Representatives from the twelve participating entities met on 6–7 May for a meeting hosted at Tate & Lyle offices.
The bioeconomy project focused on alternative proteins is expected to publish new technical deliverables shortly.
Representatives from the twelve entities participating in the ZEST project gathered in Lübeck (Hamburg) on 6–7 May for the consortium’s fifth General Assembly (GA), hosted by project partner Tate & Lyle at its facilities.
The two-day meeting provided an opportunity to review project progress, strengthen collaboration among partners, and define the next steps and upcoming deliverables as ZEST approaches the midpoint of its implementation period.
Day 1 – From bioreactor design to market uptake
The General Assembly opened with a welcome from the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), coordinator of the project, together with Tate & Lyle. This was followed by a presentation of the Communication and Dissemination Work Package, highlighting media coverage achieved so far, clustering activities, stakeholder engagement and participation in relevant bioeconomy events.
The WP2 team presented the latest advances in bioreactor design for the project’s purposes. Partners also reviewed activities carried out within WP1 – Fungi Screening and Test Fermentation and WP4 – Downstream Processing.
In addition, the consortium discussed stakeholder studies on the alternative protein market, covering both industry and consumer perspectives, which are expected to be published in the coming months. The first day finished with discussions on regulatory aspects related to novel food processes and market uptake challenges.
Day 2 – From sustainability to market exploitation
The second day included presentations on WP6 – Safety and Sustainability Assessment and WP3 – Digital Modelling, Process Monitoring and Control, showcasing the latest technical developments achieved by the consortium.
The meeting concluded with an Exploitation Workshop in which participants were divided into five groups, including three meeting rooms at Tate & Lyle facilities and two online breakout rooms for remote attendees. Each group worked on a case study by addressing three key questions and summarising the outcomes in slides, which were later discussed during a final plenary session.
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