Last week I participated in the Kick-off meeting of the project IPSUS “Climate smart food innovation using plant and seaweed proteins from upcycled sources.”
IPSUS is a project funded by the SUSFOOD2 ERA-Net Cofund network, which has the aim to foster research and innovation in the field of sustainable food systems through enhanced cooperation and coordination between EU member and associated states. The IPSUS project will last until 2025 and exploit inter-disciplinary and eco-innovative approaches to upcycle plant and from agri-food raw materials, including (pumpkin, hazelnut, grape, potato, brewers' spent grain, and seaweeds.
I’ll be the WP leader and with my colleagues from KEDGE Business School, we will analyze consumer preferences and acceptance measures, and recent trends of upcycled plant and algae-based proteins. Effects of various policies (e.g., labeling, sustainability benefits, safety standard, etc.) will be tested for protein sources (i.e., potato, pumpkin, BSG, seaweed, etc.) using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Plant-based meat alternatives have recently gained increasing interest among food producers and researchers, and it is a market in rapid expansion. Little is known about how consumers inspect the ingredients list and how this affects their perception of the product. The main research questions: How do consumers perceive different plant-based meat alternatives products by: (1) inspecting the ingredient list, (2) considering different product forms, (3) sensory evaluating them in blind and informed conditions, including different uses?
Partners:
- University of Parma and The Experimental Station for the Food Preservation Industry – Research Foundation (SSICA), (IT)
- Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and Kaanlar Food Inc., (TR)
- National School of Agriculture in Meknes (ENA) and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Mohammed V University, (MA)
- BEIA Consult International, (RO)
- KEDGE Business School, (FR)