Focus on collective catering system

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) represent the major challenge in western countries since they affect a large part of the population and they significantly impact on disability, quality of life and mortality of the population. NCD (obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, …) are mostly related to life style and in particular on eating habits. 
Furthermore, dietary habits significantly affect the sustainability of the food system at different levels (health, nutritional, socio-cultural, economic, and environmental).

Collective catering system (CCS) represents a “strategic tools” for the sustainable and healthy diets knowledge transfer since:
 

1. they serve daily a great number of consumers significantly impacting the general population eating habits and behaviour, the entire food production chain, the sustainability of the entire agro-food system; 
2. they provide a “real-life” setting for learning on a regular basis the best condition for improving the self-management of dietary habits also outside the canteens;
3. their organisation characterized by standardised procedures and protocols, enable them to become an effective tool for Institutions through which educating consumers and promoting a sustainable healthy diet.

Through innovation, CCS will become the main driver to an integrated approach to sustainability promoting a healthier and more sustainable eating behaviour for the consumers and their families and relatives (nutritional and environmental sustainability), that shall lead to a better protection and economic development of the territories (economic sustainability), on the cultural growth of the entire system that will be involved in the search for greater sustainability of the agri-food system and in the protection / rediscovery of the food and gastronomic traditions of the territories (socio-cultural sustainability).

Phase 1

• Identification of metrics of sustainability of short and long distance value chains and food environments (D1.1.2.1).
• Identification of good practices related to sustainable accountability and communication approaches in quality value chains (D1.1.2.2).

Phase 2

• Design of equipment innovation in the meal preparation facility - including novel cooking techniques - and in the entire supply chain (storage, processing, cooking, packaging, distribution). 
• Planning structural innovation reducing energy, water and detergent use; the adoption of an active packaging through the use of flexible and semi-rigid and rigid bio-based / biodegradable (potentially edible); training tools of staff involved in the entire supply chain.
• Adoption of innovative cooking techniques able to better preserve nutritional and sensory characteristics of foods e.g. anti- and pro-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials. 
• Review of food transformation processes and gastronomic preparations based on local traditions.
• Foods production, appropriate for CCS, by the combination of cooking practices and processing techniques (e.g. plant cuttings and surplus food for reuse and new food product incorporation, inclusion of unutilized plant parts suitable for consumption), for reformulation and prolonging the stability of dishes and nutrients.
• Organisation model able to prevent the generation of food waste and to promote a circular management of the food that is not eaten, as well as of its packaging, by keeping products and materials in use and recycling of nutrients in food by-products (fertilisers, textiles, animal feed).
• Adoption of a sustainable eating pattern that will be mainly plant-based; including foods coming from 25% of agricultural land under organic farming and/or from organic aquaculture; including 80% seasonal products (fruits and vegetable); preferring products from short food supply chains (by reducing of one unit the number of economic operators involved in at least 50% of the food supply chains); increasing the number of local products by 30%; improving biodiversity by 20% increase of the number of different species represented in the canteen menus. 
• Adoption of innovative and effective tools to improve consumer’s and CCS staff education, communication, engagement and training aimed at changing their habits at home together with their families and relatives (D1.3.2.1: Report on alternative forms of public intervention to support consumers healthy and sustainable choices, with specific focus on fragile population groups (e.g. elderly, low income, etc.).
• Analysis of eating behaviours of CCS consumers before and after the implementation of innovative procedures (D1.2.3.2. Report on strategies to improve the affordability of sustainable food in canteen trough public and private procurement strategies).
• Analysis of consumers perception on CCS innovation (D1.3.3.1 Report on consumers social and cultural acceptance of new technologies combined with innovative distribution channels and new packaging for multiple sustainable objectives (D1.3.3.2 Report on the perception of innovative sustainable food products in relation to lifestyles, sustainability and climate change).

The innovation of CCS will become the main driver to promote a healthier and more sustainable eating behaviour for the consumers and their families and relatives (nutritional and environmental sustainability), that shall lead to a better protection and economic development of the territories (economic sustainability), on the cultural growth of the entire system that will be involved in the search for greater sustainability of the agri-food system and in the protection / rediscovery of the food and gastronomic traditions of the territories (socio-cultural sustainability).