The current food system is unsustainable and underperforming, having high environmental and socio-economic costs, while still failing to ensure food and nutrition equity for all. Dietary shifts towards novel foods based on alternative protein sources (NFAP; proteins derived from insect, fungi, bacteria, micro and macro algae and agriculture and aquaculture by-products), provide a unique opportunity to reduce consumption of animal-based proteins potentially minimizing the impact of the Food Systems. However, knowledge regarding the environmental, economic and social impact of the widespread production, provision and consumption of NFAP is very limited and not integrated into a holistic vision of the food system able to identify trade-offs, interaction between food system actors and second and third order impacts. The goal of EPIC-SHIFT is to provide an unprecedented, independent, solid knowledge base on the sustainability (env., eco. and soc.) aspects of NFAP as options for protein diversification for human consumption. Considering that the contribution of each NFAP types to reorganize the food systems may differ, EPIC-SHIFT applies a quadruple helix innovation model in its multi-actor approach to roadmap the sustainable development of NFAP for Planetary Health Diets. Designed as a think-tank and adopting Food Systems Thinking approach, EPIC-SHIFT will provide a multidimensional impact assessment of 7 NFAP (from protein type to product level) at scale complemented with the necessary recommendations for food environments, marketing, regulatory approval, infrastructure and investment needed to support long-term market growth. EPIC-SHIFT integrated scenario analysis will further result in decision support tools that will inform policy and decision-making about the trajectories to achieve the sustainable integration of NFAP in the EU diets ensuring resource efficiency, food security and nutrition within a framework of just transition for all food system actors.

PLANTOMYC is a transformative initiative aiming to reshape the landscape of the alternative protein sector. It aims to bridge the versatile benefits of plant-based proteins with the functional and organoleptic (taste, aroma, texture) advantages of mycelial protein biomass (MPB) and develop innovative minimally processed hybrid meat analogues that are both healthy, and tasty. The project promotes sustainability by upcycling underutilized circular substrates such as starch rich pea protein by-product, and brewers spent grains to produce MPB by submerged fermentation (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF), respectively. Envisioning a near-zero waste process design, PLANTOMYC proposes converting the broth from SmF into a Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) enriched beverage and / or a flavorful bouillon. Adopting a multi-actor approach, the project addresses challenges related to consumer preferences, technological scaling, and regulatory requirements. Notably, the impact of PLANTOMYC’s product prototypes on nutritional, functional (gut health & metabolic syndrome), techno-functional, and sensory properties will be assessed thoroughly. Moreover, to advance PLANTOMYC’s TRL, we perform a comprehensive impact assessment for the adoption of these products, utilizing our consortium’s industrial end-users. PLANTOMYC will significantly increase the competitiveness of European alternative protein initiatives. It will accelerate the sector by offering an open-access knowledge platform, introducing new production concepts for hybrid meat analogues, increasing resource independence and efficiency, providing new market opportunities for industrial partners like Millow, BRØL, and Lantmännen, increasing the affordability of alternative proteins, and reducing the environmental footprint of protein production