D 3.1, ZEST Data Management Platform and Digital Modelling Framework Specification, and D6.1, Roadmap and Application of the SSbD Framework are now available here.
The partners of the European research project ZEST held their fourth General Assembly online on 18 and 19 December 2025. The meeting represented a key milestone to review technical and strategic progress since the last consortium gathering, which took place in Riga on 17 June.
As the coordinating entity, the Danish Technological Institute led the digital meeting. During the sessions, the consortium reviewed the project timeline, with particular focus on vital milestones, expected deliverables, and the identification of potential planning adjustments in the form of amendments. The status of each work package and the upcoming steps were also discussed in detail.
Overall, and in line with the conclusions of the first review meeting with the funding programme and external experts held in summer 2025, project implementation is considered satisfactory . The consortium reports good progress in digital infrastructure, upstream experiments, downstream testing, and consumer insights. Potential bottlenecks may primarily arise from fermentation-related challenges—such as foaming and inconsistent biomass—and from the limited availability of well-characterised material for downstream processing and product development.
Another relevant update addressed during the meeting was the acquisition of Bioreactors.net—leader of WP2, Bioreactor Design and Fermentation Upscaling—by the Tetra Pak Group. This purchase highlights Bioreactors.net’s strong performance in the development of next-generation bioreactors and and its ability to deliver cutting-edge biomass and precision fermentation solutions for New Food applications, which align with one of ZEST’s core objectives.
First deliverables published and available
The fourth General Assembly also included presentations of Deliverable 3.1, ZEST Data Management Platform and Digital Modelling Framework Specification, and Deliverable 6.1, Roadmap and Application of the SSbD Framework. Both publications are now available in the Resources section.
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