Periodic Reporting for period 1 - 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)
Período documentado: 2023-09-01 hasta 2025-08-31
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.
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.
The BionovFOOD project explored innovative ways to transform winery and distillery by-products, such as grape marc, wine lees, and vinasse, into edible fungal proteins, offering a sustainable alternative for future food production. Conducted over 24 months across two leading European research institutions, the University of Padua in Italy and the University of Borås in Sweden, the project brought together expertise in food science, biotechnology, microbiology, and engineering to create a truly interdisciplinary approach to sustainable nutrition.
The collected winery and distillery residues, were thoroughly analyzed to understand their nutritional and chemical composition, including proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, polyphenols, and other organic compounds. This characterization established their potential as a rich, sustainable substrate for cultivating edible fungi. Building on this foundation, the project developed and optimized bioprocesses using both submerged and solid-state fermentation techniques. Edible fungi strains, including Ascomycetes and Zygomycetes, were cultivated on these by-products, transforming low-value side streams into protein-rich fungal biomass. Various pretreatment strategies were applied, such as hydrothermal, organosolv, rotary evaporation, freeze-drying, and oven drying. Cultivations were scaled progressively, starting in shake flasks, moving to bench, pilot bioreactors, and demonstration-scale bioreactors of 1,300 liters, demonstrating the technical feasibility and industrial relevance of the new biovalorization approach.
The fungal biomass harvested underwent thorough characterization. Further, the nutritional composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, essential mineral composition, polyphenolic content, protein digestibility, mineral accesibility, and potential allergenicity, while also applying proteomic profiling to understand funagl biomass protein composition in detail. The results confirmed that these fungal proteins were nutritionally rich, containing complete profile of essential amino acids, with enhanced digestibility and polyphenolic content.
The next step translated this scientific innovation into practical food prototypes. Fungal biomass was incorporated into new formulation of meat analogue prototypes, combined with other clean-label ingredients. These prototypes were evaluated for nutritional quality, texture, microstructure, shelf life, and sensory appeal. Remarkably, the fungi-based products demonstrated fibrous, juicy textures and aromas reminiscent of meat, while also offering enhanced nutritional benefits when compared to commercial plant-based alternatives.
Complementing the technical work, the project also investigated consumer perceptions of these novel fungal proteins. A survey of 1,500 international participants revealed insights into preferences, acceptance, and willingness to adopt fungal proteins derived by bioconvertion of distillery by-products.
Overall, through its innovative approach, BionovFOOD successfully demonstrated that winery and distillery by-products could be biotransformed into safe, nutritious, and functional protein ingredients at industrially relevant scales. By integrating advanced biotechnology, food science, consumer research, sustainable food production, the project provides a compelling model for a circular bioeconomy, turning low-value agri-food side streams into high-value protein and sustainable food products. It showcases the potential for fungal proteins to contribute to future diets, supporting both environmental sustainability and human nutrition, while laying the groundwork for broader industrial adoption of alternative protein sources.
The project engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including industry partners, regulatory bodies, academic institutions, and consumers across Europe. Participation in conferences, workshops, co-creation sessions, open-access publications, and sensory studies ensured that research outcomes were relevant, accessible, and ready for uptake.
Capacity-building and training were central to the project’s achievements. The MSCA fellow gained extensive expertise in sustainable bioprocessing, fungal biotechnology, and alternative protein development, while mentoring early-stage researchers and fostering long-term scientific excellence across European institutions. Building on this experience, the fellow aims to lead independent research projects, expand collaborations with academia and industry, and contribute to policy and regulatory initiatives in sustainable food and circular bioeconomy, further strengthening Europe’s leadership in these fields.
Furthermore, this fellowship enhanced the researcher’s career prospects and, by integrating technical, scientific and societal dimensions, generated evidence-based outputs supporting regulatory and policy discussions on novel foods and by-products biovalorization for food applications. Additionally, collaborations initiated during the project expanded the network of beneficiaries and principal investigator (Dr. Hoxha), strengthening influence in sustainable food systems and policy-making.
In conclusion, the BionovFOOD project successfully fulfilled the objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. It advanced knowledge and innovation in the valorization of distillery & winery by-products, delivered meaningful societal and policy insights, and provided substantial career development opportunities for the fellow. Specifically, the project has:
- Achieved high scientific quality.
