PROTEIN2FOOD’s aim is to develop innovative, cost-effective and resource-efficient plant proteins –rich food sources with positive impact on human health, the environment and biodiversity. The quality and quantity of protein from selected highly nutritious seed crops (quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat), and legumes with high protein quantity (lupin, faba beans, pea, chickpea, lentil) will be significantly enhanced by using a multi-disciplinary approach that will include genetic, agronomic, food process engineering, sensory, socio-economic, and environmental assessment. Research is expected to improve the quality of plant proteins, produced in Europe, and of the sustainability of their production and processing. Through a better understanding of the: i) genetic mechanisms driving the protein formation and accumulation in the seed, ii) plant performance towards biotic and abiotic stresses, and iii) protein interactions with other components in the food matrix and its sensory repercussions in the final food products, this research should lead to the development of adapted plant protein sources with positive impact on environment and biodiversity as well as human health. Expected results in the project are: i) enhance the protein production by 25% through new effective breeding techniques and optimised crop management with an increase by 10% of the EU’s arable land destined to protein-crop production, using also marginal soils, ii) accelerate protein transition from animal-based protein to plant based protein in Europe with clear impact on reduction of carbon footprint, iii) increase EU agro-biodiversity by introducing promising high quality crops and legumes. Further, activities will support the prototypes of new protein-rich-protein food with exceptional market potential. Finally, we will improve the EU’s visibility in the area of food processing and technology through high impact factors scientific publications.

The HELENUS project will build, integrate and demonstrate a 500kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) module operating in cogeneration (combined heat and power) mode, in an MSC World class series ocean cruise vessel. The SOFC will be fully integrated- spatially, electrically, and thermally- into the ship design. SOFCs are the most efficient chemical energy converters available today, and are also highly fuel-flexible- thereby remaining highly relevant for the future of waterborne transport. The HELENUS demonstrator will achieve a TRL of 7 at the end of the project, with extended field testing already planned to reach TRL8 by 2028-2029. Success of this project will enable upscaling of mature SOFC technology in ocean cruise liners to as high as 20MW, by as early as 2029. This can unlock over 23% total fuel savings (assuming a hybrid 20MW SOFC+60MW ICE energy system) over a state-of-the-art energy system with only ICEs. The HELENUS consortium involves diverse and accomplished stakeholders representing the entire value chain from technology development to field implementation- creating a rapid pathway towards exploitation and commercialisation. HELENUS will also undertake extensive simulation, experimental (using an 80kW scaled-down SOFC module), and analytical efforts to demonstrate the applicability of the developed SOFC solution (i) upon significant scale-up (10 MW and beyond), (ii) over duty cycles of alternate applications such as dredging- and offshore- vessels, and (iii) using carbon-neutral fuels with potential for future maritime uptake. Experimental results will be complemented by application case- and lifecycle performance- analyses to assess the broader impact of the technology on waterborne transport. Therefore, HELENUS creates a technological and regulatory roadmap towards a maritime future with scaled-up clean energy systems operating on renewable fuels – thereby fostering innovation and significantly boosting the competitiveness of the EU maritime industry

UNRAVEL aims to develop advanced pre-treatment, separation and conversion technologies for complex lignocellulosic biomass to produce usable lignin fragments, and monomeric sugars from the cellulose and hemicellulose fraction suitable for biochemical conversions. The technologies will be scaled up from lab (TRL 3) to pilot plant (TRL 5). UNRAVEL will achieve a breakthrough in the valorisation of lignocellulosic biomass by: • Utilizing complex lignocellulosic biomass sources such as forest residues, bark, straw, and nut shells • Recovering valuable components by feedstock pre-extraction prior to fractionation • Achieving at least 80% lignin yield, 90% glucan recovery from the cellulose and 80% yield of monomeric hemicellulose sugars by utilizing the TNO FABIOLA™ low temperature, energy-efficient acetone based fractionation process • Purifying the hemicellulose hydrolysate and qualifying it for fermentation into chemical building blocks • Developing lignin depolymerisation technologies • Establishing high-value lignin applications through the production of lignin-based PUR & PIR foams and lignin-based additives in bitumen for roofing applications • Demonstrating a 30% OPEX and 15 % carbon footprint reduction of the pre-treatment UNRAVEL will develop an integrated cross-sector value chain by bringing together specialists with expertise on feedstock composition, chemical pulping and pre-treatment, enzymes production, polymer chemistry, separation and reactor engineering, techno-economic and sustainability assessments and knowledge dissemination and exploitation and communication. The active involvement of three SME's and two large enterprises, active in wood pulping and the production of lignin-based building materials, strengthens a market-driven approach and commercial exploitation and implementation of the results generated in the UNRAVEL project.

The COSMOS proposal aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported coconut and palm kernel oils and fatty acids and castor oil as sources for medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA, C10–C14) and medium-chain polymer building blocks. These are needed by the oleochemical industry for the production of plastics, surfactants, detergents, lubricants, plasticisers and other products. In COSMOS, camelina and crambe will be turned into profitable, sustainable, multipurpose, non-GMO European oil crops for the production of oleochemicals. Seed properties will be screened and optimised through genetic techniques aiming at high yield, low resource inputs, optimization of the value generated from vegetative tissues and fatty acid profiles adapted to industrial needs. Large-scale field trials will be performed at different locations in Europe to assess the potential of the crops in terms of cultivation practices, seed yield, oil content, ease of harvesting, and resource inputs. Extracted oils will be fractionated into various fatty acid types (monounsaturated versus polyunsaturated) by selective enzyme technologies and extraction processes. The monounsaturated long-chain fatty acids so obtained will be converted to MCFA and high-value building blocks for bio-plastics and flavour and fragrance ingredients through chemical and enzymatic chain cleavage processes. The ω3-rich PUFA fraction will be purified for use in food and feed ingredients. Vegetative tissues such as straw, leaves and press cake will be fed to insects producing high-value proteins, chitin and fats. Insect fats and proteins will be isolated and prepared for use in food and feed products. The overall economic, social and environmental sustainability as well as life cycle of the whole value chain will be assessed. The impact of the project for Europe will be assessed in terms of value chain potentials for value creation and number of jobs that can be created.