Ready for the healthy and tasty food revolution? Get to know Sustain-a-bite EU project
European diets are imbalanced, with excessive consumption of protein, primarily from animals- twice the recommended amount per capita. At the same time, the intake of dietary fibre and essential micronutrients such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), and vitamins is too low.In response, plant-based food alternatives are gaining popularity, but many rely on ultra-processed ingredients, such as protein isolates, that lack essential nutrients and contain excessive levels of additives. Healthier plant-based options are often dismissed by consumers due to their taste, texture, and higher costs. Current food systems are unsustainable Meat- and dairy-based food production has a strong [...]
Turning Waste into Wealth: Innovative Uses for Agrifood “Losses”
The total volume of organic matter lost or wasted in agriculture and industry for food production, hereinafter referred to as agrifood losses, is immense. Considering only the edible fraction, 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted globally each year (UNEP). Agrifood losses occur throughout the entire value chain. Harvests suffer from adverse weather events (e.g. freezes, floods) and pests, while edible parts are discarded in the fields due to surplus production or failure to meet commercial standards. Additionally, large quantities of agricultural residues such as stems and leaves are left behind, along with side streams from industrial [...]