- Strengthened the researcher’s career prospects.
- Delivered tangible innovations for academia, industry, and public institutions.
- Fostered international collaboration and policy influence.
- Expanded the host institution’s research network and policy-making impact.
These results confirm that the project was implemented successfully, fully achieving the core objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowship.
The collected winery and distillery residues, were thoroughly analyzed to understand their nutritional and chemical composition, including proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, polyphenols, and other organic compounds. This characterization established their potential as a rich, sustainable substrate for cultivating edible fungi. Building on this foundation, the project developed and optimized bioprocesses using both submerged and solid-state fermentation techniques. Edible fungi strains, including Ascomycetes and Zygomycetes, were cultivated on these by-products, transforming low-value side streams into protein-rich fungal biomass. Various pretreatment strategies were applied, such as hydrothermal, organosolv, rotary evaporation, freeze-drying, and oven drying. Cultivations were scaled progressively, starting in shake flasks, moving to bench, pilot bioreactors, and demonstration-scale bioreactors of 1,300 liters, demonstrating the technical feasibility and industrial relevance of the new biovalorization approach.
The fungal biomass harvested underwent thorough characterization. Further, the nutritional composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, essential mineral composition, polyphenolic content, protein digestibility, mineral accesibility, and potential allergenicity, while also applying proteomic profiling to understand funagl biomass protein composition in detail. The results confirmed that these fungal proteins were nutritionally rich, containing complete profile of essential amino acids, with enhanced digestibility and polyphenolic content.
The next step translated this scientific innovation into practical food prototypes. Fungal biomass was incorporated into new formulation of meat analogue prototypes, combined with other clean-label ingredients. These prototypes were evaluated for nutritional quality, texture, microstructure, shelf life, and sensory appeal. Remarkably, the fungi-based products demonstrated fibrous, juicy textures and aromas reminiscent of meat, while also offering enhanced nutritional benefits when compared to commercial plant-based alternatives.
Complementing the technical work, the project also investigated consumer perceptions of these novel fungal proteins. A survey of 1,500 international participants revealed insights into preferences, acceptance, and willingness to adopt fungal proteins derived by bioconvertion of distillery by-products.
Overall, through its innovative approach, BionovFOOD successfully demonstrated that winery and distillery by-products could be biotransformed into safe, nutritious, and functional protein ingredients at industrially relevant scales. By integrating advanced biotechnology, food science, consumer research, sustainable food production, the project provides a compelling model for a circular bioeconomy, turning low-value agri-food side streams into high-value protein and sustainable food products. It showcases the potential for fungal proteins to contribute to future diets, supporting both environmental sustainability and human nutrition, while laying the groundwork for broader industrial adoption of alternative protein sources.
The project engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including industry partners, regulatory bodies, academic institutions, and consumers across Europe. Participation in conferences, workshops, co-creation sessions, open-access publications, and sensory studies ensured that research outcomes were relevant, accessible, and ready for uptake.
Capacity-building and training were central to the project’s achievements. The MSCA fellow gained extensive expertise in sustainable bioprocessing, fungal biotechnology, and alternative protein development, while mentoring early-stage researchers and fostering long-term scientific excellence across European institutions. Building on this experience, the fellow aims to lead independent research projects, expand collaborations with academia and industry, and contribute to policy and regulatory initiatives in sustainable food and circular bioeconomy, further strengthening Europe’s leadership in these fields.
Furthermore, this fellowship enhanced the researcher’s career prospects and, by integrating technical, scientific and societal dimensions, generated evidence-based outputs supporting regulatory and policy discussions on novel foods and by-products biovalorization for food applications. Additionally, collaborations initiated during the project expanded the network of beneficiaries and principal investigator (Dr. Hoxha), strengthening influence in sustainable food systems and policy-making.
In conclusion, the BionovFOOD project successfully fulfilled the objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. It advanced knowledge and innovation in the valorization of distillery & winery by-products, delivered meaningful societal and policy insights, and provided substantial career development opportunities for the fellow. Specifically, the project has:
- Achieved high scientific quality.
- Strengthened the researcher’s career prospects.
- Delivered tangible innovations for academia, industry, and public institutions.
