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.

The current food system is insufficient and unsustainable, generating 17% of the total GHG emissions for animal farming while only supplying 18% of the global calories and 37% of the global proteins. The cultured meat (CM) and cultured seafood (CSF) industry is emerging to meet the growing demand of protein with promises of lower environmental footprint. However, the current knowledge on the impact of this sector is limited, based on developments that have not happened yet and lacking important considerations such as its social impact or its adaptability to current and future demand. Current race-to-market pressures, fueled by recent market approvals overseas, highlight the need to define a roadmap that can develop the sector in an ethical, sustainable and cost-competitive way. This is a unique opportunity for an effective reorganisation of the food system to establish resilient value chains in the EU. Gathering a large set of independent food system actors, FEASTS will provide an unprecedented, unbiased and robust knowledge base for the assessment of the sustainability aspects of the CM/CSF sector by actively promoting multistakeholder engagement and co-creation activities grounded on transparent dialogue and open science practices. It will explore different production methods, product types, supply and value chains as well as business models to provide balanced solutions that are not only sustainable by design and cost-efficient, but also ethically responsible, safe and nutritious, fair and inclusive. FEASTS, designed as a think-tank, adopts a Food Systems Thinking approach and a multidimensional impact assessment including not only LCA, TEA and SLCA of CM/CSF products and their comparison to conventional counterparts but also systems dynamic modelling and integrated scenario analysis that will provide a decision support tool for informed policy- and decision-making in the EU.