ALEHOOP

Biorefineries for the valorisation of macroalgal residual biomass and legume processing by-products to obtain new protein value chains for high-value food and feed applications

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Project details

Type of project: Innovation Action - Demonstration
Project focus: Food, feed & cosmetics
Feedstock origin: Aquatic
Feedstock type: Food industry sidestreams
Micro/macro algae

Project period: 1 June 2020 - 28 February 2025
Status: Completed
CBE JU Contribution: € 5 140 274,41
Call identifier: H2020-BBI-JTI-2019

Summary

Proteins and amino acids are in high demand for their role in food and food production. The properties they add - solubility, viscosity, foaming, emulsifying and gelling - play an important role in determining the appearance, texture and stability of foods. As the demand for food grows to meet an expanding population, the demand for proteins will increase accordingly. Currently, the world requires more than 200 million tonnes of protein, just over half of which is derived from plant sources. Adding to the demand is an increase in meat consumption, which requires protein as animal feedstuff.

For Europe to meet its own demand for protein requires importing some 30 million tonnes of soy each year - a 95 percent dependency on imports. This is economically and environmentally unsustainable, as well as undermining the EU’s food security. It is therefore important to diversify where and how to source its proteins for the future.

The purpose of the ALEHOOP project is to demonstrate - at pilot scale - the feasibility of recovering low-cost dietary proteins from algae-based and plant residual biomass sources, namely seaweed and the by-products of legume production using biorefineries. This will convert the biomass into alternative forms of proteins for a variety of uses, ranging from animal feed, food additives and high-end applications in nutritional awareness and health management.

Consortium map

Project coordination

CONTACTICA SL MADRID, Spain

Consortium

CENTIV GMBH SYKE, Germany
ALGINOR ASA Haugesund, Norway
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION DERIO BIZKAIA, Spain
VIDARA LIFE INGREDIENTS, S.A.U. BARCELONA, Spain
ASOCIACION NACIONAL DE FABRICANTES DE CONSERVAS Y PRODUCTOS TRANSFORMADOS DE PESCADOS Y MARISCOS CENTRO NACIONAL DE CONOCIMIENTO Y TECNOLOGIA PARA LA INDUSTRIA MARINA ACUICOLA Y ALIMENTARIA VIGO, Spain
BIOZOON GMBH BREMERHAVEN, Germany
EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK Merelbeke, Belgium
VYZKUMNY USTAV VETERINARNIHO LEKARSTVI BRNO, Czechia
NUTRITION SCIENCES DRONGEN, Belgium
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN Dublin, Ireland
GARLAN, S.COOP. Ilarraza, Spain
WILD FLORIAN Germany
ISANATUR SPAIN SL PUENTA LA REINA, Spain
UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO VIGO PONTEVEDRA, Spain
UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZ CADIZ, Spain