Smart Protein
The European Union recently announced its Smart Protein project, which looks to develop novel protein ingredients from sustainable sources such as plants, fungi, and manufacturing by-products.
Examples include upcycling pasta residue, spent brewer’s yeast or bread crusts into microbial biomass proteins that could then be used in a range of foods and drinks, including meat and dairy alternatives, baked goods and infant formula.
Other proteins also could be extracted from the likes of fava beans, chickpeas, quinoa and lentils, with a focus on improving the structure and flavour of finished food products.
The project is due to start in January 2020, and the first products resulting from the initiative are expected to hit supermarket shelves in 2025.
Several global food and ingredient manufacturers at FiE are among the project’s global contributors, including, Chr Hansen (6D60), ProVeg International (stand 7U189) and Glanbia (6C50).
Image: Yeast_dough_ISTOCK
