ideas to explore the commercialization and valorization of these technologies. The event concluded with an emphasis on the vital role of education at Wageningen University & Research and applied institutions in preparing a skilled workforce. Following the presentations, a networking reception provided attendees with the opportunity to connect with experts and peers in the field, a unique chance to exchange ideas and gain fresh insights about the future of sustainable food systems. A big thank you to the contributions of alle the speakers, the participants, and organizers Flora de Ruiter for a valuable and forward-thinking event! What steps do we need to take this a step further according to you What next step do you think we should take to make further progress in this area? 🌍 #CellularAgriculture #PrecisionFermentation #Sustainability #Innovation

🎯 At the EIT Food #NextBite24 event in Rome, Deniz Koca from project partner Lund University presented the FEASTS project, involving 35 partners from 16 countries. 🌱 Deniz outlined the project's objectives and the outcomes we're working towards, and highlighted the #food systems approach employed by the FEASTS. 🔬 FEASTS is looking into the multi-dimensional impact that #cultured meat and seafood might have on a future food system and considering the pathways and frameworks that can make it more #sustainable and fair. 🌍 As today is #WorldFoodDay it's perfect timing to engage with game-changers, thought leaders, and pioneers discussing the future of food at Next Bite! #cultivatedmeat #CellularAgriculture #AgTech #Innovation

#sciencenews 📖🆕 Read our latest open access publication from our #TeamDIL: "Consumer perception of risk towards new sustainable non-thermal food processing technologies: A cross-cultural study between Portugal, Germany, and the UK" 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqeFcJUT The authors examine how consumer concerns about new food technologies can be mitigated, analyzing factors like trust and technology neophobia across different cultural contexts. 💡 Consumer perception of new non-thermal technologies is country- and technology-dependent 💡 Food technology neophobia, perceived severity and trust affect risk perception 💡 Cultural differences need to be considered in the food development phase 💡 Consumers lack a deeper understanding of the technologies' applications and impacts Authors: Aline Silva | Célia Rocha | José Ribeiro | Kemal Aganovic | Rui C. Lima | Lisa Methven | Luis M. Cunha TRANSIT ITN | Sense Test | Universidade do Porto | University of Reading | GreenUPorto | DIL Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V. #foodscience #ConsumerPerception #NonThermalTechnology #Technology #RiskPerception #Risk #CrossCultural

🌿🔜 The Grand Finale: Smart Protein Project Closing Conference 🚀 🎉 I'm thrilled to invite you to the grand closing of the EU-funded Smart Protein Project. 🗓 Mark your calendars! Join us on May 24th in Berlin, at the iconic KulturBrauerei, for a day showcasing the results and learning of this 4-years collaboration and discussing EU food systems transformation 🌍🍴 Smart Protein by the numbers: 🤝 Over 30 partners including leading universities, research institute, corporations, and NGOs. 🌐 Participation from 20+ countries. 🚀 €10M in funding fueling our mission. Four years of innovation centered around: 🌱 Regenerative organic agriculture for sustainable crops like lentils, chickpeas, fava beans & quinoa. ♻️ Circular solutions to give new life to food production side streams. 🥗 Exploring the vast potential of plant-based foods for nutrition and health. 📊 Pioneering consumer and market research to shape the future of plant-based foods. 🤝 This is your golden ticket to be part of a transformative discussion with the entire food industry spectrum - from crop growers, ingredient suppliers, food processors, retailers, consumer awareness organizations, and more. Let's reflect on our shared journey, unveil our discoveries, and brainstorm on the next steps for our food systems. 🚀 🎟 Limited seats alert! With only 150 spots, this is an opportunity you won't want to miss. 🔗 Secure your place now: https://lnkd.in/dRYMTHjp For more on what to expect, please follow this link: https://lnkd.in/dpiYJdmM See you in Berlin! 🌍🎈 #SmartProtein #Sustainability #PlantBased

