Think of your gut like a garden that needs the right seeds to stay healthy. This work finds the best natural microbes in fermented foods to act as those seeds, moving away from dairy toward plants. It uses computer models to predict which microbe mixes will actually improve health and taste good.
European consumers want healthier, sustainable plant-based foods, but companies lack the scientific data to prove health benefits or the technical recipes to make plant-based fermented foods taste and perform like traditional dairy versions.
A research and innovation workflow for designing functional plant-based foods and an open access database for profiling food microbiomes.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with low consumer acceptance of plant-based textures and tastes — this project developed a research and innovation workflow that uses microbial biodiversity to design 6 functional healthy plant-based fermented foods.
If you are a supplement company dealing with a lack of scientific proof for health claims — this project developed a database and computational tools to link food microbiomes with human health biomarkers for people with metabolic syndrome.
If you are a processor dealing with high volumes of organic waste — this project developed bio-waste valorisation strategies using fermentation to turn residues into high-value functional foods.
Based on available project data, there is no specific pricing mentioned, but the project aims to deliver an open access database.
The project involves 7 industry partners and 6 SMEs, suggesting a focus on industrial applicability, though specific scale-up metrics are not provided.
Based on available project data, the specific licensing model is not disclosed, but the project emphasizes an open access database for microbiome profiling.
The project focuses on EU citizens and the European food value chain, implying compliance with EU food safety and health claim regulations.
The project runs from 2023-03-01 to 2028-02-29, indicating that final validated workflows will be available by early 2028.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 22 partners across 10 countries. With a 32% industry ratio (7 companies, including 6 SMEs), there is a strong link between academic research and market application, ensuring that the 6 food case studies are grounded in industrial reality.
Contact INRAE (France) for details on the microbial design workflow.
Contact us to identify the specific microbial strains developed for your plant-based product line.
