10 partners from industry & research have launched a project to build a first-of-its-kind, large-scale, integrated biorefinery facility. The project, known as 'PLENITUDE', aims to produce proteins for food from low-cost sustainable feedstocks.
This project has received €17 million (US$18.7m) funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 838104, and is the largest flagship grant awarded to a UK company by BBI JU.
PLENITUDE brings together 10 key players in the bioeconomy spanning five EU member states and representing every link in the value chain. This includes expertise in primary processing and industrial operations (Alcogroup), biotechnology (3F BIO), product development and applications (International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. B.V), primary research and protein expertise (Wageningen University) a specialist consultants covering marketing and sustainability (Bridge2Food, Life Cycle Engineering), and three end-users covering food categories (Mosa Meat, Vivera, ABP) as well as one end-user covering bio-plastics (Lactips).
PLENITUDE addresses the protein challenge by integrating two established processes into a flagship, large-scale, first-of-its-kind, biorefinery producing bioethanol and sustainable food protein
The project addresses the protein challenge by integrating two established processes into a flagship, large-scale, first-of-its-kind, biorefinery producing bioethanol and sustainable food protein. The process takes a proportion of the sustainable cereal crops that feed the biorefinery to create a feedstock for the fermentation process that produces ABUNDA mycoprotein. ABUNDA Mycoprotein is a registered trademark of 3F BIO for mycoprotein made using a proprietary zero-waste process.
Olivier Van Rompaey, Senior VP of AlcoGroup, said: "With our core business in sustainable biorefineries, the Plenitude project offers a great opportunity to develop sustainable protein alongside a range of leading partners."
Commenting on the announcement: Dean Holroyd, Group Technical and Sustainability Director, ABP, said: "Today's announcement is the latest development on our R&D journey which also extends to improving the sustainability of our beef and lamb products and the introduction and combination of meat-free and plant-based products.
With an initial output capacity of 16k tonnes per annum, this flagship project will increase the availability of sustainable, high-quality food protein. The collaboration between the biorefinery operator, food producers and technology providers will create new cross-sector interconnections, new bio-based value chains, and new bio-based 'consumer' products.