Innovation in food design and scaling-up

WP 4.4 focused on the development of new healthy and sustainable food products designed to meet consumer expectations in terms of nutritional and functional value, sensory quality and convenience. The objective extended beyond product design to ensure long-term feasibility and compatibility with large-scale production, taking into account economic accessibility and realistic market entry pathways.

Research activities were conducted in close interaction with start-up acceleration programmes, supporting concept validation and facilitating the transition from prototype development to market-oriented products. The work led to the identification of new functional ingredients, the reformulation of existing products with improved nutritional profiles and the design of novel food proposals that attracted concrete interest from industry stakeholders.

The results demonstrated a strong capacity to translate innovation into real applications. Numerous prototypes based on high-nutritional-value ingredients and innovative biotechnologies were developed and subsequently tested at increasing production scales, in some cases reaching industrial-level implementation. Activities included the improvement of products already available on the market, with measurable nutritional, functional and sensory benefits, as well as the creation of new food categories. These encompassed plant-based analogues of animal-origin products, formulations based on fermented plant matrices, the use of alternative protein sources and green processes for the recovery of bioactive compounds from agri-food by-products. The solutions developed showed potential applicability not only for healthy adult populations but also for more vulnerable groups such as children and older individuals.

Methodologically, WP 4.4 adopted an integrated approach combining novel product concepts with targeted interventions across the entire development chain. This included the selection of unconventional or underutilised raw materials, the design of innovative processing strategies and the recalibration of thermal treatments to reduce impacts on nutritional and qualitative properties. Ingredients were considered not only as nutrient sources but also as functional components capable of influencing overall product performance.

A further line of activity addressed the development of functional ingredients and products through the recovery of bioactive compounds and the biotechnological valorisation of agri-food by-products. This approach provided industry with concrete tools to implement more sustainable processes, reduce disposal costs and environmental impact and strengthen circular economy models. Sensory methodologies and consumption analyses were also applied to assess acceptance and long-term use of new foods, generating insights to support the adoption of healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns.