The S2AQUA collaborative laboratory, at the University of Algarve, is part of an innovative research project to explore the future of new protein sources. This is the FEASTS project, which was launched in January this year, at a meeting in Lisbon, which brought together a consortium of 36 institutions, from 17 countries.
S2AQUAcoLAB actively participates in this project, in terms of developing and promoting sustainable cellular aquaculture.
The FEASTS (Fostering European Cellular Agriculture for Sustainable Transition Solution) project, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to provide an expanded knowledge base dedicated to the cultivation of meat and fish in the laboratory, as well as their role in the food system.
Over the next three years of the project, issues related to the use of sustainable technologies for production, nutritional, regulatory and ethical aspects will be addressed, as well as environmental, economic and social life cycle analyzes of traditional aquaculture production and aquaculture cell phone.
This project is a challenge on several levels, explains Joana Rosa, S2AQUAcoLAB researcher in the area of cellular aquaculture, involved in FEASTS since its inception: “this project gives a boost to this new way of producing animal protein for human consumption, at the same time that it responds to other issues that arise whenever we talk about food production, such as sustainability and food scarcity”.
The practice of growing protein, to obtain meat and fish, “has the potential to mitigate the negative effects of the intensive methods currently used, while at the same time enabling the availability of safe, nutritious and affordable products”, explains S2AQUA.
These are arguments and results that will also be presented to the main actors in the production industry, which the FEASTS project intends to actively involve in the design of future processes and scenarios.
Consumers are also a target audience that the project identified, and specific activities were designed to address aspects such as the knowledge gap in relation to nutrition and food security.
Actions such as workshops and focus group studies will be carried out to assess consumer preferences, assess cultural diversity in terms of food and the acceptance of new products.
“All these actions will open the door to open and informed discussions about the role of agriculture and cellular aquaculture, given the population’s growing demand for protein”, adds the Algarve collaborative laboratory.
The livestock industry, in the current food system, generates 17% of total greenhouse gas emissions, providing only 18% of global calories and 37% of global proteins.
FEASTS Consortium and S2AQUAThe FEASTS consortium includes some of the leading European universities and research institutes, startups, business accelerators, independent consultants, international food innovation initiatives, representatives from the agricultural and aquatic industries, as well as a consumer association.
One of the most ambitious objectives of FEASTS is to establish a management model for the sector at European Union level and create a framework for the sustainable production of safe, nutritious and widely accessible cultivated products for all consumers.
S2AQUA is committed to being an active contributor and leader in advancing sustainable practices in the aquaculture industry.
This project reinforces S2AQUA's ongoing commitment to driving innovation, promoting sustainability and providing solutions and new products that benefit both industry and society.
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