BionovFOOD · GREEN PROCESSING AND VALORIZATION OF ORGANIC BY-PRODUCTS OF DISTILLERIES, AS NOVEL APPROACHES FOR CLIMATE-SMART PROTEIN APPLICATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE FOOD AND CIRCULAR BIO-ECONOMY

GREEN PROCESSING AND VALORIZATION OF ORGANIC BY-PRODUCTS OF DISTILLERIES, AS NOVEL APPROACHES FOR CLIMATE-SMART PROTEIN APPLICATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE FOOD AND CIRCULAR BIO-ECONOMY

Food systems are under growing pressure to deliver safe, healthy, accessible, and affordable nutrition for a rapidly expanding global population, projected to reach 10 billion by 2050. This challenge is intensified by climate change, pandemics, economic instability, and rising demand for dietary supplements. Meeting these nutritional needs sustainably and cost-effectively requires the development of innovative food sources. At the same time, the food processing industry generates substantial losses and waste, creating nutritional, economic, and environmental challenges. Conventional protein sources such as livestock, dairy, and fish have a significant environmental footprint, making them a priority for transformation within the global food system. Accelerating the transition toward alternative proteins is therefore essential to reduce pressure on natural resources and mitigate climate impacts. Addressing this planetary challenge demands a fundamental transformation of the food sector, toward sustainable, nutritious, and appealing food products formulated with alternative protein sources. The BionovFOOD project responds to these needs by advancing alternative protein production, supporting sustainable food systems, and promoting the circular bioeconomy. Key research questions include: How can distillery by-products be bioconverted into high-value protein ingredients for food applications? Can edible filamentous fungi biomass, produced via fermentation of distillery by-products, serve as a nutritious and acceptable alternative protein source? What are the nutritional quality, digestibility, safety, shelf life, and sensory appeal of these fungi-based ingredients and fungi-based food? How do consumers perceive fungi-based foods, and what factors shape their attitudes toward alternative protein sources, particularly in terms of sustainability and innovation? The primary objective of BionovFOOD is to develop scalable bioprocesses, from laboratory to demonstration scale, to bioconvert distillery by-products such as grape marc, wine lees, and vinasse into protein-rich ingredients. These novel ingredients will be used to create new food products that are nutritious, sustainable, and consumer-oriented. Insights from consumer study will guide product development to ensure market relevance and acceptance amid evolving dietary trends and the transition to sustainable food production. By integrating distillery by-products into a fungal biorefinery, BionovFOOD aims to generate benefits across multiple domains: nutrition and healthy diets, climate and environmental sustainability, circularity and resource efficiency, and food innovation. Through eco-efficient, scalable processes that transform wine and distillery by-products into high-quality protein ingredients and new foods, the project directly supports the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Circular Economy Action Plan, as well as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, contributing to SDGs 2, 3, 9, 12, and 13. At both European and global levels, driving a microbial food revolution is essential to expand the diversity of microbial-based food products with novel flavours, textures, and enhanced nutritional profiles. Such innovation will help address future dietary shifts while contributing to the solution of pressing environmental challenges. BionovFOOD exemplifies how EU-funded research can transform environmental issues into economic and nutritional opportunities, strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty and leadership in sustainable food production, research, and innovation.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union