Areas of Interest





Mapping socio-economic-scientific aspects of marine and freshwater ecosystems

OBJECTIVE
- Understand the expectations and consumer values in the market.
- Involve blue economy sector stakeholders in co-creation and food system design.
- To perform consumer studies on LTS-based ingredient substitution possibilities with existing ingredients.
APPROACH
- Conducting a pan-European consumer survey on their perspectives and preferences around sustainable marine and freshwater products.
- Offering training and education to bring stakeholders together for data collection and co-creation
- Capitalising on links with ongoing and past activities to foster beneficial collaborations
- Conduct market research for IMPRESS products to map existing products, businesses, ingredients used and market trends.
Innovative Processes and novel ingredients for waste reduction and sustainability
OBJECTIVES
- To develop new valorization routes from fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing streams
- To obtain high value ingredients for food and feed development in the context of a circular economy
- To develop sustainable cultivation pathways for duckweed and microalgae using wastewater as a resource
- To assess the growth of macroalgae in an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture system for sustainable aquaculture development
APPROACH
The objectives will be meant through 5 pilot studies
Pilot 1: High value ingredients from processing streams
Pilot 2: Duckweed cultivation from process water
Pilot 3: Microalgae cultivation from process water
Pilot 4: Macroalgae cultivation from aquaculture streams
Pilot 5: Low trophic species-based ingredients
Innovative food and feed products
OBJECTIVES
To utilise the obtained high value ingredients obtained in new food and fish feed product development
- To evaluate growth performance of fish fed on formulated feeds
- To design the new products in line with the specific consumer requirements
- To characterise the products obtained in terms of nutritional value, bioactive, techno-functional and sensory properties
APPROACH
- Produce and characterise a control and up to four different fish feed formulations, based on a definition of nutritional needs of certain fish varieties then evaluate their performance through trials
- Develop vegan fish-like and conventional fish, ready to eat products
- Prototype food and non-food products based upon the consumer survey, the market analysis and any gaps identified in existing value chains
- Conduct a screen of regulatory issues regarding animal feed, food and packaging.
Innovative and sustainable packaging
OBJECTIVES
To develop smart bio-based and biodegradable packaging films for seafood packaging applications and determine their end-of- life (Industrial composting, Biodegradation)
APPROACH
- Developing polymer blends and composites
- Focusing on biopolymer and protein-based coatings to improve the shelf-life of food products
- Pilot-scale production of polymer composites, blends and proto-type packaging films
- Creating a smart labels prototype food packaging to confirm the authenticity and shelf-life of the product
- Investigating the compostability and biodegradability evaluation of biobased packaging
OBJECTIVES
- To map and quantify waste generation for aquatic farm to fork
- To promote innovative measures to reduce wastage at consumer level
- To measure environmental and economic impact of the IMPRESS proposed solutions
- To propose evidence based solutions to reduce the waste generated and on closing the loop in existing value chains
APPROACH
- Mapping and quantification of the fish waste from processing, retail and HORECA sector by combining material flow analysis of fish by-products from different sources and questionnaires
- Conducting life cycle assessment (LCA) of novel ingredients, processes and products as well as a Life Cycle Costing (LCC) analysis to address the economic dimension of sustainability.
Shaping the value chains for successful marketing of new products
OBJECTIVES
- Generate interest around the project, effectively communicating and disseminating results broadly
- To unite key players across newly established value chains and engage marginalised communities to broaden the ecosystem and enable lasting collaboration within and between sectors and regions
- Secure a strong position for IMPRESS products in the EU marine and freshwater bio-based market
APPROACH
- Develop and implement an extensive dissemination, exploitation and communication plan
- Use of modelling tools (e.g., SWOT, PESTELE, BM Canvas) to develop business models and a sound go-to market strategy that will support the commercialisation of IMPRESS’s innovative solutions to the EU market
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