The transition to a greener, more equitable, and sustainable Europe requires fostering trust in the agri-food industry. This is why EIT Food focused its roadmapping on three thematic axes – transparency, resilience, and fairness. 🔎🍏 A transparent food system is one in which all stakeholders and consumers have easy access to information in easily comprehensible formats regarding the production, processing, distribution, and sale of food. This includes information about the food's source, its cultivation or raising practices, and any certifications or labels that must be complete and clear. 💪🥕 A food system that is resilient is able to adjust to and bounce back from shocks like pandemics, natural disasters, and downturns in the economy. This entails having a wide range of supplies and techniques for producing food, as well as emergency food distribution systems in place. ⚖️🥦 Ultimately, a fair food system is one in which everyone in society, regardless of geography or financial level, has access to reasonably priced and healthful food. This means dealing with issues including food deserts, food insecurity, and worker exploitation in the food sector. The vision of a transparent, resilient and fair food system is highly transversal and can't prescind from tackling numerous issues and engaging a wide range of stakeholders, such as policymakers, farming communities, infrastructures, funding bodies, governments, NGOs, industry, the public (especially young people) just to name a few. In this scenario, Academia plays a pivotal role: here is were researchers are fostered and innovation begins. Participating in the #EITFood's Innovator Fellowship Programme you’ll become a 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿: you’ll be able to actively contribute to the global shift to transform the way food is designed, produced, distributed, consumed, and valorised for “Reducing risk for a fair & resilient food system ” 🍏🌍 Become a 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿, contribute to the global change to transform the way food is designed, produced, distributed, consumed, and valorised! Unlock your 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 👉APPLY and get the best skills to develop innovative and sustainable ideas to transform the Agri-Food-systems! https://lnkd.in/dhgAFHBP #ImprovingFoodTogether #EITFoodCommunity #EITFoodEducation #Food #Agrifood EIT Food Education Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna Aarhus University Università degli Studi di Torino

Who is working on the #FEASTS project, which launched earlier this year? We are a consortium of 35 independent institutions from 16 countries. Project partners include leading universities and research institutes, start-ups, business accelerators, independent consultants, international food innovation initiatives, representatives of farmers and aquafarmers and a consumer association. Our goal is to deliver a comprehensive, unbiased knowledge base about cultured meat and seafood, and their place in the food system. The goals of FEASTS align with the imperative to meet rising demand for protein, necessary to feed a growing population, while mitigating the adverse impacts of food production on the environment. #Cultivatedmeat and seafood might not set out replace traditional sources of protein, but it certainly presents a diversification of food options! We are open to input from stakeholders and institutions operating in the food system, who are not yet part of the project. In fact, we welcome your participation. Follow our profile and stay tuned for more information as FEASTS gathers momentum. EurA AG, New Harvest, ShakeUp Factory, CNTA, SAFE - Safe Food Advocacy Europe , Nord University, EIT Food, Instituto Superior Técnico, INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Bruno Cell S.r.l., acib GmbH, Cultimate, S2AQUAcoLAB, VITAL MEAT, GOURMEY, Technical University of Munich, Ecoinnovazione srl - spin off ENEA, innovethic e.U., RESPECTfarms, Aarhus University, Lund University, University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Cellular Agriculture Germany, Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP), Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Cellular Agriculture Italy, CellAgri Portugal, Fraunhofer-Institut für Molekularbiologie und Angewandte Oekologie IME, Wageningen University & Research, Agriculture Cellulaire France, Cellular Agriculture Greece, Rügenwalder Mühle Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG, Univerza v Mariboru, Lukas Madl, FHCA, NaTurtle AG, Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture.

Some seats still available! If you are interested in disruptive food production technologies and biorefineries and their sustainability, please register in the next days. Link to register in comments. The food system transition in Finland – role of disruptive production technologies: You are warmly welcome to join the seminar organized by the three national research projects, Food without Fields, CERAFIM and GrassProtein that focus on developing new food and biomaterial production technologies and value chains. These projects have studied novel ideas for food system transition and circular economy through grass biorefinery, cellular agriculture, controlled-environment agriculture and side-stream valorization concepts. The event is going to share the very latest information on the new solutions and provides a great opportunity to network with community and stakeholders. Organised by VTT and Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus. Our #SUST group work #LCA results will be presented by Katri Leino from The Food without Fields project. Done in collaboration with Frans Silvenius and others, thanks for supporting, eg. Anniina Lehtilä (Liimatainen) and others. You will hear in this particular presentation, eg. what is the difference between some new production food production technologies compared to traditional ones in terms of life cycle based climate impacts. Also LULUC has been included. So we might save arable land in some cases, when going towards new food production technologies and basically this opens the possibility of reforestration as well. We tried to assess this in overall, so utilising some side-streams (and taking into account capacity of these in Finland) in new food production processes and we come up with results, that what could be the magnitude of climate impacts (or impact savings) if the transformation would take place and replacing some traditional food production. This should be headed to scientific publication as well. But now: come and listen, first register!

