Four-year collaboration between 33 partners across 21 countries to begin in 2020
A range of groundbreaking new-protein foods made from the byproducts of pasta, bread and beer will soon be created under a revolutionary new EU project.
Innovative new proteins emerging from the Smart Protein project, which is funded by the European Commission, will include plant-based meats, fish, seafood, cheese, infant formula and other dairy products, as well as baked goods. It is expected that the first wave of products will go to market in or around 2025.
A key aim of the project is to help build a future-proof protein supply by creating sustainable and nutritious alternative proteins. This is in direct response to some of the most urgent challenges faced by the planet, including climate change.
Pasta residues, bread crusts and spent yeast and malting rootlets from beer production will be reintegrated into the food stream using an upcycling process. New products will also be developed from plants, including fava beans, lentils, chickpeas and quinoa – with a focus on improving their structure, taste, and flavour.
A total of 33 partners from industry, research and academia across 21 different countries, including Life Technologies Institute of the HES-SO Valais-Wallis, will collaborate on the project, which is led by the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork in Ireland. Major collaborators include Fraunhofer, the University of Copenhagen, ProVeg International, Barilla, Thai Union and AB InBev.
Wolfram Brück, professor and researcher at the Life Technologies Institute of the School of Engineering (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), will work on production and quality management, as well as food safety for the project: "I am very pleased to be part of this project, which will provide a great alternative for people with vegan and vegetarian diets. It also has a great potential to tackle food challenges worldwide."
Smart Protein has a total budget of €9.6 million, €8.2 million of which is provided by the European Commission. Smart Protein will run for four years from 1 January 2020.
About the School of Engineering (HEI) of the HES-SO Valais-Wallis
The School of Engineering of the HES-SO Valais-Wallis has been training engineers in Life Technologies, Systems Engineering and Energy and Environmental Engineering for over 30 years, using innovative teaching methods. Its research institutes in Life Technologies, Systems Engineering and Energy and Environment specialise in the fields of health tech, smart products and processes, and energy and the environment. Researchers and professors at these institutes carry out over 400 applied research and development projects each year.
The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) has over 2,000 students in 10 degree programmes. With its 9 research institutes, it contributes to the innovation, the economic and social development and the creation of jobs.
For more information, visit www.hevs.ch
About ProVeg International
ProVeg is an international food awareness organisation with the mission to reduce global animal consumption by 50% by the year 2040. We strive for a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals and our planet.