- Fostered international collaboration and policy influence.
- Expanded the host institution’s research network and policy-making impact.
These results confirm that the project was implemented successfully, fully achieving the core objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowship.
The BionovFOOD project has successfully developed and validated innovative fungal biorefinery processes to convert winery and distillery by-products, such as grape marc, wine lees, and vinasse, into protein-rich filamentous fungal biomass. Selected fungal strains, among Ascomycetes and Zygomycetes, were optimized to produce fungal biomass with enhanced nutritional profiles and functional properties, suitable for incorporation into food products.
The project progressed from laboratory-scale experiments (TRL 3–4) to pilot and demonstration scales (TRL 5), encompassing substrate characterization, fermentation optimization, compositional and protein quality analyses, and safety evaluation. The fungal biomass was further processed into consumer-ready food prototypes, including protein-enriched meat analogue products, demonstrating both technical feasibility and consumer acceptance. Sensory evaluation and functional testing confirmed these products are suitable for industrial adoption, paving the way toward commercialization.
The project generated extensive datasets and open-access publications, including data on compositional and nutritional quality, techno-functional properties, supporting both novel food applications and regulatory compliance. Integration of laboratory, pilot and demo-scale processes has produced scalable, cost-effective solutions that can be adopted by SMEs and industrial operators, advancing circular bioeconomy practices and sustainable protein production.
BionovFOOD has delivered multiple impacts across scientific, industrial, societal, and policy-relevant dimensions.The project has advanced knowledge in filamentous fungal biotechnology, sustainable bioprocessing, and alternative protein production. It provides replicable methods for converting agro-industrial by-products into functional ingredients, generating datasets that support future research, regulatory compliance, and product development. Aditionally, the project offers SMEs and food industries practical, scalable solutions to valorize organic waste into high-value protein ingredients. By supporting sustainable production and reducing agri-food industry side streams, BionovFOOD contributes to new business opportunities, cost savings, and the development of fungi-based meat alternatives and functional foods. The action supports healthier, more sustainable diets, raises awareness of circular bioeconomy principles, and contributes to environmental responsibility. It also aligns with the EU Green Deal by promoting climate neutrality, resource efficiency, and resilient food systems.
The MSCA fellowship enhanced the technical expertise, international network, and leadership skills of early-stage researchers and strengthened collaboration across institutions, fostering long-term innovation capacity in sustainable food systems and circular bioprocessing.
The project progressed from laboratory-scale experiments (TRL 3–4) to pilot and demonstration scales (TRL 5), encompassing substrate characterization, fermentation optimization, compositional and protein quality analyses, and safety evaluation. The fungal biomass was further processed into consumer-ready food prototypes, including protein-enriched meat analogue products, demonstrating both technical feasibility and consumer acceptance. Sensory evaluation and functional testing confirmed these products are suitable for industrial adoption, paving the way toward commercialization.
The project generated extensive datasets and open-access publications, including data on compositional and nutritional quality, techno-functional properties, supporting both novel food applications and regulatory compliance. Integration of laboratory, pilot and demo-scale processes has produced scalable, cost-effective solutions that can be adopted by SMEs and industrial operators, advancing circular bioeconomy practices and sustainable protein production.
BionovFOOD has delivered multiple impacts across scientific, industrial, societal, and policy-relevant dimensions.The project has advanced knowledge in filamentous fungal biotechnology, sustainable bioprocessing, and alternative protein production. It provides replicable methods for converting agro-industrial by-products into functional ingredients, generating datasets that support future research, regulatory compliance, and product development. Aditionally, the project offers SMEs and food industries practical, scalable solutions to valorize organic waste into high-value protein ingredients. By supporting sustainable production and reducing agri-food industry side streams, BionovFOOD contributes to new business opportunities, cost savings, and the development of fungi-based meat alternatives and functional foods. The action supports healthier, more sustainable diets, raises awareness of circular bioeconomy principles, and contributes to environmental responsibility. It also aligns with the EU Green Deal by promoting climate neutrality, resource efficiency, and resilient food systems.
The MSCA fellowship enhanced the technical expertise, international network, and leadership skills of early-stage researchers and strengthened collaboration across institutions, fostering long-term innovation capacity in sustainable food systems and circular bioprocessing.