The reduction of meat consumption is an increasing reality in developed countries.

Aid to Competitiveness Reinforcement Initiatives (CRI) for Cluster Projects 2022

The reduction of meat consumption is an increasing reality in developed countries. This change in consumer eating habits responds, on the one hand, to a growing awareness of the lack of sustainability of conventional animal production systems, including the economic, social and environmental dimensions, as well as aspects related to health, ethics and animal welfare. In this sense, the food industry faces the challenge of developing and offering foods rich in protein alternatives to meat, which make it possible to reduce these sustainability problems linked to traditional production systems, and to adapt to the dietary changes of consumers.

The main objective is to study the viability of new alternative protein sources for making hybrid meat products. In particular, the use of mycelia obtained by solid-state fermentation will be studied and validated. The project will make it possible to identify the viability of these proteins for the production of hybrid meat products, while at the same time helping to broaden knowledge in the field of alternative protein. More specifically, the project also aims to achieve:

- Identification of the substrate, fungal species and fermentation conditions most suitable for obtaining an ingredient suitable for the development of a meat hybrid.

- Obtaining fungal biomass that allows formulation and development tests of a meat hybrid.

- Study the technical, industrial and commercial viability of hybrid products made with meat and mycelia from mycoproteins. To evaluate and compare these hybrids with conventional processed meat products in relation to their composition and nutritional values.

Project participants:

Aid for BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS PROJECTS.