Proteins from alternative and unconventional sources

Europe needs to diversify protein sources to decrease its dependence on imports and the environmental footprint often associated with animal-based proteins. In line with the Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system and the European Green Deal priorities, successful proposals will support the mobilisation of proteins for food, feed, and non-food bio-based applications.

Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Identification of currently under- or unexploited sources of proteins.
• Mobilisation of novel protein streams from sustainable alternative sources.
• Increased availability of proteins in the EU and reduced dependency on imports.
• Sustainable premium (defined as nutritious, healthy, and environmentally sustainable) feed, food, and non-food chains meeting the customer expectations, including on economic level.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Activities are expected to achieve TRL 5 by the end of the project – see Horizon Europe General Annex B.

Expected EU contribution per project: It is estimated that a contribution of EUR 4.5 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.

The growing world population requires an increase in affordable protein supply. However, this cannot be realised by depleting limited natural resources (land, water, nutrients^[1], etc.), which are already under strong pressure globally and in the EU. Today’s largest source of protein for human consumption is based on farm animals, which often involve multiple sustainability issues. Moreover, low-grade or speciality proteins not suitable for food or feed applications could serve as feedstock for the bio-based industry. However, the extraction and purification of such streams are difficult, especially from unconventional sources.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Develop and test available and upcoming potentially disruptive technologies^[2] to produce proteins from unconventional sources (e.g., proteins derived from plants, agro-food by-products, fungi^[3], microorganisms, algae^[4], protein-enriched fermentations, or invertebrates, including terrestrial (e.g., insects) or marine, with the potential for scale-up and deployment across Europe, enabling the production of bulk proteins for food and feed applications.
• Identify, mobilise, and extract proteins from sustainable alternative biomass sources.
• If necessary, functionalise the proteins for the intended use, also considering the application of specific emerging processing treatments for this aim. When targeting food and feed applications, health and safety regulations need to be duly considered, as well as solubility, functionality, bioactivity, consumer organoleptic experience, e.g., texture and taste (for food), bioactivity, functionality, nutritional requirements, digestibility and appetence (for feed). When targeting non-food applications, proposals must demonstrate that the intended use is not conflicting with food chain.
• For any use, and to increase economic value, the proposals should aim at novel and/or improved properties (e.g., nutritional profile, improved digestibility, nutraceutical properties), as well as full valorisation of biomass (extraction of microelements, vitamins, secondary metabolites, colorants, antimicrobials etc.), enabling industrial symbiosis^[5].
• Apply and/or adapt existing/mature or novel digital technologies if they are instrumental to achieving the project’s outcomes and scope. Applications of digital technologies that should be considered in the scope are among the following areas: i) chemicals, materials and process design & modelling ii) process monitoring and optimisation and iii) data analytics and data management of the production of alternative proteins in the scope.
• Disseminate the outputs and learning outcomes from the project in order to increase the public awareness, and awareness of relevant industry actors, of potential benefits of bio-based solutions and raise awareness on opportunities to be addressed.
• Benefit from high potential of bio-based innovation, seeking cross-sectorial solutions, and complementarities to the projects under BBI JU^[6], Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.

Depending on the chosen source, the projects may propose necessary technical options for sustainable intensification of production, e.g., development of new varieties, and/or cultivation practice, in line with all relevant legal EU and national frameworks, to enable future scale-up^[7]. Environmental side-benefits should be duly considered, if relevant, e.g., carbon storage potentials, soil health etc.

Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach and ensure adequate involvement of all key actors in the value chains relevant for this topic, such as primary producers, in the bio-based systems. Please see the section Additional requirements in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2022^[8] for more details.

[1] Nutrients can come from natural sources but are not a natural resource per se.

[2] Including physico/chemical technologies and biotechnologies

[3] Including filamentous fungi and yeasts

[4] Including micro- and macroalgae (seaweeds)

[5] for a description of the term, see annex Glossary in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2022 (https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents)

[6] E.g., projects FARMYNG, PLENITUDE etc.

[7] See also a parallel topic HORIZON-JU-CBE-2022-IAFlag-02 Alternative sources for high added value food and/or feed ingredients.

[8] https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents