The Technology Centre has assessed the nutritional quality, bioavailability and various safety aspects of alternative protein ingredients and food products developed as part of the European LIKE-A-PRO project.
GAIKER, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), has played a key role in the European LIKE-A-PRO project, an initiative funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe aimed at developing new, sustainable, safe alternative protein sources for human consumption.
The project, which is coordinated by the National Centre for Food Technology (CNTA) and is due to conclude this month, has brought together 42 organisations from 17 countries across different sectors of the food value chain with the aim of promoting innovative ingredients and products capable of contributing to food systems that are more sustainable, resilient and adapted to the population’s future nutritional needs
GAIKER led activities related to assessing the nutritional quality, bioavailability and certain safety aspects of 12 alternative protein ingredients and 16 food products developed by the consortium as part of the LIKE-A-PRO project.
The technology centre analysed various nutritional and safety parameters to characterise protein ingredients and end products, based on protein digestibility, essential amino acid composition, the bioavailability of these amino acids, and the presence of certain antinutritional factors, with the aim of estimating protein quality and its potential nutritional value.
The in vitro tests carried out included mutagenicity and genotoxicity tests, assessments of allergenic potential, and studies of simulated gastrointestinal digestibility and intestinal bioavailability using human intestinal epithelial cell models.
In addition to the experimental work, a comprehensive review was carried out of the European regulatory framework governing food safety and novel foods. This analysis identified the relevant regulatory requirements for assessing alternative protein ingredients and foods formulated from them. Integrating experimental evidence with regulatory analysis made it possible to develop a scientific strategy, focus on aspects covered by legislation, and anticipate any additional requirements in terms of information, assessment, labelling and risk management.
However, the studies carried out are only an initial assessment and do not, in themselves, mean that regulatory approval will be granted or that the ingredients and products assessed will be put on the market.
In this context, the results obtained confirmed the potential of these new protein sources to contribute to a more sustainable diet, without compromising the food quality and safety standards required for putting them on the market in the future.
Overall, the activities carried out as part of the LIKE-A-PRO project highlight the importance of including nutritional characterisation, early safety assessments and analyses of regulatory aspects from the very earliest stages of developing new foods based on alternative proteins.
The LIKE-A-PRO project received funding from the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101083961.
Funded by the European Union. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held liable for them.
