The reduction of meat consumption is a growing reality in developed countries.

 

Aid to Competitiveness Reinforcement Initiatives (CRI) for Cluster Projects 2022

The reduction of meat consumption is an increasing reality in developed countries. This change in consumers' eating habits responds, on the one hand, to a growing awareness of the unsustainability of conventional animal production systems, including the economic, social and environmental dimensions, as well as aspects related to health, ethics and animal welfare. In this sense, the food industry is challenged to develop and offer protein-rich food alternatives to meat, to reduce these sustainability problems linked to traditional production systems, and to adapt to consumers' dietary changes.

The main objective is to study the feasibility of new alternative protein sources to produce hybrid meat products. In particular, the use of mycelia obtained by solid-state fermentation will be studied and validated. The project will identify the feasibility of these proteins for the production of hybrid meat products and will also help to expand knowledge in the field of alternative protein. More specifically, the project also aims to achieve:

- Identification of the most suitable substrate, fungal species and fermentation conditions for obtaining an ingredient suitable for the development of a meat hybrid.

- Obtaining fungal biomass that allows the formulation and development tests of a meat hybrid.

  • - Study the technical, industrial and commercial viability of hybrid products made with meat and mycelia from mycoproteins. To evaluate and compare these hybrids with conventional meat products in relation to their composition and nutritional value.

Project participants:

Aid for BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS PROJECTS.