Up4Food will build knowledge to improve food resource utilization by using a system approach to upcycle processing side-streams from three selected value chains in Europe (potatoes, oil seeds and pelagic fish). For this purpose, we will use green novel technologies to extract and refine nutritive and functional ingredients from the side-streams and investigate technological, nutritional and safety aspects of implementing these ingredients into different food concepts. All ingredients and food concepts will be developed with emphasis on sustainability aspects and evaluated by life cycle assessments and material flow analyses.

Up4Food aims to enable new opportunities for food actors for further development of a wider range of healthy and sustainable food products and concepts in the European market and positively impact health of Europeans.

Ultimately, Up4Food will contributing to equip food actors and citizens the necessary tools and attitudes to meet the necessary dietary shift.

Objectives and expected outcomes

¨ Develop healthy, sustainable and applicable ingredients with functional and bioactive properties from common Side-streams of Europe -> three side-streams will be valorized and 3-6 ingredients for human consumption

¨ Design model foods and food concepts with sustainable ingredients/raw materials for improved health (with emphasis on vegetarians/vegans and elderly/hospitalized with impaired eating/digestion) -> 2-4 model foods will be developed with full life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis

¨ Comprehend consumers drivers/barriers towards food safety, processed foods and foods based on rest raw materials, to facilitate consumer acceptance of new food concepts Þ completed Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) with 1000 consumers in each country

¨ Addressing challenges of food actors of implementing these ingredients -> in depth interview of 2-4 actors in each country

¨ Build a knowledge hub with scientists and stakeholders to ensure data and information transferability between regions of Europe Þ a web page will be designed and newsletters sent yearly to stakeholders

¨ Develop a toolbox and recommendations for a well-functioning co-creation concept with food actors and citizens to improve the use of novel ingredients -> a report with recommendations will be made, a toolbox on the web page