CA25164 - Transforming Protein-Rich Co-Products into Functional, Health-Promoting Ingredients for Future Food Systems (NextProFood)

NextProFood creates a European and international network that brings together scientists, industry partners, and regulators to advance the valorisation of protein-rich co-products and emerging protein sources into safe, functional, and health-promoting ingredients. It tackles the fragmentation that currently limits progress by connecting expertise, aligning analytical approaches, and improving access to reliable, comparable, and reusable data across sectors. The network integrates specialists in enzymology, food biotechnology, bioinformatics, nutrition, and sustainability to build shared frameworks for assessing protein quality, functionality, safety, and environmental performance. A key outcome will be the open-access Protein and Peptide Functionality Atlas (PPFA), an integrated digital platform that links analytical and computational data in accordance with FAIR principles. This resource will support predictive modelling, data-driven innovation, and transparent evaluation of protein ingredients and bioactive peptides relevant to nutrition and health. Training Schools, Short-Term Scientific Missions, and collaborative workshops will foster capacity building, methodological consistency, and inclusive participation, with strong engagement of Early-Career Investigators and Inclusiveness Target Countries. These activities will strengthen the transfer of scientific knowledge to industry and policy, ensuring that innovations remain sustainable and socially trusted. By transforming fragmented expertise into a coordinated, forward-looking community, NextProFood will lay the foundation for future European collaborations in food and health research. The Action will reinforce Europe’s leadership in responsibly harnessing protein resources, promoting a circular food system that integrates nutritional quality, environmental protection, and social responsibility.