Diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources for increased EU resilience and strategic autonomy

Expected Outcome

Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing and the EU Life Sciences Strategy as well as the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the upcoming EU Biotechnology Act and EU Circular Economy Act.

Projects’ results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) for the production of nutritional food ingredients.
• Resilience and strategic autonomy of EU food sectors via diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources.
• Increased environmental sustainability of food sectors (e.g. addressing issues like land use, water use, energy consumption, nitrogen cycle, other nutrients, etc.).
• Improved consumers awareness and acceptance of nutritional food ingredients from alternative sources, contributing to sustainable healthy diets.

Scope

Human nutrition is a key area where the bio-based industries can play an important role in addressing the present societal and climate challenges. Considerable attention is given to the utilisation of alternative sources of proteins, fibres and oils/fats, due to the increasing world population and the pressure on finite natural resources. Many sources for food ingredients, alternative to agricultural crops, exist and have been successfully piloted across the EU. However, efforts are needed to scale up sustainable processes to achieve adequate or even improved nutritional properties, ensure safety and consumers/end users acceptance, while achieving cost competitiveness.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Demonstrate (at TRL 8) the efficient production of nutritional ingredients for food applications. Proteins, lipids, specialty carbohydrates, and fibres are in scope. Target at least one of these as the main product driving the business case. Structural or functional ingredients such as colourants, preservatives, stabilisers, texturisers, enzymes are not in scope as the main product.
• Synergistic co-production of multiple and different food and feed ingredients and other bio-based products is also in scope following the cascading approach.
• All sources of bio-based feedstock[1] are in scope.
• Direct production of food from food crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture is not in scope. The use of industrial grade feedstock[2] from agricultural crops is in scope for conversion into food grade ingredients.
• Validate (at TRL 6 and above) the use of the obtained nutritional food ingredient(s) into the formulation of at least 1 food product proving quality, stability, nutritional and sensorial properties. Additional aspects related to prevention of intolerances/allergies, improved palatability and digestibility, health benefits, etc. are also in scope depending on the ingredient(s), formulation(s) and product(s) developed.
• Address resource efficiency and circularity aspects to increase economic and socio-environmental added value. When pursuing circular models, ensure that neither pathogens nor contaminants are injected back in the loop, to avoid negative toxicological effects.

In addition to the specific requirements applicable for the type of action, as described in section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026[3], proposals under this topic should:

• Assess the safety of developed nutritional food ingredients, in line with EU regulatory requirements and EFSA guidance documents. Moreover, identify potential EU regulatory gaps and propose recommendations to relevant EU policymakers on how to better support food ingredient companies (including startups and scaleups) in addressing EFSA risk assessment.
• As part of the multi-actor approach (MAA), involve end-users (including consumers) and other relevant actors starting from the early stages to gather input, raise awareness and ultimately foster market acceptance of the targeted end-products and incorporate insights into product development.
• Ensure complementarities and avoid overlaps with past and ongoing R&I projects addressing similar challenges funded under CBE JU and Horizon Europe topics.

[1] Examples include: plants, invertebrates, microorganisms, fungi, aquatic biomass (including micro and macro algae, seagrass, aquaculture and fishery residues), fermentation of bio-based feedstock (including biogenic gaseous carbon), residues from agriculture, farming (including livestock) and forestry, urban and/or industrial waste streams (including from the food industry)

[2] For example starch, sugars, oils

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