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 Today, 26 November 2024, the BREADCRUMB project consortium gathered for the first day of the General Assembly  📌 at the Anecoop facilities in Valencia. This event brought together partners from across Europe to review progress, share insights, and plan the next steps in tackling food waste through innovative approaches to food marketing standards. The day began with a warm welcoming session, featuring words from Anecoop and AINIA followed by Work Package 1, 2 and 3 Discussions. In the afternoon, participants visited #ANECOOP’s warehouse to learn about their handling of persimmons and citrus fruits 🍑🍋. This hands-on experience provided valuable context for understanding supply chain practices and their connection to food waste reduction.   𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰´𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 hosted at the AINIA facilities! 🍎 🌽🥩🥚🌾🐟 #BREADCRUMBproject #FoodChainSolutions #FoodWaste #FoodMarketingStandards #SuboptimalFood #SocialAcceptance #EUfunded #HorizonEurope #EUresearch #FoodWasteReduction #PrivateMarketingStandards ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek) vltn Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen ITC - Innovation Technology Cluster CREDA (Centro de Investigación en Economía y Desarrollo Agroalimentario) AINIA Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) MC AVEC EU Poultry #vilanatura Green Point - short food supply chain Anecoop #OpeixBlau Natura Nuova Landbrug & Fødevarer lehmann natur GmbH #Mensana #FEBEV Fenavian Industries PNO Innovation Spain

"As it applies to all economic sectors, food systems must increase their sustainability levels through innovation. Farmers lie at the centre of food systems and therefore innovation can only be farmer-centric – which does not mean that farmers must implement innovative methods conceived by other entities. It means that farmers should be co-designers, co-creators and co-implementers of that innovation. Moreover, if available investments on innovation are drained on real agricultural production, food systems will become compliant with the ‘one health approach". Ivo Degn Philippe Birker Agustin Fonts Cavestany Simó Alegre Castellví Agustí Vila Subirós Sefa de Ribot Porta Ayman Moghnieh Ryan Edwards Tatiana Fernandez Víctor Falguera Carles Ferreiro

Yesterday, we had an inspiring second session with Madita Kirchner from ELEA Technology GmbH, delving into Pulsed Electric Field Technology (PEFT), an advanced, sustainable solution transforming food processing and preservation. What is PEFT? This innovative technology uses short, high-voltage pulses to alter the cell structure of plant and animal tissues. The result? Enhanced extraction processes, improved product quality, and extended shelf life without compromising the nutritional value or sensory attributes of the food. Some notable applications of PEFT include: - Juice production with higher yield and richer color, with reduced processing time and energy. - Potato processing with improved texture and reduced oil uptake in products like fries and chips. - Vegetable and fruit processing with Enhanced texture and bioavailability of nutrients, with potential for extended freshness. As an industry leader, ELEA Technology GmbH specializes in PEFT systems for the food industry. Their solutions help companies adopt efficient, sustainable methods that not only reduce energy consumption but also drive innovation in product development. ELEA Technology GmbH enables food processors to keep pace with the growing demand for clean-label and minimally processed foods, an essential step in making the global food system more sustainable. We got the chance to see the lab PEFT machine (batch) and test it with sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Continuous belt PEFT machines run from 3 T/H up to more than 100 T/H. Grateful to be part of this journey with EIT Food, gaining insights into cutting-edge technologies that will help shape the future of food. Can’t wait to bring these learnings into my work and contribute to innovation in the agritech and foodtech industries. #foodtech #innovation #PEFT #EleaTechnology #EITFood #SustainableFood #NewProductDevelopment #Agritech