Long-term solutions for circular, sustainable protein production – CORDIS

Report on the SMART PROTEIN Project: Microbial Biotechnology for Sustainable Food Systems

Introduction: Addressing Global Food Security and Sustainability

Meeting the nutritional needs of a growing global population presents a significant challenge, exacerbated by unsustainable food production practices that contribute to environmental degradation. The EU-supported SMART PROTEIN project was initiated to develop a new generation of sustainable protein sources, directly contributing to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project’s core objective is to leverage microbial biotechnology to create resource-efficient, plant-based, and fungal food systems, thereby advancing SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by promoting sustainable agriculture and improving nutrition, and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by redesigning food supply chains for circularity and efficiency.

Project Methodology and Key Findings

Focus on the Holobiome and Regenerative Agriculture

A central focus of the project was the “holobiome”—the comprehensive microbial ecosystem connecting soil, plants, and the wider environment. By understanding and enhancing these interactions, the project aimed to improve crop resilience and nutrient uptake, which is fundamental to achieving sustainable food production under SDG 15 (Life on Land). Researchers implemented and assessed several regenerative agricultural practices to improve soil microbial activity.

• Cover Cropping: Planting non-harvest crops to manage soil erosion and improve fertility.
• Reduced Tillage: Minimizing soil disturbance to improve soil structure, enhance biodiversity, and reduce fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Organic Amendments: Utilizing eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fertilizers, such as mycorrhizal fungi and compost, to enhance nutrient cycling and plant resilience.

Development of Novel Fungal Biomass Protein

In a significant advancement for SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), the SMART PROTEIN project utilized biotechnology to produce microbial biomass protein from edible fungi. This process was optimized to repurpose and upcycle food industry by-products, transforming low-value side streams into high-value, nutritious protein. This circular economy approach directly addresses food waste reduction targets.

1. Upcycled Inputs: The fermentation process utilized by-products from established food industries.

• Pasta residues
• Bread crusts
• Spent yeast and grains from breweries

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

The SMART PROTEIN project provides a model for a food revolution that aligns with critical global targets for sustainability and well-being.

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): By developing resilient crops and new protein sources, the project enhances food security and promotes sustainable agriculture.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The project facilitates a transition away from resource-intensive animal-based diets toward healthier and more sustainable plant and microbial proteins.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The upcycling of food industry by-products into new food sources is a direct implementation of circular economy principles, significantly reducing food waste.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action) & SDG 15 (Life on Land): Regenerative agricultural practices and a shift from animal agriculture help mitigate climate change, reduce emissions, combat land degradation, and improve soil biodiversity.

Conclusion and Policy Recommendations

The SMART PROTEIN project demonstrates the immense potential of microbial biotechnology to establish safe, healthy, and sustainable food systems. The successful transition to these novel systems is contingent upon a supportive policy environment. To scale these technologies and integrate them into mainstream food systems, the following actions are recommended:

• Establish clear and supportive policies and regulatory frameworks that facilitate innovation while ensuring consumer safety and public trust.
• Increase public and private investment in research and infrastructure to advance microbial biotechnology for food production.
• Promote circular economy models within the food industry to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the SMART PROTEIN project highlights issues and solutions that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals. The project’s focus on creating sustainable, alternative protein sources through biotechnology and regenerative agriculture touches upon goals related to hunger, health, innovation, responsible consumption, climate action, and terrestrial ecosystems.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
  
  Explanation: The article details the project’s use of “regenerative agricultural practices” such as “cover cropping, reduced tillage and organic amendments” specifically to “enhance crop resilience, nutrient uptake, and the overall sustainability of the food system.” These practices are aimed at improving soil fertility and structure, which directly aligns with creating sustainable and resilient food production.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers… and public and private research and development spending.
  
  Explanation: The SMART PROTEIN project is an example of applied scientific research and innovation. The article states the project “set out to develop a new generation of protein options by leveraging biotechnology” and created “microbial biomass protein from edible fungi.” The call for “investment in research and infrastructure” to “scale up these technologies” further reinforces the connection to this target.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
  
  Explanation: The project aims to develop “resource-efficient protein sources” and move away from an animal-based diet that “consumes too many of the planet’s resources.” This directly addresses the efficient use of natural resources in food production.
• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
  
  Explanation: A key innovation mentioned is the use of fungus fermentation to “repurpose by-products upcycled from pasta (pasta residues), bread (crusts) and beer (spent yeast and brewery grains).” This process of “upcycling these low-value side streams” is a clear example of reducing waste generation by reusing materials from other industries, adding a layer of “circularity to future food systems.”

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
  
  Explanation: While not a direct match, the project’s methods contribute to climate change mitigation. The article notes that reduced tillage “cuts down on fuel use and emissions,” and moving away from an animal-based diet reduces pollution. The project itself serves as an innovative approach to mitigating the climate impact of food production.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
  
  Explanation: The project’s focus on the “holobiome” and “microbial soil communities” is central to this goal. The article explains that regenerative agricultural practices were used to “improve soil fertility” and “soil structure and biodiversity.” Researchers measured improvements in “microbial activity,” which is a key component of restoring and maintaining healthy, productive land.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 2 & 15 (Targets 2.4 & 15.3)

• Implied Indicator: Measurement of soil health.
  
  Explanation: The article explicitly states that “Researchers measured soil enzymatic activity and noted improved microbial activity as a result of regenerative agricultural practices.” These measurements (soil enzymatic and microbial activity) serve as direct indicators of progress in improving land and soil quality for sustainable agriculture.

SDG 9 (Target 9.5)

• Implied Indicator: Investment in research and development for sustainable food technologies.
  
  Explanation: The existence of the “EU-supported SMART PROTEIN project” is itself an indicator of investment in R&D. The coordinator’s call for further “investment in research and infrastructure” suggests that this is a key metric for scaling up these innovative food systems.
• Implied Indicator: Development of new sustainable products.
  
  Explanation: The creation of “novel biomass protein from fungi” is a tangible output of the research and innovation process. The number and variety of such new products can be used as an indicator of progress.

SDG 12 (Target 12.5)

• Implied Indicator: Amount of food industry by-products upcycled.
  
  Explanation: The article specifies the repurposing of “pasta residues, bread (crusts) and beer (spent yeast and brewery grains).” The volume or percentage of these side streams that are successfully upcycled into new food products is a clear and measurable indicator of waste reduction.

SDG 13 (Target 13.3)

• Implied Indicator: Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
  
  Explanation: The article mentions that the practice of reduced tillage “cuts down on fuel use and emissions.” This reduction can be quantified and used as an indicator of climate change mitigation efforts within the agricultural sector.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: cordis.europa.eu